For children there were, relative to today, few interesting things to do in the 1960's.
Sixties children had no electronic games or computers to entertain them. They often made their own toys and invented their own games.
Meccano sets, Airfix model construction kits and Lego were very popular. Matchbox cars were fairly cheap and easy to collect, and many children built up large collections of them. Go-karting was another craze of the time. Scalextric was the most high-tech toy available.
Barbie dolls and Action Man toys became very popular for the first time in the 1960's. For many children, a bicycle was their most prized possesion - ridden without a crash helmet.
The invention of small, cheap transistor radios with batteries meant that many young people could buy their own radio. Many unauthorised 'pirate' radio stations started up that played mainly pop music. Radio Caroline operated from a boat in the English Channel and was very popular with teenagers.
Parents in the 60's had more money to spend on their children. They wanted their children to have the chance to do things they had missed out on when they were growing up in the difficult years of the 30's and 40's.
Many children enjoyed belonging to girl guide or boy scout groups. This gave them the chance to take part in hobbies and activities, meet new friends and to go on holiday trips.
Girls often spent Saturday mornings at dancing classes.
Dance crazes came and went through the decade. The most famous of them was the Twist, introduced by the singer Chubby Checker in 1961. As the decade progressed, dancing became less structured, with more free self-expression. Discos were livened up with rather primative 'psychedelic' light shows and strobes.
Children who lived in the country often belonged to the Pony Club.
Growing up in the 60's - Main page