Children's street culture refers to the cumulative culture created by young children. Collectively, this body of knowledge is passed down from one generation of urban children to the next, and can also be passed between different groups of children (e.g. in the form of crazes, but also in intergenerational mixing). It is most common in children between the ages of seven and twelve. It is strongest in urban working-classindustrial districts where children are traditionally free to "play outside" in the streets for long periods without supervision.
Children's street culture is invented and largely sustained by children themselves, although it may come to incorporate fragments of media culture and toys in its activities. It is not to be confused with the commercial media-culture produced for children (e.g., comics, television, mass-produced toys, and clothing), although it may overlap.
Location and play materials
Drawing by Marguerite Martyn of children playing in the rush of water from a street-cleaning wagon, St. Louis, Missouri, 1914
Young children's street culture usually takes place on quiet backstreets and sidewalks, and along routes that venture out into local parks, playgrounds, scrub and wasteland, and to local shops. It can often incorporate many found and scavenged materials such as old car seats, tires, planks, bricks, etc. Sometimes found materials will be combined to create objects (e.g. making guys for Guy Fawkes Night[1]).
Play will often incorporate crazes (sometimes incorporating seasonal elements that are freely collected, such as conkers, snowballs, sycamore seeds). It also imposes imaginative status on certain sections of the urban realm (local buildings, street objects, road layouts, etc.).
In summer, children may use scavenged materials to create a temporary and semi-hidden "den" or "hideout" or "HQ" in a marginal area near their homes, which serves as an informal meeting and relaxation place.[2] An urban area that looks faceless or neglected to an adult may have deep "spirit of place" meanings in children's street culture.
History and research
Although it varies from place to place, research shows that it appears to share many commonalities across many cultures. It is a traditional phenomenon that has been closely investigated and documented in the western world during the 20th century by anthropologists and folklorists such as Iona Opie; street photographers such as Roger Mayne, Helen Levitt, David Trainer, and Robert Doisneau; urbanists such as Colin Ward and Robin Moore, as well as being described in countless novels of childhood. The research of Robin Moore stresses children's need for 'marginal' unsupervised areas 'within running distance' of homes (scrubby bushes and hedges, disused buildings). There are now two academic journals devoted to this area, the Journal of Children's Geographies and Play & Folklore.
It has occasionally been central to feature films, such as the Our Gang ("Little Rascals") series, Ealing's Hue and Cry (1947) and some Children's Film Foundation films such as Go Kart, Go! and Soap Box Derby.
Between 1922 and 1933, over 12,000 children in England and Wales were killed in accidents involving motor vehicles.[3] In 1900, some 10,000 automobiles were produced, in 2015 some 100 million automobiles were produced, the rise negatively affecting children's street culture.
Since the advent of distractions such as video games, Internet, and television, concerns have been expressed about the vitality - or even the survival - of children's street culture.[4]
Children's urban legends
Many informal groups of small children will develop some level of superstitious beliefs about their local area. For instance, they may believe that there are certain places that are "unlucky" to step on (e.g.: certain large cracks in a sidewalk) or touch (e.g.: gateposts of a certain color) or pass beyond (such as the end of the sidewalk, beyond which is another dimension inhabited by the bogeyman), or that an old woman is a "witch", or that an abandoned house is "haunted". But in some extreme circumstances, a consistent myth may emerge among young children, and across a large area. One example dates from 1997; the Miami New Times published Lynda Edwards' report "Myths Over Miami",[5] which describes a huge consistent mythology spreading among young homeless children in the American South. The story has been picked up and reprinted many times on internet blogs and websites.[6] There is no known verification or confirmation that the mythology she describes actually exists,[7] but these "secret stories" are clearly based on known elements of street culture, such as labeling certain places "haunted" or recycling legends of dangerous spirits such as Bloody Mary. The article was the basis for Mercedes Lackey's novel Mad Maudlin, co-written with Rosemary Edghill.
^"The history of play streets - London Play". www.londonplay.org.uk.
^"The Overprotected Kid". The Atlantic. The child culture from my Queens days, with its own traditions and codas, its particular pleasures and distresses, is virtually extinct.
^Lynda Edwards (5 June 1997). . Miami New Times. Archived from the original on 2012-04-16. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
^Allie Conti, How a 1997 New Times Feature on Homeless Kids' Folklore Exploded the Internet. New Times, September 5, 2013.
^Ian Simmons, Twenty Years of Myths Over Miami. Fortean Times, Christmas 2017.
Works cited
Ervin Beck. "Children's Guy Fawkes Customs in Sheffield", Folklore, 95 (1984), 191-203.
David Sobel. Children's Special Places: Exploring the Role of Forts, Dens, and Bush Houses in Middle Childhood (2001).
Robert Paul Smith. Where Did You Go? Out. What Did You Do? Nothing. (1957) (Memoir focusing on children's pastimes, New York, 1920s)
David Sobel. Mapmaking with Children: Sense of Place Education for the Elementary Years (1998).
Leea Virtanen. Children's Lore (1978). (English-translation of a 30,000-sample study from Finland).
Colin Ward (with photos by Ann Golzen). The Child in the City (1977). (Groundbreaking key book, with a focus on the British experience).
The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica entry for "Children's games" recommends: "the following works: A. B. Gomme's Traditional Games of Great Britain (2 vols., Nutt, 1894-1898); Gomme's Children's Singing Games (Nutt, 1904); ... Newell's Games of American Children (Harper Bros., New York, 1884)."
Helen Levitt. In The Street: chalk drawings and messages, New York City 1938-1948. (1987) — (Chalkings and children making them)
Eddie Elliott (Curator). Knock Down Ginger: Seventy Years of Street Kids (Exhibition, Photographers' Gallery, London; July 2001).
Les Enfants (Editions de La Martinière, France, 2001) (Anthology of French street photography of children; by Ronis, Riboud, Doisneau, Cartier Bresson, and others).
R.S. Johnson & J.T. Oman. Street Children (1964). Hodder & Stoughton, London. (Photography & poetic text on facing pages, re: young British children's street play).
Television documentaries
Ian Duncan. (Dir.) Picture This: Playing Out (BBC Two 1992)
Ian Duncan. (Dir.) The Secret World of Children (BBC 1993)
The Singing Street (1951).
Dusty Bluebells (BBC Northern Ireland, early 1970s), and the follow-up film showing how the street's child-friendly nature had been destroyed by cars, This Is Not a Car Park (1993).
Where do the Children Play? (NBC and University of Michigan, 2008)
January 02, 2023
children, street, culture, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, artic. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Children s street culture news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject You may improve this article discuss the issue on the talk page or create a new article as appropriate October 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Children s street culture refers to the cumulative culture created by young children Collectively this body of knowledge is passed down from one generation of urban children to the next and can also be passed between different groups of children e g in the form of crazes but also in intergenerational mixing It is most common in children between the ages of seven and twelve It is strongest in urban working class industrial districts where children are traditionally free to play outside in the streets for long periods without supervision Young boys playing in a New York City street 1909 Children playing leap frog in a Harlem street ca 1930 Young boys playing on a sidewalk 2013 Tehran Contents 1 Difference from mass media culture 2 Location and play materials 3 History and research 3 1 Mass motorisation 4 Children s urban legends 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Works cited 7 Further reading 7 1 Non fiction 7 2 Photography books 7 3 Television documentariesDifference from mass media culture EditChildren s street culture is invented and largely sustained by children themselves although it may come to incorporate fragments of media culture and toys in its activities It is not to be confused with the commercial media culture produced for children e g comics television mass produced toys and clothing although it may overlap Location and play materials Edit Drawing by Marguerite Martyn of children playing in the rush of water from a street cleaning wagon St Louis Missouri 1914 Further information Street games Young children s street culture usually takes place on quiet backstreets and sidewalks and along routes that venture out into local parks playgrounds scrub and wasteland and to local shops It can often incorporate many found and scavenged materials such as old car seats tires planks bricks etc Sometimes found materials will be combined to create objects e g making guys for Guy Fawkes Night 1 Play will often incorporate crazes sometimes incorporating seasonal elements that are freely collected such as conkers snowballs sycamore seeds It also imposes imaginative status on certain sections of the urban realm local buildings street objects road layouts etc In summer children may use scavenged materials to create a temporary and semi hidden den or hideout or HQ in a marginal area near their homes which serves as an informal meeting and relaxation place 2 An urban area that looks faceless or neglected to an adult may have deep spirit of place meanings in children s street culture History and research EditAlthough it varies from place to place research shows that it appears to share many commonalities across many cultures It is a traditional phenomenon that has been closely investigated and documented in the western world during the 20th century by anthropologists and folklorists such as Iona Opie street photographers such as Roger Mayne Helen Levitt David Trainer Humphrey Spender and Robert Doisneau urbanists such as Colin Ward and Robin Moore as well as being described in countless novels of childhood The research of Robin Moore stresses children s need for marginal unsupervised areas within running distance of homes scrubby bushes and hedges disused buildings There are now two academic journals devoted to this area the Journal of Children s Geographies and Play amp Folklore It has occasionally been central to feature films such as the Our Gang Little Rascals series Ealing s Hue and Cry 1947 and some Children s Film Foundation films such as Go Kart Go and Soap Box Derby Mass motorisation Edit Further information Effects of the car on societies Between 1922 and 1933 over 12 000 children in England and Wales were killed in accidents involving motor vehicles 3 In 1900 some 10 000 automobiles were produced in 2015 some 100 million automobiles were produced the rise negatively affecting children s street culture Since the advent of distractions such as video games Internet and television concerns have been expressed about the vitality or even the survival of children s street culture 4 Children s urban legends EditMany informal groups of small children will develop some level of superstitious beliefs about their local area For instance they may believe that there are certain places that are unlucky to step on e g certain large cracks in a sidewalk or touch e g gateposts of a certain color or pass beyond such as the end of the sidewalk beyond which is another dimension inhabited by the bogeyman or that an old woman is a witch or that an abandoned house is haunted But in some extreme circumstances a consistent myth may emerge among young children and across a large area One example dates from 1997 the Miami New Times published Lynda Edwards report Myths Over Miami 5 which describes a huge consistent mythology spreading among young homeless children in the American South The story has been picked up and reprinted many times on internet blogs and websites 6 There is no known verification or confirmation that the mythology she describes actually exists 7 but these secret stories are clearly based on known elements of street culture such as labeling certain places haunted or recycling legends of dangerous spirits such as Bloody Mary The article was the basis for Mercedes Lackey s novel Mad Maudlin co written with Rosemary Edghill See also EditChild art Childhood secret club Children s geographies Free range parenting Home zone Effects of the car on societies Peter and Iona Opie Latchkey kid List of traditional children s games Playground song Street game Tree house Truce termReferences Edit Beck 1984 Sobel 2001 The history of play streets London Play www londonplay org uk The Overprotected Kid The Atlantic The child culture from my Queens days with its own traditions and codas its particular pleasures and distresses is virtually extinct Lynda Edwards 5 June 1997 Myths Over Miami Miami New Times Archived from the original on 2012 04 16 Retrieved 6 April 2012 Allie Conti How a 1997 New Times Feature on Homeless Kids Folklore Exploded the Internet New Times September 5 2013 Ian Simmons Twenty Years of Myths Over Miami Fortean Times Christmas 2017 Works cited Edit Ervin Beck Children s Guy Fawkes Customs in Sheffield Folklore 95 1984 191 203 David Sobel Children s Special Places Exploring the Role of Forts Dens and Bush Houses in Middle Childhood 2001 Further reading EditThis further reading section may contain inappropriate or excessive suggestions that may not follow Wikipedia s guidelines Please ensure that only a reasonable number of balanced topical reliable and notable further reading suggestions are given removing less relevant or redundant publications with the same point of view where appropriate Consider utilising appropriate texts as inline sources or creating a separate bibliography article February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message Non fiction Edit Simon Bronner American Children s Folklore 1988 Robin C Moore Childhood s Domain Play and Place 1986 In depth advanced study of three small areas of England with maps and photos Iona Opie The People in the Playground 1993 In depth study of children s playground lore and life Iona Opie The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren 1959 Steve Roud The Lore of the Playground Random House 2010 ISBN 978 1 905211 51 7 Robert Paul Smith Where Did You Go Out What Did You Do Nothing 1957 Memoir focusing on children s pastimes New York 1920s David Sobel Mapmaking with Children Sense of Place Education for the Elementary Years 1998 Leea Virtanen Children s Lore 1978 English translation of a 30 000 sample study from Finland Colin Ward with photos by Ann Golzen The Child in the City 1977 Groundbreaking key book with a focus on the British experience The 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica entry for Children s games recommends the following works A B Gomme s Traditional Games of Great Britain 2 vols Nutt 1894 1898 Gomme s Children s Singing Games Nutt 1904 Newell s Games of American Children Harper Bros New York 1884 Photography books Edit Roger Mayne Street Photographs of Roger Mayne 1996 Victoria and Albert Museum Robert Doisneau Les Enfants Les Gosses 1992 Helen Levitt In The Street chalk drawings and messages New York City 1938 1948 1987 Chalkings and children making them Eddie Elliott Curator Knock Down Ginger Seventy Years of Street Kids Exhibition Photographers Gallery London July 2001 Les Enfants Editions de La Martiniere France 2001 Anthology of French street photography of children by Ronis Riboud Doisneau Cartier Bresson and others R S Johnson amp J T Oman Street Children 1964 Hodder amp Stoughton London Photography amp poetic text on facing pages re young British children s street play Television documentaries Edit Ian Duncan Dir Picture This Playing Out BBC Two 1992 Ian Duncan Dir The Secret World of Children BBC 1993 The Singing Street 1951 Dusty Bluebells BBC Northern Ireland early 1970s and the follow up film showing how the street s child friendly nature had been destroyed by cars This Is Not a Car Park 1993 Where do the Children Play NBC and University of Michigan 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Children 27s street culture amp oldid 1130782315, 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