From adventure playgrounds and street parties to swimming pools, seaside trips, holiday schemes and after-school clubs, these nostalgic photographs capture how children across the region spent their free time between the 1960s and 1980s.
Before screens and smartphones filled our days, entertainment often meant climbing frames, rope swings, community centres, local parks and making your own fun with friends. Whether it was a trip to Blackpool, a summer afternoon at the pool, a creative activity at a youth club or simply exploring the playground, these were the moments that shaped childhood memories.
These atmospheric pictures from our archives are sure to transport you back - perhaps reminding you of the games you played, the places you visited, or even the childhood adventures your own parents remember.
Take a trip down memory lane, enjoy browsing the gallery, and share your favourite memories in the comments. What do you remember most about growing up in the 1960s, 70s and 80s?
Remember Wolverhampton market days? Take a nostalgic trip through our gallery here.
- You can enjoy this and more with our weekly FREE Nostalgia Newsletter - with scores of archive pictures and exclusive features on the history of Wolverhampton, Staffordshire and the Black Country - all sent to your inbox every week. Sign up here.
17. Graisley Estate, Wolverhampton, 1977
Excitement is written all over their faces as 80 children from the Graisley Estate, Wolverhampton, prepare to set off on a day trip to Blackpool in 1977. Lined up beside the coach, the adventure was just beginning. Do you remember those eagerly awaited seaside trips, when the journey felt almost as exciting as the destination? | Express & Star archive
18. 1st Wordsley Scout Group, 1977
A medieval adventure comes to life for the 1st Wordsley Scout Group in 1977, as the youngsters stage a festival complete with maypole dancing and the sounds of Goliard, the resident minstrels from Warwick Castle. Steven Davies finds himself at the centre of the action, surrounded by the swords of Steven Smallman, Robert Wright and Nicholas Summers, while Brownies look on. Do you remember Scouts, Brownies or youth groups creating imaginative events like this, where dressing up and make-believe turned an ordinary day into something magical? | Express & Star archive
19. St Jude's Infants School, Wolverhampton, 1979
Christmas excitement fills the air at St Jude’s Infants School, Wolverhampton, in 1979, as the Sweetman Street Tenants Association hosts a festive party for local children. Maxine Grant and Carl Nash are pictured pulling a cracker, surrounded by friends enjoying the celebrations. Do you remember community Christmas parties, when crackers, party games and a visit from Father Christmas made the season feel truly magical? | Express & Star archive
20. Whiteheath Centre, Sandwell, 1980
Youngsters get creative at Whiteheath Centre, Sandwell, in 1980, as play leader Diane Wilson joins them for an afternoon of arts and crafts. John Zarelli, Susan Dunnaway, Vanda Zarelli, Ruth Dunaway and Lee Zarelli get hands-on with paper creations - a reminder of the simple activities that brought children together and sparked plenty of imagination. Do you remember spending afternoons making things at youth clubs, community centres or school holiday schemes? What were your favourite childhood activities? | Express & Star archive