Your Favorite Childhood Memories
If you’re actively studying Latvian through the OLS platform, you’ve probably come across the learning materials in the course “My Latvian Course A2,” (if you haven't enrolled in the course jet, you can do it here) designed to help you learn new vocabulary by talking about your childhood. Sharing childhood memories can be a great way to get to know new friends and people around you, so this course includes a lesson called “It’s a childhood memory!”
Toys are a part of every child’s early years: for some, it was model cars, for others, dolls or toy trains. Museums allow us to see what kinds of toys children played with in the past. In this article, we’ll explore five childhood toys that have been beloved by children in Latvia over the years. I’d love to hear in the comments about your favorite childhood toy!
We’ve all probably heard stories about tin soldiers and how our fathers and grandfathers used to play with them, staging various battle scenes. Latvian children have always enjoyed playing with tin soldiers, too. There’s even a popular Latvian song called “Alvas zaldātiņi” (“Tin Soldiers”). Have you heard it? If not, be sure to give it a listen!
Image: Durbe Castle
The rocking horse was a must in every child’s home. In earlier times, they were simply made from wood, but today, efforts are made to make them safer for children, and they’re often soft and fluffy. But a rocking horse like the one in the picture used to be in every kindergarten and home.
Image: kido.lv
Every Latvian child has grown up playing with a ball. In childhood, a ball brought endless hours of joy, and you could play not only football but also hundreds of other games with rules made up right there on the field or in the backyard. In Latvia, a popular ball game was “tautas bumba,” where children were divided into two teams and tried to “hit” the opposing players with the ball. If you got hit, you had to leave the playing field. In English, this game is called “dodgeball.”
Image: Viļāni Secondary School
And who didn’t grow up with a favorite soft toy or stuffed bear? Bear, bunny, or kitten – we all had different favorites, but in children’s books, adventures were often brought to life by plush bears like Winnie the Pooh or Paddington. Who was your favorite bear from childhood?
Image: Baltic Souvenirs
My favorite childhood game was setting the table and having tea parties. I would put all my soft toys, teddy bears, and dolls on a blanket, set out a tea set and imaginary sweets, and treat my friends to tea and cookies.
Image: Riga Porcelain
Of course, each of us had our favorite toy in childhood, so now it’s your turn to use your new language skills and share your favorite toy with others!
Vita, OLS Latvian Language Community Manager