Anyone remember playing jacks? We played all the time in the 50s. Do kids still play jacks?

[bobbieinok]

The best ball, we thought, was a discarded golf ball.

[Ohiogal]

1. I remember playing jacks!

And my mother was the jacks champion at her school!

[kimbutgar]

2. My late Mom always used to beat me playing jacks

As a substitute teacher I have never seen kids playing jacks in any of the schools I’ve worked at unfortunately. I did teach a kid though how to play checkers recently.

[CrispyQ]

3. We played jacks all the time.

We used a superball once. It was so heavy it bounced on one of my jacks & broke a tine off. So we made a rule that that jack always had to be in the 2nd group of jacks you picked up. The things you do as kids, huh? I still have those old jacks.

[choie]

4. I played it in the 70s!

[tonyt53]

5. My sisters all did. All I did with them is step on them barefooted. Still remember how they felt.

[Frustratedlady]

6. My daughters played jacks in the 70s and were quite good at it.

Only problem was that they had so many bags of them, that if they lost one piece, they just stole from another bag. Later, either my vacuum or my foot would locate the missing jack. Ever stepped on one of those with bare feet? Ouchee!

[Yonnie3]

7. We played Jacks

I still recall them being confiscated because we left them on the floor and someone stepped on them barefooted.

What about marbles?

[madamesilverspurs]

8. But of course!

My younger sister was a schoolyard champ back in the early '60s. Couple years ago, I found a jacks set at a thrift shop; wrapped it, and gave it to my sister as a Christmas present. She was absolutely delighted, and the kids were fascinated as she cleared the coffee table and began to play. She still keeps the jacks handy for those moments that require de-stressing.



.

[brush]

9. My sisters did. We all played hop-scotch and hide-and-seek.

[BootinUp]

10. My older sister got a kick when she beat me

Playing jacks.

[NRaleighLiberal]

11. I played Hi Lo Jack with my grandfather...Hearts, and my favorite, Spades, in grad school

I played "with" jacks - but no specific game.

[leftieNanner]

12. This is a different kind of jacks

The op is talking about a game with ten metal pieces somewhat like a snowflake. You would toss them on the ground and then bounce a ball (I agree that an old golf ball was the best option) and scoop up the jacks - first by ones, then by twos, threes etc. My friend Pam was the best at it in elementary school. I could never beat her.

[NRaleighLiberal]

21. yup. finally got to that! I played with them, but no formal game.

as you could tell, more of a cards person!

[leftieNanner]

23. I'm a Gin and Cribbage girl myself

And dominoes.

I always lose at Hearts.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. Like these:

[NRaleighLiberal]

20. Yes I got it - see my full response, not just the headline

moving through threads too quick this AM!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Yes, and I was pretty good at it.

[whathehell]

14. Absolutely!

[liberalmuse]

15. I played jacks constantly when I was 10.

My mom used to take in people when asked by our church, even though we were below the poverty line as no other church members would do it. A young lady thrown out of the house because she was marrying a Mexican immigrant (her family was Hispanic) taught us kids the game and we all sat on the floor and played for hours. It was so fun and she could get to levels I only dreamed of.

[Lulu KC]

16. I just put some out for a visiting granddaughter

She said, "Oh, jacks!" and played with them. She's 9.

When my 19-year-old daughter saw them out, she said that at her elementary school they would play them after throwing all the balls out of the playground into the surrounding yards. Cracked me up a little.

[bdtrppr6]

18. I think they have a phone app for it

Extreme Virtual Jax™ brought to you by MONSTER NRG Dranks!

[Guilded Lilly]

19. All the time! I still have several "sets" and the little red rubber ball. Loved playing . (n/t)

[Runningdawg]

22. Yes, I was really good at it.

Rule #1 play in a room with a closed door. The cat will steal the ball and the dogs will eat the jacks.

[Brother Buzz]

24. Indeed, a golf ball

But our golf balls weren't discarded ones. A discarded golf ball, with all the smile and frown cuts, made for unpredictable bouncing.

Bummer, I retired from playing jacks before they invented the 'Super Ball'.

[demigoddess]

25. yes, and board games. Lots of board games.

[Sneederbunk]

26. It was a girls' game. No boy would be caught dead playing.

[33taw]

27. They are available on Amazon - generally listed as classic or vintage toys.

I have not seen them since the 60s or 70s.

[bobbieinok]

28. Various levels of play--pigs in the barn, around the world---what more do you know?

In late 40s I got a new set as a present. There were many levels of play that were new to me and my friends.

I don't remember many now, but do remember they were a blast to learn and play.

There was 1 where you shoved the jacks into shed like affair made by hand on floor with palm arched. Then another with hand in same position. Jacks not put in 'shed' but lited to back of 'shed',

[Fla Dem]

29. Was a kid around then, but just wasn't a thing in my area.

I actually had a set of jacks w/ the little ball. Can't recall playing with it more than a few times.

[Shrike47]

30. My mother was so much better at jacks than I that I didn't want to play that much.

She was really good. I was mediocre at best.