Vivid Restorations Capture the Spirit of 1950s Childhoods

Life today is vastly different from what it once was. Even just a few short years ago, the world was in stark contrast to what it is today. Now imagine how different things were 70+ years ago, during the mid-20th century, a time that seemed simpler perhaps because it was. Children played outside more, not distracted by the influx of video games, and cell phones had not yet invaded our every waking moment.

While it may have seemed like a safer time, there weren’t as many highway safety restrictions or environmental health concerns, issues that have since been brought to the forefront. These images show how carefree childhood seemed and give us a glimpse into what parenting was like in the 1950s. We added some color to the pictures, and they reveal so much more about this very special decade.

Naptime

As the saying goes, sleep when the baby sleeps. This Detroit dad took heed, circa 1955.

Parenting Is Exhausting

With the benefit of color, you can see that this man is napping next to what looks like a vegetable plot, and you can even see that he has removed his shades and placed them in the pram with the baby.

Full House

This hospital maternity ward was packed with babies galore back in 1950. Note some babies are sleeping on their backs and others on their tummies.

Which One Is Mine?

The color version of this image looks a little more worrying. It’s easier to imagine trying to find your own baby in this hospital nursery, praying that there would be no mix-ups.

Laundry Day

Though the earliest clothes dryer was invented in the late 19th century, it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that they became more accessible for average Americans. Till then, clothing was clothesline-dried.

Dressing up for Household Chores

It’s only with the help of color that we can see what a perfect drying day this is and admire how smartly dressed this lady is when doing her housework.

A Day at the Races

Forget the Kentucky Derby. At New Jersey’s Palisades Amusement Park circa 1955, babies raced… or crawled… for the gold. Parents enticed their tiny crawlers with toys as the contestants were cheered on by onlookers.

Competitive Parenting

The color highlights the crowd in this pic, comprising mainly young people in swimming costumes who had presumably taken a break from sunbathing to watch babies in a crawling race. You also see the slightly disturbing starting gate—it’s amazing that the babies aren’t all howling.

Snazzy Desk Design

Long before smartboards and laptops, students learned via chalkboards, paper, and pencils. Desks featured tilt-top capabilities, allowing for a more comfortable way to read and write. Daily learning supplies were contained within.

Eyes Front Everyone, Please

Even with the color added, this 1950s classroom looks pretty austere compared to the brightly colored classrooms of today. Nevertheless, the children all look happy and engaged with the lesson.

A Hole in the Plan

Today’s parents are urged to put their babies “back to sleep,” which is to say, have the babies sleep on their back to avoid suffocation from undeveloped neck muscles. However, in 1956, there was a novel idea of letting a baby sleep on its stomach (which many argue helps a baby sleep better) on a foam rubber pillow with holes to provide air and prevent suffocation.

Cot Hazard

Color does nothing to make the image look any safer; in fact, the opposite is true. The baby appears to be biting on the foam pillow, which looks far from clean and could also present a choking hazard.

Playground Fun

Well before padded rubber play surfaces and durable plastic climbing equipment, children climbed on metal jungle gyms and monkey bars, which were typically located on dirt, grass, or blacktop pavement.

Showing off Her Moves

The playground comes alive with color and seems a more vibrant and fun place to spend time as a kid. This little girl is impressing her audience.

Birth of Suburbia

Long before McMansion subdivisions with HOAs, suburban neighborhoods were sprouting up to provide family-friendly and affordable housing. Kids played freely with other neighborhood kids.

A Safe Place to Cycle and Play

Even though the color is very subtle in this picture, it does accentuate the neat lawns and freshly planted saplings, which still have their supporting posts. They are probably huge trees by now.

What Screen?

Though televisions had been invented and were becoming more commonplace, it wasn’t until the late 1950s that a majority of American homes had one. Before that, families gathered together and played games, read newspapers or magazines, or partook in hobbies, such as needlepoint.

A Cosy Home

This wholesome scene truly comes alive with color. What looked like a sterile and cold room in black and white is actually full of life and warmth thanks to the bright pattern on the carpet and curtains. The room is light and airy, with plush soft furnishings.

The More Things Change…

Back in 1950, New York protesters opposed the closure of a childcare facility. Says one sign, “If Mom can’t work, we can’t eat.” Today’s argument is that while we have adequate numbers of childcare facilities, the tuition cost makes them nearly impossible for many American families to afford.

Taking a Stand

Here in the color version of the picture, the quality of the banners is highlighted—someone has gone to a lot of trouble to produce these.

Library Class

In this photo, circa 1950, a librarian shares a story with a captive audience of students during “library class.”

Lost in a Book

The warmth of the color in the children’s faces removes the austere Victorian-like atmosphere and reveals how engaged they are with this library class.

Teach Them Young

In this image, circa 1950, students learn the rules of the road as the teacher shows them various street sign shapes and explains their meanings. Note the notice in the background for “Bank Day” taking place the following day.

Road Safety

The brightly colored road sign figures have clearly been designed to grab the children’s attention—and they seem to be working.

Shopping: A Family Affair

Grocery carts may have been invented in 1937, but the ones with the little cars attached that keep kids busy while parents shop were not available until well after the 1950s. Here, a mom looks suspiciously happy, and her kids are remarkably well-behaved after loading up on groceries.

Glamorous Groceries

The addition of color only adds to the gaping contrast between this scene and the reality of modern grocery shopping with kids. The white gloves are interesting.

Social Media

Comic books have been a favorite reading selection of kids for more than a century. Here, some boys browse the options at a newsstand in 1955.

Better Than Screens

The color makes it easier to understand how these comics were so attractive to children. They would have been a novelty at the time—and perhaps just as absorbing as screens are today?

What ATM?

Long before the ATM was invented (which was in 1967, by the way), and still longer before online banking was a thing (the first online banking website launched in 1994), students pictured here participated in a “Society for Savings” program at their school, which taught them how to deposit and withdraw money.

Big Responsibility

Color reveals just how smartly dressed these kids were. It also highlights details such as the Bank Teller armbands that they are wearing to go with the big responsibility.

Pre-Dance Moms

Abby Lee Miller wasn’t even born till 1965, which means these tiny dancers (and their moms) had a slightly less dramatic dance experience. Here members of La Petite Ballet Russe dance school in Burbank, CA, take to the barre in 1950.

Ballet Dancers

Even though the color adds a certain amount of light and warmth to the capture, it still looks as if these girls are expected to take their ballet lesson very seriously.

Make Your Voice Heard

These little ones take their voting rights seriously when casting their ballot for the new mayor of “Tots Town” in New York City.

Democracy Starts Early

Little details revealed more clearly by the color include a big wooden stick in the hands of the election official.

Dental Visit

And finally, sometimes there are some things that are timeless, such as dentist visits. Some kids love them, others not so much.

Open Wide

Sometimes color can make an image more distressing to look at, and this is one of them. The single tear falling from this little girl’s eye is heartbreaking.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Vermilya/ via Getty Images.