HOW south Cumbrian childhoods were enjoyed in an era when many youngsters had to contribute to the household income will be explored in a talk next week. Dr Jean Turnbull will be the guest speaker on Monday, March 2, from, 7.30pmat a meeting of Furness Family History Society at the Barrow Island Community Primary School, on Trinity Street. All are welcome. Her talk on 'Games, Pastimes and Work' looks at how childhood was experienced in the early 20th century and draws on interviews conducted by members of Kendal Oral History Group. To mark the event we are taking a look at how more modern youngsters foundfun - enjoying everything from skateboards and skipping ropes to swimming and playing musical instruments. The Mail, on Wednesday, November 6 in 1991, noted: “Youngsters are ignoring the recession and demanding massive increases in pocket money, a survey by one of the north’s biggest building societies has revealed. “The Halifax Building Society found an average increase  in pocket money of 27 per cent - six times the inflation rate. “But to get pay rises in line with big industry bosses, the north’s youngsters have had to up their productivity in tackling household chores for mum and dad. “Average weekly pocket money for under 11s has jumped 30p to £1.40 but in the North kids get more with an average of £1.80 a week.” It takes more than money to have fun in this modern era of tests at school, YouTube, Facebook and iPhones. There has been a call for children to spend more time playing to counter the effects of online distractions. Tristram Hunt, director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, said: “With art, design and music under pressure in the school curriculum, we believe championing creativity and the transformative power of play is more important than ever.” The V&A is planning a £13m redevelopment of its Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green, London - which will feature 2,000 objects. Displays will include illustrations from the World of Peter Rabbit by Lake District author Beatrix Potter.  A leading girls’ school has come up with a shopping list of 50 things all youngsters should try by the age of five. Many  will be familiar  older generations - such as making a scrapbook and a mud pie, going fishing, skimming stones and playing on a beach. The £10,000-a-year Burgess Hill Girls in West Sussex also recommends building a den, writing a letter and dancing in the rain.