The image below encapsulates my 1970s childhood. I turned 13 in 1975 and during that era I was turned out in the morning (on non school days) with my bicycle and I was not to return home until around dark. For lunch, sandwiches and bug juice were to be handed out through the window by neighborhood mothers (so as not to dirty up their floor and carpets) and we would always find plenty to do on our own. Stickball, street hockey, Risk and Monopoly games on picnic tables, or just hanging out somewhere outdoors. Probably burned 3,000 calories a day so it didn't matter what we ate.
And yes, from about May to September, we pretty much went barefoot all day long. Even on our bikes.
