Fun!
What do you do for fun? Do you watch TV? Play video games? Listen to an IPOD? Molly listened to music and stories and watched movies in the theater, but things were a little different back then. Enjoy the kind of fun Molly and other children from the 1940s had with the activities and links below! You might also find some of the things that would have been "work" back then - cooking and knitting, for example - fun to try now, too!
Radio!
For fun, Molly and children during the 1940s would listen to radio programs for kids. **ACTIVITY Listen to a radio program from one of the sites below and try to imagine the action taking place in your head, since you can't see what's going on like you can in a movie. Watch Molly's movie (see the All Things Molly page for more info on the movie) to see what radios looked like back then and how people listened to the radio.**
Captain Midnight. James F. Widner. (2008).
You can learn about and listen to a radio program that was very popular back then called Captain Midnight at this webpage. ("Premiums" were toys or incentives that were given away or sold related to the program and the characters in the radio show. Kids were encouraged to become members and get the toys.) Do you know which Molly book mentions Captain Midnight in the back informational section?
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Green Hornet Radio Show. OTRNetwork Library. (2008).
The Green Hornet was another popular radio program, and you can listen to various episodes from this website. The airdate or date it was played on the radio is listed next to the program title on this webpage, and some basic info about the show is noted. To find out a little more, visit the website below.
Green Hornet article.RUSC.
To see some facts about the Green Hornet radio show, click the link above from the RUSC Old Time Radio website.
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Lone Ranger Fan Club!
Another popular radio show for children in the 1940s was the Lone Ranger. Check out the Lone Ranger online fan club and listen to various episodes from this website! You can also find other information about Lone Ranger movies, collectibles, characters, and more from this site.
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Hair Styles
1940s Hairstyles. Retro Hairstyles. (2008).
One can get a glimpse of a time period's fashion by looking at posters and pictures from the period. The link above has several photographs of actresses and their hairstyles from the 1940s. You'll also learn a little bit about the beauty and make-up styles of the time period as well.
Pin Curls Part 1: General Setting and Beginner's Guide. Strawberry Koi Vintage. (posted 2009).
To make Molly's hair curly in Changes for Molly she used pin curls. **ACTIVITY Watch the movie below to see how pin curls are made, then get some friends together and try it out! Or have an older sister, friend, or your Mom try it out on you! Aya will show you what you need to make the curls in the short movie below. Does she do anything different from how Jill did Molly's curls? **
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To see what tighter pin curls look like and to learn how to brush them out properly, watch Pin Curls Part 2: Brushing Out Your Curls. You can also see Aya do other older-style hair-do's, including a "Victory Roll" from the 1940s on her YouTube channel by clicking the title link above the video.
**ACTIVITY After you do up your hair in a 1940s style or even braid it in pigtails like Molly, take glamor pictures of yourself and your friends, pretending you're movie stars from the 1940s.** |
Books & Movies
Nancy Drew & Hardy Boys Mysteries!
Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries, still popular today, were also popular during Molly's time, and are mentioned in the Molly books and shown in the movie! Because of their popularity many new stories and spin-off series have been written, since the 1940s. To find the original mysteries, visit the Mid-Continent Public Library Juvenile Series and Sequels page and you will find a listing of the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories and the Hardy Boys Mystery Stories in order. Then visit the Carmel Clay Public Library catalog, type in the title you are interested in, choose "title" from the drop down menu, and hit search! You can also browse for them at the library by looking under "Keene" for the Nancy Drew books and "Dixon" for the Hardy Boys. (hint: look for lots of yellow and blue) You can also listen to many of these titles on tape or CD, which you will see as you search the library catalog - look next to the title name to see if the item is a book or a "sound recording." The creator of this site has many fond memories of curling up with a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book when she was younger!
To find some of the newer titles, visit the Mid-Continent Public Library Juvenile Series and Sequels Series Title search page and click on "N" or "H" to see many related books.
To find some of the newer titles, visit the Mid-Continent Public Library Juvenile Series and Sequels Series Title search page and click on "N" or "H" to see many related books.
AMC Archive Classic Movies. Scott Saunders. (2008).
In the Molly movie, you get a glimpse of what movies looked like during the 1940s. To watch some of those movies online, check out the link above and look for movies related to WWII. One that might be of particular interest is the Nancy Drew ... Reporter movie, which you can find if you scroll down the page - the titles are listed in alphabetical order.
"Chores"
How to Bake by the Ration Book. RetroRecipesBlog. c2010.
In Molly Learns a Lesson, Mrs. Guilford uses a pamphlet called How to Bake by the Ration Book, pg 24. You can view that book and see recipes from it to try yourself at the website above. On the website, you'll see a list of the recipes. These are typed out for easier viewing. To see the original book, click on the links labeled "part 1" and "part 2" on the webpage (They are pdf documents). (To see one whole page at once in the pdf files, click on the picture of a piece of paper with four arrows, one on each side, located on the upper right-hand side of the pdf.)
**ACTIVITY With adult permission and help with sharp knives and the oven or stove, try making some of these recipes. You can also try making some of the recipes from Molly's Cookbook. See if you can help make dinner one night and try making a World War II meal. See the pdf file for a sample dinner menu made in Microsoft Word.**
**ACTIVITY With adult permission and help with sharp knives and the oven or stove, try making some of these recipes. You can also try making some of the recipes from Molly's Cookbook. See if you can help make dinner one night and try making a World War II meal. See the pdf file for a sample dinner menu made in Microsoft Word.**
world_war_ii_example_dinner_menu.pdf | |
File Size: | 70 kb |
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Knitting ~ Books
Even though Molly thought socks were hard to knit in Molly Learns a Lesson, very young children can learn to knit, and knitting is becoming very popular with teens, too.
**ACTIVITY Next time you see your grandmother or an aunt, ask if they know how to knit and if they'll teach you, or check with your Mom and see if she knows. If you don't know someone who can teach you or you want learn on your own, there are some excellent and fun knitting books! Some good ones to try are listed below. (To locate these items at the Carmel Clay Public Library, go to the online catalog, type in the title, choose "title" from the drop down list, and click "search.") image from the Carmel Clay Public Library catalog
**ACTIVITY Next time you see your grandmother or an aunt, ask if they know how to knit and if they'll teach you, or check with your Mom and see if she knows. If you don't know someone who can teach you or you want learn on your own, there are some excellent and fun knitting books! Some good ones to try are listed below. (To locate these items at the Carmel Clay Public Library, go to the online catalog, type in the title, choose "title" from the drop down list, and click "search.") image from the Carmel Clay Public Library catalog
- Kids Learn to Knit. by Lucinda Guy. Trafalgar Square Publishing. (2006). "Once again, knitwear designer Guy and illustrator Hall (coauthors, Handknits for Kids) collaborate to bring their special touch to knitting. Clearly written instructions and large color illustrations make each step of learning to knit simple for readers aged five to ten. Each lesson is accompanied by an easy project to reinforce learning. Projects include a knitted book with button closures, embellished knitted butterflies, and a colorful knitted bag. The text also covers the basics of making knitted tubes with spool knitting." Review from Library Journal Review, accessed through Carmel Clay Public Library's catalog.
- Kid's Knit! Simple Steps to Nifty Projects. by Sarah Bradberry. Sterling Pub Co. (2004). "Bradberry's book works equally well for beginners and experienced knitters. The hallmark is clarity: easily understood instructions and sharply delineated color photos that show needles, yarn, and finished projects. Besides the requisite information on knitting and purling, there are invaluable tips about finishing garments, fixing mistakes, and adding embellishments. The projects have been chosen with an eye toward simplicity, yet they have real appeal, ranging from headbands and backpacks to scarves." Review by Ilene Cooper from Booklist, accessed through the Carmel Clay Public Library catalog.
- Teen Knitting Club: Chill Out & Knit. by Jennifer Wenger. Artisan. (2004). "This sturdy book has a pleasing layout. The section "All You Need to Know" discusses materials, stitches and techniques, and problems, accompanied by helpful charts and illustrations pertaining to such matters as yarn thicknesses and labels. Instructions for scarves, hats, bags, ponchos, tank tops, and more follow, with variations. One-day ideas such as a headband or choker provide quick results. Numerous color photos, many full page, of males and females wearing the garments are included. Encouraging quotes from teens add a special touch. Back matter includes "Start Your Own Teen Knitting Club" and "Knitting for Others," with a list of suggestions for community organizations to contact." Review by August R Malvagno in School Library Review, accessed through the Carmel Clay Public Library catalog.
Several of the websites noted in the The War section of this site or under All Things Molly also have activities, fun virtual tours, and other entertaining elements that you may enjoy, too.