Imagine: it’s the early 2000s. You just got back home from the last day of school before summer break. The radio is playing some upbeat pop songs by the likes of Train’s Hey, Soul Sister, and life just feels… good. Ahead, you have about two months of long days in the sun and, most importantly, no homework. On your wall is your bucket list of summer activities, everything from a pool day with friends to picnics in a park. The activities are simple yet engaging. They fill our 24 hours in a way that feels satisfying. Fast forward to now, the summer bucket list is a thing of the past, replaced with the glowing screens of our devices. We pass our days scrolling away, investing time in watching other people live their lives and investing less time living ours.
As an adult, I often wonder what was so special about summertime as a kid. It surely wasn’t because it was glamorous with a series of European trips etched on my calendar. It had to be due to the fact that, as kids, we were fully present. We weren’t worried about whether our summers lived up to Susie’s on Instagram. And this presence gifted us the experience of time feeling limitless. The days felt longer because we were actually living in the moment. Although many of our childhoods are behind us and we have adult responsibilities to tend to, we can still tap into that presence this summer. All it takes is a few activities to ignite that childlike wonder again. Here are 15 nostalgic summer activities that’ll make you forget to pick up your phone.
1. Host a Music Video Night
One of my favorite childhood memories was waking up with my older brother and tuning into VH1’s Jump Start. This show was dedicated to running music videos from new and established artists. Music videos are still being made today, and your favorite artists deserve to be recognized for the work they put into bringing their music to life through visual storytelling. That’s why this summer is perfect for having a music video night. Make a playlist on YouTube, add all the music videos from artists that you like, and invite friends over for a viewing party. To make the party feel extra cozy and inviting, include a charcuterie board or finger snacks alongside summer-themed drinks.
2. Get in the kitchen and learn a new recipe
In the era of Uber Eats and Doordash, it’s hard to find a reason to slow down, whip out a cookbook (or online recipes like these Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats), and learn how to make something new. To evoke that childhood energy, you can learn a new recipe and dedicate time to perfect it and make it your signature treat or dish.
One summer, I decided to learn how to make vegan cupcakes, and in the beginning, they were a disaster (shoutout to my family who tasted along the way and didn’t judge). It was so satisfying to find the right technique after trial and error. Though I didn’t get that instant dopamine hit from achieving the perfect cupcake, I was able to build up to it, making it a richer source of gratification.
3. Sign up for a perfume-making workshop
Summertime is known to incentivize creativity, making it the ideal time to tackle a new hobby like making your own perfume. Do some digging and find a place that offers affordable lessons and allows you to experiment until you find the perfect summer scent. This is an easy way to inspire creativity while spending time away from your phone.
4. Read an (actual) book
As a seasoned and self-proclaimed book connoisseur, I can attest to the fact that there’s a different feeling from reading a book physically and digitally. The smell of new (and old) books, the feeling of turning the pages and physically seeing the progress you’re making, the journey to the bookstore or library, and browsing through aisles of dozens upon dozens of books has nostalgia written all over it.
For this activity, go to your local library or bookstore and honestly make it an experience. Stop by a cafe to buy a matcha or coffee, put in your headphones, and browse until you find a book (or a few) that intrigues you. Take the time to read the summaries and maybe a chapter. Then take some time this summer to sit outside and immerse yourself in a new world.
5. Make a scrapbook
Over time, social media went from being our digital scrapbooks to a display of curated highlight reels. Although there’s nothing inherently wrong with this, it did make us forget how much fun it is to organize our memories just for us. I find that scrapbooking allows me to be 100% authentic without worrying about how a photo will match my aesthetic, who will see it, or how many likes it will get.
There are many ways to approach scrapbooking. With a quick YouTube or Pinterest search, you can gather some inspiration for your scrapbook. Then all you have to do is go to a craft store, purchase the supplies, and scrapbook away.
6. Start a journaling practice
Who remembers the good old classic diary? This was a place where we would doodle, write about our school crush, or write about our hopes and dreams for the future. Putting pen to paper forces you to slow down your thoughts enough to physically write them down, making it a nostalgia-certified practice.
Journaling can take on many forms: there’s free-form journaling (where you simply sit down and write your thoughts, things going on in your life, etc.), there’s gratitude journaling (where you make a list of all the things that you are grateful for in your life), there’s bullet journaling (which can be a creative way to organize your thoughts, feelings, and/or plans), and more. You can make this activity a summer ritual, carving out time in the morning, afternoon, or evening to sit down, light a candle, and put your thoughts on paper.
7. Visit a water or theme park
This couldn’t be a list of nostalgic activities without mentioning a water or theme park. Water and theme parks are quintessential to a nostalgic summer because it was often the go-to entertainment our loved ones took us to to pass at least one summer day. Look into water or theme parks in your area, invite some family and friends, and mark it on your calendar for some summer fun. Bonus points if you have cotton candy or a snowcone!
8. Plan a road trip
Growing up, my family and I often took road trips from Mississippi to neighboring states like Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. The destination for the road trip wasn’t all that important. What was important was the journey to the destination that made the road trip special (i.e, the snacks, the car games, and the time spent cooped up in one space with friends and family).
Road trips can be as short as an hour drive to a nearby city or a 5+ hour drive to a new location you want to explore. The key is to create an environment that will inevitably be one to remember — make a playlist for the road, have a bag of your favorite snacks, and bring a disposable camera to capture candid moments.
9. Do a puzzle
I don’t know what it is, but there’s something therapeutic about putting on some music (see our Summer Playlist) or a podcast and spending hours poring over a puzzle. When you think about the tech-free activities we did as kids, you’d notice that many of them occupied us for hours on end without any fuss or worry about whether the activity was productive. And committing to completing a puzzle is one of those activities that can transport us back to that carefree time. In a day and age where we’re witnessing the rise of shortened attention spans, this activity can be a way to challenge and commit to an activity that requires attention and patience.
10. Have a Disney-themed movie or karaoke night
I don’t care how old I get, I will still get excited at the mere mention of That’s So Raven or belt out the lyrics to This is the Life by Hannah Montana whenever the chance arises. Thankfully, I also have friends who share the same enthusiasm for Disney childhood nostalgia, making summer the time to get together and reminisce about childhood favorites. Whether you decide to have a line-up of Disney shows or movies to binge or opt for karaoke with a catalog of Disney songs, reserve this night for you and your friends to reminisce on the things that brought joy to your childhood.
11. Dust off your bike & take it for a joy ride
It’s probably been a while since many of us have ridden a bike. Our bikes were likely the main mode of transportation growing up, taking us from our home to our friend’s house down the street. To soak in all the summer vibes, go into your basement, dust off your bike, and take it for a joy ride around your neighborhood or on a nearby trail.
12. Read a magazine or blog
When I got monthly Seventeen magazines at my doorstep as a kid, I loved lying in bed, twirling a piece of hair while flipping through the latest news on my favorite celebrities, fashion trends, and personality quizzes. Now that I’m an adult, I try to channel this energy by carving out time to read my favorite magazines or regularly tune into my favorite blogs.
Print media is obviously recommended for this activity (i.e, a print magazine or print newspaper) to harness that nostalgic feeling. But if that’s not in the cards, opt for a digital device with notifications to other social media off. This way, you can still experience the satisfaction of reading long-form content without getting distracted by social media.
13. Have a pool day (complete with a traditional BBQ)
Ask anyone about a classic childhood summertime activity, and a pool day complete with a menu of grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and a cooler full of soda will come up. This is a classic pastime because it keeps you active, cool, and fed as the summer day stretches into the night, and, above all, it allows you to spend time with loved ones. It can be easy to go weeks without spending quality time with those closest to you, so let this nostalgic summertime activity be your excuse to call up your loved ones and plan a pool day at your home or neighborhood pool. You can even make this a potluck where you ask family and friends to bring a dish to contribute to the gathering.
14. Go to the beach
Similar to having a pool day, a beach day can also encourage social connection and create lasting memories with those around you. However, what made beach days in our childhood different from now is that we planned things to do at the beach that didn’t require our phones. Think: building sandcastles, playing in the water, playing rounds of beach volleyball, or reading a book. Since many of us will forgo the sandcastles now, we can still make the effort to enjoy the crashing waves and warm sand with our phone on DND. Sign up for a water sport you’ve never tried (i.e, paddle boarding, surfing, kayaking, snorkeling), join in on a beach volleyball match (or start your own), catch up on a book you’ve been putting off, or simply be present with no distractions.
15. Plan a sip n’ paint
A more elevated way to partake in the nostalgic activity of painting is a sip and paint. This is when you gather your canvases, paint brushes, and paint along with a beverage (can be non-alcoholic). To take it a step further, you can try a numbered painting canvas where you’re guided as to what and where to paint. You can do this activity solo or in the presence of good company. Either way, this activity can last for hours, leaving you feeling good from being creative, along with quality, distraction-free time with yourself or with your friends and family.
