Close your eyes and imagine the summers of your youth – endless days filled with bike rides, popsicles, Dunkaroos, and neighborhood adventures. Now, let's sprinkle some of that 90s magic onto our kids' summer days. Forget about screens and schedules; it's time to bring back the simplicity of summers in the 1990s. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and recreate a 90s-style summer for our kids. It’s time to swap out tablets for tag and Wi-Fi for wiffle ball.
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The Great Outdoors: Backyard Bonanza
Sprinkler Fun & Water Fights
Forget the fancy splash pads – all you need is a good ol’ garden sprinkler. And water fights? Oh, yes. Arm them with squirt guns, Super Soakers, water balloons, or just good ol’ buckets. Teens will love a full-blown water war. Just be prepared to get wet if you dare step outside.
Bike Rides & Rollerblades
Remember the feeling of freedom on two wheels or a pair of rollerblades? Get your kids geared up with bikes or rollerblades and let them explore the neighborhood (within reason or with supervision, as needed). Helmet safety, of course!
DIY Slip ‘N Slide
Grab a long sheet of plastic, like a disposable painter’s drop cloth, and a hose – instant slip ‘n slide! Trust me, it’s just as fun now as it was back then.
Fort Building
Indoors or out, fort building is a rite of passage. Toddlers can help stack pillows and blankets for a living room fort, while older kids and teens can create more elaborate structures in the yard with gathered materials from nature or large cardboard boxes.
90s Craft Corner: Hands-On Fun
Friendship Bracelets
Grab some colorful thread and beads to make friendship bracelets! Plus, you’ll win major cool points.
Tie-Dye Everything
Get some plain white shirts, a tie-dye kit, and prepare for a colorful mess. Tie-dye was all the rage in the 90s, and it’s still totally fun!
Safety Pin Crafts
Grab some safety pins and colorful beads to create cool accessories like bracelets, necklaces, and keychains.
Puffy Paints
Let the kids decorate t-shirts, tote bags, or even create their own artwork on paper. Puffy paints add a fun, 3D element to any craft project.
Perler Beads
Introduce your kids to the fun of creating pixel art with Perler beads. They can design and make their own keychains, coasters, and more!
Disposable Camera Scrapbook
Oh, yes. Of course they made the list! Get some 90s-style disposable cameras (available on Amazon) for a fun photo-taking day. Once the film is developed, you can create a photo album or summer scrapbook together.
Classic Games: Unplugged Entertainment
Board Games
Break out the classics: Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders for the little ones, Uno and Monopoly for the older kids, and Clue for the teens. Still have an old Mall Madness game in the back of a closet? Now is the time, my friend.
Capture the Flag & Hide and Seek
These timeless games never get old. Little ones can enjoy a simple game of hide and seek in the backyard, while older kids and teens can organize epic neighborhood games of Capture the Flag. These games build teamwork, strategy, and good old-fashioned fun.
Hopscotch & Four Square
Find some sidewalk chalk and a flat surface. Draw a hopscotch grid for younger kids. For older kids and teens, a game of Four Square can keep them engaged!
Screen Time, 90s Style
Okay, we’re not complete screen-haters ... and there might be days you want to stay inside to escape the summer heat or a rainy day. We've got ideas for you!
Saturday Morning Cartoons
Remember waking up early for cartoons? Introduce your kids to the joy of Saturday morning cartoons. Find some of your favorites via streaming, and let them lounge in their PJs while you sip your coffee in peace. Here are some of our favorite 90s Cartoons:
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Shows to Watch with the Bigs
Remember those magical Friday nights when we gathered around the TV for TGIF, eagerly awaiting the latest episodes? Or the anticipation for new episodes of the Nickelodeon shows we loved? We bonded with friends over the adventures of lovable characters and relatable storylines, and we crushed on tween heartthrobs. Find your favorite 90s shows on a streaming service with your big kids/tweens for a trip down memory lane. Here are some of our favorites from the 90s vault:
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Family Movie Night
How about a family movie night with some 90s classics? Think “The Sandlot,” “Now & Then,” "Matilda", or “The Mighty Ducks”. Make some popcorn, grab some cozy blankets, and enjoy a blast from the past.
Click HERE for our Totally Awesome Top 25 List of 90s Movies for Kids + Teens
More Nostalgic Ideas
Flashlight Tag & Ghost in the Graveyard
Once the sun sets, take the fun into the dark with games like flashlight tag and Ghost in the Graveyard. These games are perfect for older kids and teens who enjoy a bit of a thrill.
90s Nostalgic Reading List
Introduce your kids to the literary magic of the 90s with these classics:
- The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin
- Goosebumps by R.L. Stine
- Animorphs by K.A. Applegate
- Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
- Choose Your Own Adventure series
- American Girl series
90s Style Dance Party
Blast some 90s hits – think New Kids on the Block, Spice Girls, Real McCoy, Mariah Carey, Backstreet Boys, and Madonna. Decorate with neon colors and glow sticks. It’s a fun way to get everyone moving!
Scavenger Hunts
Create a scavenger hunt in your backyard or neighborhood. For younger kids, keep it simple with pictures or easy-to-find items. For older kids and teens, make it more challenging with riddles and harder-to-find objects.
Snack Attack: 90s Treats
Homemade Popsicles
Get some juice, pour it into molds, stick in the freezer – voila! Homemade popsicles.
Ants on a Log
Celery sticks, peanut butter, raisins – it’s a snack and a craft project all in one.
Make Your Own English Muffin Pizzas
Turn dinner into an activity by letting your kids make their own pizzas. Provide English muffin halves, sauce, cheese, and toppings. Bake and enjoy!
When visiting local businesses and events in Springfield, be sure to tell them Macaroni KID sent you... and don't forget to tell all of your friends!
Macaroni KID Springfield is a free local events calendar, weekly newsletter, and website focused on family-friendly events and resources in the Greater Springfield, Missouri area. We gather all the local family-friendly events and activities happening in Springfield so you can find them all in one place!
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