Planning an 80s/90s summer for my son + friends. Calling it The Guild of Locked Out Kids (GOLOK). Looking for tech-free activities/challenges. Run through the sprinklers! Make a time capsule! What else?

Question

Sarah Kassam · Answer

Outdoor games!: Scavenger hunt around the neighbourhood, play “manhunt, “camp out” in the backyard, lemonade stand or jokes-on-demand stand! Make them one with the neighbourhood.

Casson · Answer

Mancala Game: Perfect for a rainy day or after dinner family tournament.

Annie Pontarelli · Answer

Kick the Can: Bonus if they make a really cool and loud “can”

Amy · Answer

sleeping queens: It is an absolute miracle that Sleeping Queens exists AND that it is popular. The game has what feels like one million arbitrary rules and a bunch of random queens (cat queen! Pancake queen!) and kings (fire king! Cookie king!)

I tried to give up several times but my friend insisted and eventually it all clicked and my whole family played about 2,000 times during the pandemic. The concept and the gameplay are so strange that you’ll say “who the hell invented this? A kid, in a dream?” And then turns out YEP that is EXACTLY how it was invented.

Amy · Answer

mantis game: Easy to teach, easy to learn, fun even after 100 times

Carly · Answer

American Style - Beginner Carrom / Pinnochi Board Set: Old school table games like carrom!

B. A. Griffin · Answer

BIKES!: Grab some spokey dokeys (https://bestofthe80s.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/spokey-dokeys/) and get on your bikes!! Find a trail, build a ramp, race a friend, practice your “no-hands”, pedal on over to your neighbourhood pool! Make some ice-cream…? (https://www.reddit.com/r/GenX/comments/11by3jv/did_anyone_else_make_ice_cream_with_their_bike/) 😆

What Would Caroline Cook · Answer

s’mores: Add peanut butter cups as an option too!

Zaina · Answer

Making quicksand!: Last weekend my son asked me to help him make quicksand. Initially I was filled with dread but little did I know how fun/cool it would be - 2 parts cornstarch, 1 part water + food coloring. It was so fun to play with and incredibly satisfying. You can scoop up the droplets and it’s so bizarre!

E Noll · Answer

Build an Outdoor Fort: This and or a bunch of Enos hanging from the trees!

kim · Answer

Sun Prints with Kids: i just recently learned this was a craft activity that kids did in the 80s. this could be fun to do!

Jamie · Answer

tie dye: best day at camp was tie dye day 🫟 always fun to experiment with different patterns and go beyond just shirts…bucket hats???

Julia · Answer

Card games!!: I spent so many hours playing things like spoons and Egyptian rat screw.

Anna Griffin · Answer

Ghost in the Graveyard: My favorite memory from Midwest summers growing up was playing ghost in the graveyard at twilight with a gaggle of kids from the neighborhood ✨ preferably followed with s’mores and catching lightning bugs. Magic!

Lida Richardson · Answer

Slip 'N Slide: I remember having a birthday party with a slip n slide when I was little! Would have been early 2000s, but still. It seems like they only exist as vintage items now, but Michael’s weirdly has this one?

Rach · Answer

Flashlight Tag: There's something magical about playing outside after dark in the summer.

Meaghan · Answer

Tie-dye everything: The summer of tie-dye is entering year 2. Messy but fun outdoor activity that resulted in some favorite tees and iconic looks for the fam.