79 Things People Remember From Their Childhood That Might Unlock Your Own Memories

Oleksandra KyryliukThu, March 19, 2026 at 4:06 AM UTC

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Waking up for school felt unbearable, but getting up early on a Saturday for cartoons was somehow the easiest thing in the world. Summer vacation seemed endless, candy necklaces were worth risking your teeth for, and trading stickers with friends could take up an entire afternoon without anyone getting bored.

Back then, these were just ordinary parts of childhood. Now, they’re the kinds of memories that hit you right in the feels. So when one Redditor asked users to share the little things that remind them of being a kid, they came through with plenty of answers that are sure to stir up some nostalgia. Scroll down to read them and teleport yourself back to a simpler time.

#1

Remember the warm, fuzzy static left on your tv screen after it was on for a while.Movies and video games on channel 3.Edit- so many people commenting on the smell of the static. Is that the smell of ozone?Edit 2- lot of comments here remembering how the picture would collapse down to a single point of light when you turned the tv off. I forgot about thatEdit 3- lot of you crazy kids WEAPONIZED the static to shock your siblings!

© Photo: JK_NC

#2

Collecting stickers.

© Photo: zazzlekdazzle

#3

A phone made out of two cups and a string.

#4

Calling the time and temperature guy.

#5

Waking up super early on Saturday morning before the rest of the family to watch cartoons.

© Photo: anon

#6

Those candy necklaces.

#7

The noise when picking up the phone when someone was surfing the web.

© Photo: OhAces

#8

Chinese finger traps.

© Photo: JbunnyThumper

#9

Those colourful stick on earrings shaped like stars, hearts, etc.

© Photo: mathissius

#10

Reading the news paper for movie times.

#11

When you'd watch a vhs and it would say "and now your feature presentation".

#12

An eraser that looks and smells like a very fake strawberry.

© Photo: zazzlekdazzle

#13

Watching the Price Is Right when you were sick at home.

#14

The tingle of a skinned knee from drag on asphalt, and the dread of having it cleaned….

© Photo: Cultural-Parsley-408

#15

That feeling when you are going as high as you can go on the swings. Power? Freedom? Hard to describe.

© Photo: zazzlekdazzle

#16

Waiting until after 7 p.m. to call long distance.

#17

Somewhere between blowing on some cartridges and pressing the cartridge down and up in the NES to get it to play.

© Photo: autovices

#18

The TV Guide channel. You had to sit through and watch as the channels slowing went by so we could see what was on. It blew getting distracted by the infomercial in the corner and then realizing you barely just missed what you were waiting for so had to wait for it to start all over.

© Photo: Groundbreaking_Oil_7

#19

Eating one of those plastic wrapped ice pop things after a long day of playing outside in your backyard with your friends.

#20

Sleep overs with a group of friends.

#21

Light Bright. I barely remember it myself but you’d take a charcoal-black board and poke different colored pegs through it. You plug it in to the electrical outlet and all the pegs light up creating whatever shape you made in lights.

#22

You have a collect call from, "Mom I'm done can you come pick me up?" Would you like to accept?

© Photo: moments_ina_box

#23

Getting up in the morning on a day it snowed to watch the list of closed schools across the bottom of the news/weather channel hoping your school was closed.

© Photo: cmokelley213

#24

AFV (Americas Funniest Home Videos).

© Photo: NiceGuyWillis

#25

You knew it was gonna be a good day when you walk into PE class and see that huge colorful parachute.

#26

Putting your furby in the closet so he would shutup and d go to sleep 😴 😂.

#27

What rolls down stairs alone or in pairs, and over your neighbor's dog? What's great for a snack, And fits on your back? It's log, log, log.

#28

Those crystals you could grow in a jar.

#29

Highlights magazine!!! I begged my parents for a subscription. It was the best thing ever.

#30

🎶I don't want to grow up, I'm a toys r us kid.

#31

Always loved the cartoon ‘The Jetsons’….

#32

That feeling of limitless freedom on the first day of summer vacation. That feeling of dreaded anticipation on the last day of summer vacation.

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#33

Chi-chi-chi-chia! I never got a Chia pet but I really wanted one.

#34

Watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. There was something so special about the intro where he would sing Won't You Be My Neighbor while he changed his jacket and shoes. I loved every second of it, and would watch in utter content and fascination each time as if I'd never before seen him zip his cardigan up and back down to the right spot and change his shoes with the little toss of a shoe from one hand to the other.

#35

For those a little older, watching Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, Duck Tales, TailSpin and Darkwing Duck.

© Photo: Galactus1701

#36

Polly Pocket.

#37

Ripping handfuls of grass at recess and putting them on your friend.

#38

“Not the mama!!” “NOT THE MAMA!!!” From Dinosaurs!

#39

Playing snake on a Nokia 3310.

#40

Scooby snacks.

#41

When I was a kid, in order to watch Dukes of Hazzard you needed to hold the antenna a certain way. Me and my brother would trade off holding the antenna between commercial breaks.

#42

Slap bracelets were banned in school.

#43

Lisa Frank stickers, notebooks, etc.

#44

Reading Rainbow and Sesame Street.

#45

Purple and green ketchup.

#46

The Video Store. The smell of of the plastic cases. Walking past the Horror section and being terrified of all the awesome VHS cover art. The Games section. There was such a naivety to it all, whatever you rented you had to take home and watch and it made the content much more precious.

#47

Sea Monkeys!What kid didn’t fall prey to that scam?

#48

Glow in the dark stars.

#49

Listening to distant thunder out your window late at night as you smell the rain in the air.

#50

Berry flavored kool-aid in weird wax bottles.

#51

BILLY MAYS HERE! anyone else watch infomercials on your parents tv after waking up from nightmares as a kid??

#52

Setting your favorite lyrics as your MySpace name ~* wRiTen liike tHiS *~.Reading your friends’ new bulletin space posts, your messages and page comments. Talking to your crush for hours on msn messenger.

#53

Scholastic book fairs.

#54

Knowing it’s time to go to bed when Adult Swim came on after Cartoon Network.

#55

Flintstones push pop ice creams.

#56

The fancy S all of us knew how to draw but none of us knew the origin ofalso The Game.

#57

That sound of a door opening and shutting on AIM when your friend logs on.

#58

BRING IN THE DANCING LOBSTERS!

#59

Dad reminding everyone in the car that he isn't stopping again, while the sibling next to you draws an invisible line that your elbow may not cross.

#60

When your whole friend group talkedsome sitting on the curbsome on bikesand 1 or 2 stood.

#61

Recording over and over on the same vhs tape.

#62

Using the light add on for your Gameboy to play in the dark.

#63

Racing back home when the street lights came on.

#64

NOT SO FAST!MOJO!JOJO!

#65

Staying up so late the test pattern showed on the tv screen after the national anthem.

#66

Sitting in class at your giant box desk that opens with all your things inside of it scattered around. Loose papers, dirty as hell pencil box, staring at the chalk board while the teacher messes with a projector placing those colored plastic small pieces to highlight certain things. Also, standing for the pledge every morning.

#67

Tube socks pulled all the way up.

#68

I had to go to bed when Dallas came on and I swear to Pavlov's dog you can play that theme song and I'll yawn and head upstairs.

#69

Who did you pick: Bulbasaur, squirtle or charmander?

#70

Hanging up the phone, y’know cause it’s corded and attached to the wall 👀.

#71

School field days and yo-yos.

#72

Hot wheels.

#73

"What's the neat round spaghetti you can eat with a spoon?""Uh-oh, spaghettios!".

#74

There's 104 days of summer vacation and school comes along just to end it.

#75

I'll call tomorrow.You'll call today.I'll call today.

#76

Well excuuuuuuuuse me, princess!

#77

Do you have a quarter for the pay phone?

#78

Recees puffs,recees puffs, WHAT penutbutter chocolate great when separate but when they combine they make the morning time epic! Recees PUFFS.

#79

Nick nick nick nick na nick nick nick nickelodeon.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”