Ah, summer! The smell of sunscreen and freshly cut grass combined with the sound of laughter and the undeniable feel of freedom. For those of us who grew up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, summer meant long days filled with the thrill of adventure, wild imaginations, and creative play. Today, however, it seems summer now involves a different kind of adventure – one that involves sofa cushions and requires a Wi-Fi connection.

When we were kids, summers were synonymous with epic outdoor escapades. Kids would burst out of their homes like they were escaping from a medieval dungeon, leaving behind their parents’ watchful eyes and the dreaded “You need to be home by dinner” constraints to meet up with their pals. The big gang on the block would hit the pavement like a biker gang— except without any kind of safety gear, including helmets. We rode that trusty ten-speed (or bmx or mountainbike, depending on your era), with the wind in our hair, racing down streets, only slightly worried about the occasional speeding car or the risk of hitting a pothole. Today’s kids? They might hop on a bike, but it’s likely an exercise in connectivity—tracking distance on an app while flipping through TikTok. But who needs the thrill of freedom going to the local ice cream parlor, baseball card shop or candy store when you can just “Doordash” it?

The OG water park experience was another one of the best parts of summer. It didn’t come from fancy water slides, but from that ancient and timeless backyard feature: the sprinkler. Whether it was a classic rotating one that shot water like a disco dancer, the right-of-passage sprinkler shaped like a flamingo, or maybe you were one of the lucky ones who had a Slip ‘N Slide, nothing brought more amusement than running and sliding through the water on a hot day. We would be the "running-in-position" kids, sprinting through the slippery arcs of water with a carefreeness that only summer could bring. Let’s be honest; half of us were probably just trying to dodge that one kid who thought it was hilarious to throw a bucket of water on you while you were mid-sprint. Nowadays, if it's not an actual pool, or a real fancy waterpark you make a whole day out of, kids don’t seem to want it. That is, if they even want to venture outside in the first place.

Maybe instead of water sports, you were playing games like “kick the can” or turning your backyard into a top-secret spy base.  Our imaginations ran wild, and we used the objects around us—like tree branches and cardboard boxes —to create elaborate games almost every day. Scrap wood to build ramps for bikes/Rollerblades, anyone? These games ended up in fights, creative team-ups, and the occasional ‘I’m telling my mom’ moments that seemed to carry a permanent weight. And when dusk arrived and the streetlights started to flicker on, it wasn’t time to head home - it was time for flashlight tag. Fast forward to present-day childhood. Kids have now been bestowed with smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles. Why build a fort in real life when you can build a whole kingdom with the pre-set options on Minecraft or Fortnite? It takes less thought and a lot less sweating. 

Today’s summers for kids often look significantly more dialed in—but in a different way. They might spend less time running around outdoors and more time absorbed in technology where, let’s be honest, their thumbs are getting more exercise than their legs. Instead of neighborhood bike rides, you have gamers on their couches shouting at each other over headsets, as if that’s going to end up on the neighborhood newsletter. The differences in childhood summers highlight how times have changed. Kids nowadays may have the coolest technology at their fingertips, but they often miss the bonds formed and memories created while exploring the world around them. We reminisce about our epic bike rides, sprinkler wars, and imaginative play, but what will kids today be able to reminisce about? A break between school years with lots of screen time? Today’s kids need to unplug and rediscover the joy that comes from a little dirt, scrapes/bumps/bruises, good friends, and an unsupervised summer afternoon. Long gone are the days of parents yelling across the neighborhood to get home for supper. Parents are still begging, but now it’s for their kids to get outside.

So, here’s to those unforgettable summers filled with sunshine, laughter, and untroubled adventure. And while today’s kids might find their fun in a different way, we can always hope they experience the pure joy of childhood that transcends screens—after all, no Wi-Fi signal can replicate the thrill of a good old-fashioned water fight! So get your kids some water balloons and Super Soaker 50s and challenge them to figure it out. It’s still fun, we promise.