11 Nostalgic Summer Toys and Activities That Defined Childhood

Adolescent summers are etched in memory in countless ways. While some kids slathered on Coppertone and baked by the public pool until they resembled a golden roast, others were packed off to summer camp. Many simply grabbed a Popsicle and embraced whatever adventures the neighborhood had in store.

Yet, certain pastimes were universally cherished: Discover 11 classic summer activities from the mid-20th century onward that ensured no child could ever utter the words 'I’m bored.'

1. Flashlight Tag

During summer, kids were typically required to return home once the streetlights flickered on—even the most lenient parents weren’t keen on their children wandering after sunset. However, older kids who could stretch their curfew often enjoyed a round of flashlight tag.

Participants would split into two teams, with one group designated as 'it' and armed with flashlights, while the others scattered into the night. The hiding team, dressed in dark attire, would stealthily navigate toward a predetermined home base. Successfully reaching it undetected would score a point for their team.

Though generally harmless, flashlight tag had its detractors. In 1997, a grumpy Pennsylvania resident, irritated by kids playing the game near his home, struck a 12-year-old player, leading to harassment charges from local authorities. Definitely not how the game is meant to be played.

2. Soap Box Derbies

Long before battery-operated mini-cars became a thing, kids built their own rides from the ground up. Soap box derbies were the brainchild of Myron Scott, a news photographer from Dayton, Ohio. In 1933, Scott spotted two boys racing down a hill in makeshift wooden wagons fitted with baby carriage wheels. (One resembled a soap box, inspiring the name.) Fascinated, Scott launched the All-American Soap Box Derby, a race where kids crafted their own gravity-driven vehicles.

These homemade cars became a nationwide summer tradition, with families building racers together. By the 1970s, the Ohio event even garnered TV attention. However, a touch of controversy arose when 1973 champion Jimmy Gronen was stripped of his title for using an electromagnet in his car to gain an unfair advantage at the start.

3. Play Streets

In 1914, New York City’s police commissioner proposed play streets as a solution to keep kids occupied and out of mischief. These were roads in various boroughs temporarily closed to traffic, allowing children to play freely outdoors. The concept proved particularly valuable in low-income neighborhoods lacking parks. Kids could bike, play games, and enjoy themselves without worrying about cars. Although play streets declined over time, the initiative was revived in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

4. Playing With Fire Hydrants

In New York and other cities, kids dashing around an open fire hydrant to escape the heat became a quintessential summer scene. The New York Times once described it as “the lifeline of summer, gushing refreshing joy to everyone nearby.”

Despite being illegal, cracking open hydrants was hard to control, prompting some fire departments to add sprinklers to reduce water waste. While it turned into a makeshift water park, repurposing a public utility for fun was never ideal. According to the Philadelphia Water Department, tampering with hydrants can drop water pressure, hampering firefighting efforts, and wastes an enormous amount of water—equivalent to a household’s annual usage in just one hour.

5. Slip 'N Slide

In the 1960s, kids enjoyed a unique water-based activity: the Slip ‘N Slide. Invented by upholsterer Robert Carrier, this outdoor toy featured a vinyl strip that, when soaked with a hose, became a slippery surface for sliding. (Some creative kids even added dish soap for extra speed.) However, adults using it faced risks—their heavier bodies gained excessive momentum, sometimes leading to collisions with hard objects. This resulted in injuries, lawsuits, and periodic market withdrawals, often returning with safety warnings. Today, the Slip 'N Slide is widely available online, though the company advises it’s suitable only for children aged 5 to 12.

6. Big Wheel

For kids in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the unmistakable ka-chunk, ka-chunk of a Big Wheel tricycle rolling over gravel was a familiar sound. These low-slung trikes—where riders sat just inches off the ground—were launched in 1969 by Louis Marx and Company. Known for their durability, they could withstand rough handling and harsh weather. Over 40 million units were sold by the early 1980s. After Marx went out of business, Alpha International revived the Big Wheel in 2003.

7. The Hoppity Hop

The Hoppity Hop—a rubber inflatable ball about 25 inches wide, shaped like a giant kettlebell—let kids sit on top and clumsily bounce along the ground once inflated. Adults also enjoyed it, with one newspaper likening the experience to riding a bucking bronco. Launched by the Sun Corporation in 1968, the toy sold over 300,000 units (priced at $6 each, or $43 today) in just three months and surpassed 4 million sales within five years. A later version, the Hoppity Horse, featured a horse’s head instead of a handle.

8. Lemonade Stands

Summer didn’t stop kids from diving into entrepreneurship. Lemonade stands have existed in some form for centuries, but child-run versions peaked in the 20th century. While they taught lessons in capitalism, they also highlighted hygiene risks: A notably unsanitary stand in 1940s Chicago was linked to a polio outbreak.

9. Skip-It

Not every child was eager to stay active during summer, but the Skip-It was a guaranteed way to get them moving. The toy featured a ball attached to a cable that was secured to a child’s ankle. By hopping, they’d swing the ball while dodging it. Later versions included a pedometer to count successful jumps. While toys like Footsie existed earlier, the Skip-It’s marketing propelled it to popularity. Launched in the 1980s by Tiger Electronics, it was partly designed by Avi Arad, who later produced Fox’s X-Men films, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man series, and numerous other Marvel blockbusters.

10. Moon Shoes

A generation of mini Neil Armstrongs emerged with Moon Shoes, which mimicked a low-gravity experience by making kids wobble as they walked. Essentially trampoline footwear, Moon Shoes were initially made of metal for daring ‘70s kids but were later revamped in plastic and promoted by Nickelodeon in the 1990s. In 1992, a personal injury lawyer labeled them one of the market’s riskiest toys. Manufacturer Hart Enterprises argued that Moon Shoes caused fewer injuries than bicycles or pogo sticks.

11. The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine

After a day filled with dodging injuries on the Slip ‘N Slide or Moon Shoes and upsetting firefighters by tampering with hydrants, kids could head indoors to relax with a Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine. This plastic gadget, endorsed by Snoopy from Peanuts, included a hand crank to grind ice, which could then be topped with flavored syrup. Released by Hasbro in 1979, it succeeded an earlier model called the Frosty Sno-Man. Mischievous kids occasionally fed their action figures into the grinder, turning them into shreds. While seemingly pointless, that’s part of the charm of summer fun.