Life after school back in the 1970s was truly a different ballgame. There weren’t such things as a smartphone, streaming, or even something seemingly as necessary as constant supervision. Kids were thus left to their own devices. They would find creative and even occasionally risky ways to keep themselves entertained that today feel like complete relics of a bygone era. We’ll take a look at 20 things that kids did after school during the seventies that aren’t around anymore.
1. Rode Bikes Until Dark
Oh boy, the times during the ’70s had a whole lot of kids living life on the edge. Back then there was pretty much no thing as helmets, or GPS. Kids were out there just cruising around the neighborhood until the streetlights would pop on.
2. Played in the Sprinkler
Playing in the sprinkler was one of those experiences that kids near and far would dream about when the weather got warmer. Not only was it super refreshing, but it was also just plain old fun.
3. Watched Cartoons Only After School
This one’s just tough. We should really bring back the days of promoting some healthy cartoons consumption for after school. Cartoons were this special event and were absolutely not something that was on-demand. The script has changed nowadays.
4. Walked Home Alone
Yeah, this one is exceedingly less common, if not rendered obsolete nowadays. Back in the ’70s though, the parent pick-ups were not around. Kids would just walk, bike, or take the bus and then let themselves in with a house key on a string.
5. Played with Lawn Darts
Kids were all in on the lawn darts back in the day. Definitely dangerous by the standards of today, but the lawn darts of olden times were a true backyard favorite. Even when you accounted for the occasional, seemingly inevitable emergency room visit.
6. Went to the Arcade or Corner Store
Kids would gather up in feverish packs to try their hands at Pac-Man, pinball machine, or just grab a handful of candy at the arcade or local counter store. There was just something perfect about wolfing down obscene amounts of sugar with an arcade game in front of you. I mean, hey, there still is.
7. Hung Out at the Mall
Malls were the undefeated social hubs of the ’70s. You didn’t even have to make plans to go shopping. You could just rally the troops and set about people-watching, or hit the shop for an ever refreshing Orange Julius.
8. Built Forts in the Woods
This ties back to the creativity that was much more rampant before kids everywhere were burying their faces in screens. With a little bit of scrap wood, some old blankets, and no adult supervision to impose rules on things, kids were able to dive into creating their own clubhouses in the woods. Fun times were had by all.
9. Drank from the Garden Hose
Yes, the garden hose was as good as a water fountain for some kids who didn’t want to bother with things like bottled water. Really, the garden hose ended up being a ’70s summer staple in terms of keeping hydrated.
10. Watched Sitcom Reruns
The afternoons of the ’70s could very easily end up being devoted to watching reruns of iconic sitcoms such as Gilligan’s Island, The Brady Bunch, or The Munsters before dinner was had.
11. Played Kick the Can
Kick the Can was a neighborhood-wide event back in the ’70s. It was partly made up of hide-and-seek and also made up of tag. The rest was pure adrenaline-charged excitement until everyone had to rush home.
12. Made Mixtapes from the Radio
Kids would love to make mix tapes from the radio back in the ’70s by hovering around the cassette deck and then trying to record their favorite songs. However, the timing had to be completely locked in.
13. Walked to the Library Alone
Seriously, the ’70s involved a whole lot of kids being able to travel to different places by walking alone. The times have certainly changed on that front. Back then though, a trip to the library offered up a quiet escape for the kids that were into reading.
14. Used a Phone Book to Call Friends
This was definitely no easy feat until you fully got the hang of it. Kids either had to commit their friends’ numbers to heart, or sit down and invest some solid time into finding it in the book.
15. Played with Unsafe Toys
The safety standards when it came to the toys of the ’70s were far different from what we know nowadays. From the Creepy Crawlers ovens to clackers, to literal metallic Tonka trucks, toy safety just didn’t at all stand as an acknowledged priority.
16. Climbed Trees Just for Fun
There wasn’t any need for climbing walls when the sturdy trees in the world provided the adventuresome, borderline fearless kids in the world a chance to climb as high as they could possibly muster.
17. Ate Whatever Was in the Fridge
Microwaves were definitely still a piece of technology that seemed to be quite rare at the time. Snacks were very much so more of a DIY nature. You might opt for a slice of cheese, some bologna rolled up, or even some Tang if you could secure some from whatever fridge was around.
18. Watched the Evening News with Their Parents
This one’s certainly taken on a different approach as the years have passed by. However, there used to be plenty of families that would make watching the evening news a family event. This was especially true when you had to tune into your local weather station to know what to expect over the next week.
19. Sat in Cars Without Seatbelts
Sometimes, kids were even known to take rides home from school in the front seat without a seatbelt. If that isn’t just pure reckless I don’t know what else is. The excuse that plenty of folks would make though is that people didn’t know any better. At least we do nowadays.
20. Played with Neighborhood Friends Without Planning
Seriously though, it seems like past decades involved so much more spontaneity. There weren’t such things as texting out schedules. You could just knock on a door or try your best to yell outside, and then suddenly, you’d have a whole group of friends summoned.
