The summer holidays when you were a child

[Thatcantberainsurely]

What were they like?

80’s child, 90’s teen here

I can remember watching ‘Why don’t you’ eating cereal, going out on bike rides and walking to friends houses and knocking on for them to come out. There were water fights in my friends street (cul de sac)
Aside from that, I don’t remember ever going anywhere really (with mum) or any planned activities/crafts/outings
So different to my Dds holidays 😂

It's also issue when it comes to natural friendship building in neighbourhoods. We had friends near because of being out and about, not just because we were in class together.

Child of the 80's, teen of the 90's here too.

Due to my DB's severe disabilities, my DM couldn't work. DF worked at least 50 hours a week in a v low paid job to make ends meet, so for most of the holidays it was just me, DM and DB.

Because of the difficulties associated with going out and the lack of money, we had to make our own entertainment.

We'd go to the library once a week and do the weekly food shop another day.

Me and DM used to play board games and card games, play in the garden if it was nice. I had a computer in the 90's, so I used to get a bit of screen time, or I'd watch some TV, though I don't remember what. I remember it was all a bit boring as there was obviously only 4 channels.

I'd help DM cook dinner or we'd make cakes.

I used to spend a few days to a week staying at each set of Grandparents and we'd have a few days out with my Nan too.

I do remember being quite bored a lot of the time, but I also look back on it nostalgically.

I realise now that my DM probably thoroughly enjoyed the holidays as she had me and DB around. When we went back to school she had the same weeks - i.e. a weekly library trip and a weekly shopping trip, but no-one to talk to or play games with during the day. No wonder she devoured books, knitted a lot and had an immaculate garden!

I was a child in 90's, teen in 00's. As a teen I just wanted to be out with my friends, I would have days out at the cinema and theme park with them now and again which we arranged ourselves.
As a child, it was mainly playing out with friends and then a day out with family as a treat a couple of times a year maybe. I think it being a treat to go out made it so much more memorable.

Grew up in the early/mid 70s.

It never rained 🤣🤣
We never played indoors
Out with our pals from after breakfast until tea time, then back out until dusk.
Hopscotch, skipping, twosies, block tig, making perfume with rose petals, up the park, bike rides, building camps, jumping across filthy streams, generally out and playing.
We’d have a paste sandwich for lunch and squash. Don’t recall many snacks through the day. 5p sweeties every Friday.
It was bliss.

Parents these days just don't let their kids out so days out are now an absolute must.

It was 25 years ago now, as DC are all grown up; but I let DS play out with his friends from about age 8; and then twin DDs from age 5 in the front garden - but I sat out there and supervised them. From about age 8, I let them play out with the local children in the summer until about 8 pm.

We live in a cul de sac on the edge of town though, so only the neighbours drove up here and they were hardly likely to run their own children over!

I know what you mean, OP. My son was at cricket camp & I noticed him & his mate & I was like, “listen to the coach, you don’t come just to mess about” & I felt a bit sad thinking where do kids go just to mess about these days? We played out in our street almost all summer - water fights, bull dog, ball games, bikes just general messing about. Probably v loud & annoying for the neighbours!! Sadly, it’s hard for our own kids because so many more cars on the road. Would love to see more of this kind of thing: https://playingout.net/

Same age range as you. My siblings and I were always out on our bikes, building dens in the woods, playing football or kee by. Always together or with friends.

We would have odd day of swimming/ice skating and almost certainly have 3/4 day trips to the seaside with the tinfoil sandwiches prepared.

if it rained we entertained ourselves in the house with games, competitions.

certainty didn’t have the plans or financial freedom to have what kids today have with all these activities. It’s as of people are afraid to let kids get bored and design their own fun.

This thread is just what I needed to read. Thank you for everyone who added their lovely childhood memories.

I've been really upset with myself (and said this aloud to my dh) that I've failed my kids. All of their school friends are off to summer camps, holidays abroad, theme parks, adventure parks, museums, city breaks - all splashed across social media. I've been feeling so down as none of this has been achievable for us due to money (lack of) as their holiday so far has consisted of: trips to the library, baking and playing out with their friends on the street. I hope they look back as fondly as you lovely lot have. 😊

We had two weeks in Spain or Italy in June, before we broke up (1970s). We would also have a week away in the caravan, either to West Wittering or the New Forest. Once we were back from that, two of my cousins used to come down from London for two weeks. We used to put on plays for my parents, and spend most of the day swimming in the river, often with more children from the village. We’d take a packed lunch and warm squash in a Tupperware beaker with a lid. We were told not to swim over to the island, but we did. Someone had tied a rope to a tree and we would swing out and splash into the river. My Mum and a neighbour used to come down late afternoon with more squash and some biscuits. If my cousins were staying we would often have a day out to the seaside, Frensham Ponds or Windsor or Oxford.

I was an only child and once my cousins had gone back (on the green line coach) I was quite bored, but would read, or hang out at the park with whatever other village kids were around. We also had endless visits to elderly relatives, which was horribly boring. I was expected to sit quietly - not allowed to read, as it would have looked rude.

I was born 1981 and I think I had quite a different childhood! My mum worked full time in a busy professional job, don’t know what it paid then but it was local government so very middle class type of job that wouldn’t pay loads today. By the standards of today we were quite well off as a result of life insurance that paid off the mortgage when my dad died and his pension.

I remember loads of days out and holiday camps!
I remember going to a holiday camp at my school when I was very young and not liking it much as I didn’t know anyone
I was sent to PGL for an accompanied holiday camp every year from 8 to 15. UK mainly but I also did a 2 week one in the US and to France.
I was sent abroad for 2 weeks every summer to stay with my dads family from 10-16 flying unaccompanied.
We did loads of theatre and museum day trips. Lots of UK holidays, cottages etc usually in interesting historical places and further afield.

I did a music summer residential camp and a tennis one.

I don’t remember loads of time playing out with friends in the summer. My mum was obviously too busy packing me off in camps!

Oh and we went to legoland in Denmark euro Disney the year it opened and multiple UK theme park trips! I can afford to give my children much less now!

Very similar to mine. Did you grow up in the East Midlands? My DH has taken the Mickey out of me for having sliced bread and butter with tinned fruit and evap, so I am pleased it wasn't just us. He is from Merseyside, and they heat up pork pies over here, so I get my own back.