This summer we have been making a conscious effort to slow it all down.
Here are a few ways we’ve been leaning into that vintage summer vibe:
Limit technology time
This one’s obvious but powerful. I’m not anti-screens, but we’re choosing to be intentional with more books, less YouTube, more face time, less online time.
Make space for freedom (and boredom)
Some of the best parts of our childhood summers were the moments with nothing to do. That’s when creativity kicked in and we made blanket forts, put on backyard plays, started bug collections, and made up wild backyard game. We’re trying not to over-schedule this summer and give the day space to breathe and unfold naturally to allow some of that creativity to show up.
I’ve also learned that leaving out open-ended supplies including cardboard boxes, art materials, costume bins, old sheets for forts, chalk, water balloons or even a jar for catching fireflies invites my kid into play without needing to direct them.
It’s not about planning every moment, t’s about quietly offering inspiration. When we leave room for boredom and possibility, magic tends to follow.
Get outside
Half of what made our summers so magical was all the time spent outside. It’s a different world now, so you might have to join your kids out there, but it’s worth the time. Encourage bike rides, sprinkler runs, sidewalk chalk, laying in the grass and naming cloud shapes, whatever gets them moving and imagining. Get outside together and watch the crankiness fade and sibling squabbles melt away.
Bring back analog fun
Board games, card games, puzzles, craft kits, paper dolls, lemonade stands — the kind of fun that doesn’t need to be plugged in or powered on. Every summer, I stock up on simple, hands-on activities like these, and it’s always worth the money. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, just fun they can touch, build, and make their own.
Make a playlist
Nothing transports you like music. We made a family playlist filled with the songs we grew up on, a little TLC, some early ’90s country, even some Motown. It’s amazing how the right song can shift the energy in the room and it’s fun to introduce the kids to music we grew up on.
Be barefoot more
I know it might sound silly, and trust me, my husband would agree, but hear me out. There’s something about kicking off your shoes and feeling the grass under your feet that instantly brings you back to being a kid. The more time we spend barefoot in the yard, the more grounded we feel, literally and emotionally. It’s a small, simple shift that reconnects us to the carefree version of ourselves that still lives in there somewhere.
Recreating a 1990s summer might not be exactly possible in 2025, but the feeling of it is still within reach. We just have to choose it.
Pamela Chandler is a local mom who writes the Gem City Family column for the Dayton Daily News. Reach out to her at thechandlercrew3@gmail.com.
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