Summer Activities for Kids - Old School Summer Week

Now that typical summer activities for kids have been cancelled and most family summer travel plans are delayed indefinitely, parents are feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out how they are going to keep their kids entertained and happy, while not losing their ever loving minds.

What you need right now are fresh ideas for kids summer activities. It’s not about making things perfect, but you can still make things fun for your whole family this summer. Each week we’re providing a theme for you to follow with tons of ideas for summer activities for kids including crafts, games, movies, technology and educational resources and recipes.

This week’s theme is Old School Summer Activities For Kids. We’re throwing it way back and helping you give your kids a summer like you had growing up in the late 70’s, 80’s or even early 90’s. Remember those days when summers were slow and unstructured and full of freedom. I know it’s not quite that easy in today’s world, but we’re going to give you as many ideas as we can to help you recreate that throwback summer feeling.

Oh, and just in case you missed our past theme weeks, there are tons of other great summer activities for kids in those posts too!
Star Wars Summer Activities for Kids Theme Week
Travel Summer Activities Theme Week for Kids (USA & International)

First of all, you can totally kick things off with some 80’s dress-up. Break out the neon, side pony tails and leg warmers. Then put on a great old school playlist from your musical streaming service of choice. Okay, now you’re really ready to go all in on this old school summer for kids!

Old School Movies and TV Shows for Kids

Just a quick note here. You might want to check out common sense media to determine how appropriate these movies are depending on your kids ages. PG13 didn’t exist back in the day and there might be some parts of these movies that you will be surprised your forgot about. However, keep in mind, you watched them and turned out okay ( I think), and some of it will just go over younger kids heads.

Honey I Shrunk The Kids
Mrs. Doubtfire
The Never Ending Story
Labyrinth
The Sandlot
The Princess Bride
Flight of the Navigator
BIG
E.T.
The Goonies
The Karate Kid
Adventures In Babysitting
The Great Muppet Caper
Short Circuit
Scooby Doo
DuckTales
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Inspector Gadget
Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers
Care Bears
The Smurfs

Old School Summer Recipes and Food

No old school baking would be complete without using an EASY BAKE OVEN. You know just in case you really want to take your kids back totally retro.

Potato Skins
Root Beer Floats
Sloppy Joes
Funnel Cakes
Chicken Pot Pie
Pigs In A Blanket
Soft Pretzels
Pizza Rolls
Sno Cones (Or you could get a Snoopy Sno Cone Machine)
Pudding Pops
Homemade Bomb Pops
Dirt Cups with Gummy Worms

80’s Candy you can’t make these, but you can still buy at the store:
Pop Rocks
Necco Wafers
Candy Dots
Edible Jewelry
Runts
Tiny Tarts
Sprees
Nerds
Gobstoppers
Fun Dip
Pixie Sticks
Bubble Gum Tape
Ring Pops
Candy Wax Bottles

Enjoy a week of sharing an old school summer with your kids and soaking up all the nostalgia. If you want to share some of your #oldschoolsummer2020 pics with us, we’d love to see ’em over on Instagram.

Still looking for more ways to fill these summer days for your kids, then check out these other popular posts.

10 Ways I Proudly Parent Like It’s The 1980’s

100 Fun and Easy Screen Free Summer Activities For Kids (Toddlers to Teens)

Why You Want Your Kids To Be Bored This Summer

Family Games For All Ages and Occasions