Growing up before smartphones, streaming services, and constant Wi-Fi was a completely different (and some would say far better) experience.
Back then, entertainment, socialising, and even little things like shopping felt more hands-on and meaningful. While some of these experiences may still exist in a limited way, they just don’t hit the same in today’s tech-dominated world. What’s so sad is that these things made childhood truly special for those who grew up before modern tech took over, meaning Gen Alpha, Gen Beta, and future generations to come won’t get to experience them.
1. Renting a film from Blockbuster or the local video shop
There was nothing like the excitement of a Friday night trip to Blockbuster or your local video rental shop. Wandering through the aisles, carefully picking out a VHS or DVD, and hoping the last copy of the latest release was still available was part of the fun. Streaming services may have made watching films easier, but they’ve taken away the thrill of physically choosing one, the joy of browsing through endless cases, and even the slight gamble of whether the person before you rewound the tape properly. Kids today will never know the feeling of racing home, grabbing snacks, and making a big deal out of pressing play on a film you had to put effort into picking.
2. Making mixtapes or CDs from the radio
Before Spotify playlists, crafting the perfect mixtape or CD took real effort. You’d sit by the radio for hours, waiting for your favourite song to play, then frantically hit “record,” only for the DJ to start talking right before the chorus. Burning CDs was a step up, but still required time and patience. Picking the right order, making sure each track fit, and writing out the tracklist on the case felt like an art form. Kids today can just drag and drop songs onto a playlist in seconds, but they’ll never know the satisfaction of handing a carefully made mixtape to a friend (or crush) and hoping they appreciated the effort.
3. Playing out all day with no way to be contacted
There was something special about heading out on your bike or meeting up with mates in the park with no mobile phones, no tracking apps, and no way for parents to check in every five minutes. The only rule? Be home when the streetlights came on. Kids today still go out, but they’re always connected, texting updates, sharing locations, or filming everything for TikTok. Back then, it was pure freedom. If you wanted to know where your friends were, you had to check the usual spots, knock on their door, or listen for the sound of someone calling your name from down the road.
4. Woolworths pick ‘n’ mix
A trip to Woolies was a big deal, especially if it meant heading straight for the legendary pick ‘n’ mix section. Armed with a paper bag and tiny tongs, you’d carefully select a mix of cola bottles, white mice, fizzy cherries, and those foam bananas that tasted vaguely like chemicals. Supermarkets still have pick ‘n’ mix sections today, but it’s not the same. Woolworths had a special kind of charm — maybe it was the smell of plastic toys mixed with cheap sweets, or the fact that half the fun was seeing how much you could sneak in before your mum noticed. Either way, kids today won’t experience the joy of a Woolies pick ‘n’ mix run.
5. Watching kids’ TV at a set time
Before Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and YouTube, if you missed a show, you missed it. After-school routines revolved around “Blue Peter,” “SM:TV Live,” and “The Queen’s Nose.” Saturday mornings were a big deal because “Live & Kicking” or “Dick & Dom in da Bungalow” only happened once a week. These days, kids can watch whatever they want, whenever they want, but there was something exciting about having to be home at the right time, making sure you were in front of the telly before your favourite theme tune started. The anticipation made everything feel bigger.
6. Spending pocket money in the corner shop
Walking to the corner shop with £1 in your pocket felt like real freedom. You’d spend ages deciding between Freddos (when they were actually cheap), 10p Space Raiders, Wham bars, and Panda Pops. Technically, kids today can still buy sweets at the shop, but it’s different. There’s no excitement in tapping a card for a quick purchase. Back then, handing over a handful of 1p and 2p coins for a bag full of sweets felt like an event.
7. Having a McDonald’s birthday party
Once upon a time, a McDonald’s birthday party was the ultimate celebration. You and your mates would sit in the special party area with balloons everywhere while a stressed-out staff member (who did not sign up for this) brought out your Happy Meals. At some locations, you even got a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour, which felt like serious VIP treatment. Today’s kids have fancier party options, but nothing will ever match the pure joy of a Maccies birthday bash, complete with a Ronald McDonald cake.
8. Flicking through the Argos catalogue
Before online shopping, the Argos catalogue was everything. You’d grab a pen, circle the toys, bikes, and gadgets you wanted for Christmas, and hand the page to your parents with hope in your heart. Flipping through those pages, dreaming about remote-control cars, Polly Pocket sets, and possibly getting a Nintendo or PlayStation was part of the magic. Scrolling through a website just doesn’t compare. They still do paper catalogues around Christmas, but they seem a bit limp and half-hearted.
9. Playing Snake on a Nokia 3310
Before smartphones, before Candy Crush, before mindless TikTok scrolling, there was Snake. If you had a Nokia 3310, you were basically a legend, and beating your own high score felt like an Olympic-level achievement. Phones today have high-tech games, but they also have distractions. Snake was pure and simple, and so was the experience of owning a phone that didn’t need charging every five minutes.
10. Writing notes in class instead of texting
If you had something to say in school, you couldn’t just send a WhatsApp message — you had to write it down on a tiny folded-up piece of paper and pass it discreetly to your mate without getting caught. Nothing matched the sheer panic of watching a teacher confiscate a note and threaten to read it aloud. Snapchat messages disappear, but a handwritten note was evidence, which made them both exciting and risky.
11. Calling your friends’ house phones
Before unlimited data and instant messaging, if you wanted to talk to your friend, you had to call their house phone and hope their parents didn’t answer. The fear of getting their strict mum on the other end and having to politely ask, “Hi, is [friend’s name] there?” was real. Kids today will never know the awkwardness of their mate’s dad grilling them before finally passing the phone over.
12. Drinking from a plastic cup with a curly straw at every family party
Every British family gathering had the same setup: cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks, paper plates, and a plastic cup with a curly straw that made even Robinsons squash taste better. Parties today might have posh drinks in fancy cups, but nothing beats the excitement of a brightly coloured curly straw that made you feel like you were at a VIP event.
13. The devastation of a scratched PlayStation or DVD disc
Before digital downloads, your entire gaming or film collection depended on one thing: keeping your discs in perfect condition. One scratch on your FIFA 2002 disc? Game over. If your copy of “Shrek” started skipping? Absolute tragedy. We tried everything — blowing on it, rubbing it on our jumpers, and desperately hoping it would work. Kids today don’t have to worry about this, but they also don’t get the same sense of responsibility that came with protecting your discs with your life.
