With the increase of unregulated AI, social media lawsuits, and studies that show negative effects of digital consumption on children, many parents are simply opting their kids out of being big tech’s guinea pigs.
90s Summer Nostalgia
Now more than ever, there’s a growing market for products that return to the old-school days of our youth—with modern control features that keep children safe from the dangers of the digital wild west.
Here are some of our favorite picks for keeping kids curious and allowing them to explore within reasonable boundaries.
Library Card and Books
Free, empowering, and imaginative? Check, check, check. Get your child their own library card and encourage them to check out books on their own. This small taste of independence builds pride, competence, and confidence. Plus, literacy gains are only a piece of the puzzle; many local libraries offer summer reading programs along with libraries of things, such as cameras, board games, garden tools, and art supplies that kids can use to explore a potential hobby for free.
Retro Music
Sure, streaming is convenient, but what happens when monthly subscription costs spike and ads infiltrate every platform? Reclaim ownership of your music library and introduce kids to lesser-known albums the old-school way using a record, cassette, or CD player. Scour thrift stores for affordable options, or check them out of the library for free. We love the crosley x loog record player for aspiring vinylheads, or the durable Lakeshore Portable CD Player for fuss-free music playback. Bonus points if you have a surviving CD collection to pass on to your progeny!
Home Phones
It wouldn’t be a 90s summer without an old-school landline. Avoid the oft-reported horrors of social media and AI chatbots with a home phone. VoIP options (like Tin Can and Ooma) give us the nostalgia of a landline with the safety of strict parental controls, while repurposed “dumb phones” for the family (usually kept in a designated shared space) offer kids the freedom to contact approved friends directly without world wide web connectivity. Plus, they give children the opportunity to learn proper phone etiquette (why do they always hang up without saying goodbye in movies?).
Offline Audio Players
Sometimes, children just need a story sans pictures to allow their imagination to run wild. Featuring catalogs of beloved books, songs, meditations and more, child-centered devices give kids the option of picking what to listen to without surreptitious data collection. Tonies figurines and players turn libraries into literal works of art, while Yoto Players allow kids to build out card collections of their favorite titles. They even offer blank, customizable cards for a modern-day equivalent of burning CDs!
If you have access to a fire pit, you could even listen to (or tell) stories around a campfire, complete with s’mores. Nothing screams 90s summer quite like gooey marshmallows, chocolate bars, and crispy graham crackers.
People-Powered Rides
Get out and exercise with person-powered transportation. Rollerskates, skateboards, scooters, and bicycles (with helmets!) offer kids the freedom to roam nearby. If you’re super committed to a 90s summer, tell them to be back by the time the street lights come on, but if you’re nervous about letting them loose in the neighborhood, consider attaching a device (such as an Airtag) and giving specific instructions about when to be home.
Make Summer Magic Again
Most parents want to protect summer as the season of slowing down, building friendships and social skills, and making memories that last a lifetime. Adopting a 90s summer mindset gives everyone (including parents) permission to ditch the screen time, kick up their feet, and enjoy full days and starry nights, old-school style. Revert back to analog to calm your mind, reclaim face-to-face time, and revel in simplicity all season long.