Take a Nostalgic Trip Back to the 1980s With These 31 Snapshots From Your Childhood

Author image for John Summers
John Summers • Contributor
Aug 22, 2024 8:00 PM EDT

As a parent today I am doing all I can to provide my kids with the most comfortable, safest and accident free childhood I can. For some reason I have decided that that is the best childhood I can give them. But when I look back at my own childhood, it was as far removed from that as possible - It wasn't safe, it wasn't comfortable and it absolutely wasn't accident-free. Yet it still was a very happy and fulfilling childhood, and I wouldn't change anything about it.

I used to get hurt A LOT; I broke one arm and one leg, I chipped my teeth, I got scratched , smashed, bashed, cut and very, very dirty every single day and I was happy! The more I got hurt, the tougher I became. So why am I protecting my kids from that same experience?! I have no Idea. Being a parent is weird. 

Advertisement
  • 01

    Absolutely justified

    Remember when Bugs Bunny shot someone because he wouldn't stop coughing?
    via u/Coyomojo
  • 02

    You spelled "47 year old" wrong

    9 year old me after finding an incredibly good stick @GigaBased Dad
    via u/HPIndifferenceCraft
  • 03

    Apparently this was better than pop rocks

    Cosmic Candy SIZZLING CANDY NET WI 01707 orange CIAL FLANGE CLBOW ROOM
    via u/Sheepachute, Elbow Room
  • 04

    It's just a Sixth Scale figure of the Lost Boy's David, Michal

    Cheezburger Image 10392067328
    via u/Melca_AZ
  • 05

    Only true nerds remember

    Evolutionary Classification of Animals 1 Coral Snake
    via u/PoofBam
  • 06

    Never had one, Still want one

    Cheezburger Image 10392068096
    via u/turbulencefun
  • 07

    Would sir like a carton of Gatorade, perhaps?

    LN188 Best betons Gatorade THAT GURON DESALTERA Gatorade THIRST QUENCHER LEMON-LIME BEVERAGE
    via u/Hand-Of-Vecna
  • 08

    Shall we begin?

    Wendy? Yes Lisa Is the water warm enough? Yes Lisa DEP
    via u/Davakar_Taceen
  • 09

    This was considered a robot back in the day

    RADIO CONTROLLED ROBOT MORE THR FEET ALL mack
    via u/hypercube4x4
  • 10

    And we loved it! (until it deflated after a few hours)

    UPTYPPYIP 요 Radio Shack
    via u/digdugnate
  • 11

    Welcome to castle greyskull

    Cheezburger Image 10392070912
    via u/winter_is_long
  • 12

    So many core memories on this beast!

    COMMODORE 64 W " " T 4 D M G SURAL NO 1469733
    via u/SameRegret5975
  • 13

    It's fully operational

    No. 38050 STAR WARS DEATH STAR SPACE STATION Ages 5 and up Assembly required MINI-ACTION FIGURES NOT INCLUDED. Kenner P ash Monster Openingoding Laser Cannon, Trash Compactor with Moving Wall Contents: Working Elevator Allen Trash Light Bridge Trap Door Rope Swing to Safety
    via u/InAllThingsBalance
  • 14

    Remember when we completely solved hunger in Africa?

    ASHFORD & SIMPSON JOAN BAEZ DUDAN DURAN BEACH BOY BOB DYLAN F PD KENDRICK PATTI LABELL JIMMY PAGE TEDDY POW TATION THE PRETENDERS WHAM THE WHO PAUL YOUNG BRYAN A BLACK SABBATH THE CARS ERIC CIATION DU COLLINS CSN KENNY LOGGINS TOPS HALL & OATES THE HOOTERS MADONNA PAT MINY MICK J LAST OCL LY DERGRASS TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBI PS RT PL SPEEDWAGON DAVID RUFFIN RUN D SIMINDS TEARS FOR FEARS THOMPSON TWIN NA TU VID BOWIE PHIL COLLINS ELVIS DI B NIK KERSHAW PAUL MCCARTNE MC EN STING STYLE COUNCIL U-2 R
    via u/EdwardBliss
  • 15

    Micro Machines

    McDonald's Salety-tested for children of all agor Recommend for children nge 1 and over
    via u/jeffpollard
  • 16

    Mattel Agent Zero Rapid Rifle

    ZERO
    via u/99titan
  • 17

    This movie is so good!

    Okay! I'll talk! In third grade, I cheated on my history exam. In fourth grade, I stole my Uncle Max's toupee and glued it on my face when I played Moses in my Hebrew School play. In fifth grade, I knocked my sister Edie down the stairs and I blamed it on the dog. When my mom sent me to the summer camp for fat kids and then they served lunch, I got nuts and I pigged out and they kicked me out. But the worst thing I've ever done - I mixed a pot of fake puke at home and then I went to this movie t
    via u/Psychological-Pie37
  • 18

    Our parents would look at this and say "Hell yeah"!

    65
    via u/lopix
  • 19

    Remember when this was the "worst influence on kids"?

    SIMPSON BART т DON'T HAVE A COW MAN! RADICAL DUDE MATH GROENING
    via u/donaldsanddominguez
  • 20

    Everything was creepy back then

    Super 70s Sports @Super 70sSports - 12m She's half your age, she's blind, and you're her teacher. And apparently you've been letting her palm your head for so long that now she thinks you look like Andre Dawson on steroids. Not cool, man. 7 12 65 ill 3.8K 1
    via @Super70sSports
  • 21

    This was our VR headset

    3D View-Master
    via u/Other_Sign_6088
  • 22

    This was our Game console

    Cheezburger Image 10392082176
    via u/Other_Sign_6088
  • 23

    This was our 3d printer

    MAKES HUNDREDS OF MODELING OBJECTS AND PLAYTHINGS PD Play-Doh FUN FACTORY, D ד . for little folks Play-Doh Play-Doh Play-Doh 3 to 6 years Play-Doh FUN FACTORY JR.
    via u/Other_Sign_6088
  • 24

    This was our laptop

    TOMY WATERFUL RING-TOSS
    via u/Other_Sign_6088
  • 25

    This was... a weird toy when you stop and think about it

    Cheezburger Image 10392083456
    via u/Other_Sign_6088
  • 26

    This was just a barrel of monkeys

    Barrel of Monkeys PAT. PEND. EST YOUR SENSE OF BALANCE! NUMBER CAN PLAY! NS CLAKESIDE TOYS, DIVISION OF LAKESIDE INDUSTRES CA S'S MORE FUN THAN A "BARREL OF MONKE
    via u/Other_Sign_6088
  • 27

    "We have Pop-tarts at home."

    NABISCO Toastettes Pastries New! Save 15c 6 strawberry tarts
    via u/MackAndSteeze
  • 28

    I loved this show as a kid

    THE FALL GUY TV Theme
    via u/ColoradoDanno
  • 29

    Radio AND cassettes? This thing has EVERYTHING!

    FM AM TUNING 00 FMC AM-> LOCAL DX- RADIO TAPE RADIO SONY DODOLBY NR FM/AM STEREO CASSETTE PLAYER WM-F73 108 160 104-140 10010 AUTO REVERSE -96 70 92 88 53 X10 MHz kHz WALKMAN FM/AM SPORTS FWD REV It's a Sony
    via u/FlowerGi1015
  • 30

    "Mom, I'm going to the arcade"

    ED SOF LIBERTY QUARTER
    via u/mxpower
  • 31

    "McDowell's"

    McDowell's EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AKEEM FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE ON EFFORT
    via u/EdwardBliss

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

1990s 90s memes retro nostalgia 80s music Nostalgia Overload 80s 90s kids 90s memory lane nostalgia memes millennial-nostalgia 1980s
Scroll Down For The Next Article