35 Ways To Have A '90s Summer

When the beloved children’s literature character, Winnie the Pooh, tells his companion Christopher Robin that what he likes doing best is visiting him and eating honey, Christopher famously responds that what he likes best “is just doing nothing.” Pooh rightfully asks, “How do you do just nothing?” Christopher Robin explains, “Well, it’s when the grown-ups ask ‘What are you going to do?’ and you say ‘nothing’ and then you go out and do it.”

We’ve known for a while that boredom is good for kids. Many parents choose to limit screen time and maximize outdoor play so that their children learn to make boredom into imagination-fueled fun. But what about adults? Do we model this behavior for them, and do we take advantage of the health benefits of not being constantly entertained and distracted ourselves?

With our endless desire for digital affirmation, engagement, and content, as a culture we have almost entirely lost the desire or ability to just do nothing, as well as an appreciation for the unique sort of fun that doing next to nothing provides. Like the age-old question about a tree falling in a forest, this begs the question: if we don’t post about something on social media, did it even happen? And if we don’t document it from every angle, will we even remember it?

Current research actually shows that while taking photos may enhance our visual memory of an experience, it can diminish things like our auditory memory of it. While some studies show that even the presence of your smartphone can reduce your brainpower, we really don’t know the full effect of our digital engagement on our mental and social lives yet. Common sense does suggest, however, that our fear of facing the possibility of boredom and the awkward silences we might confront without our phones nearby might be keeping us from deeper connections and simpler, more genuine fun.

Those of us who were kids, teenagers, or young adults before the advent of smartphones and social media can remember a time when friendship had room for vulnerable authenticity and summer was full of the sort of spontaneous fun that didn’t end up on the feed. Those moments stick with us because our favorite memories aren’t made online. They’re made on long drives, aimless walks, and the sort of afternoon hangouts that blend seamlessly into evening. If you’d like to feel a little untethered, a little unreachable, and a little bored in the best way, try embracing a ’90s summer with this bucket list.

Note: This list can be completed on your own, with friends, with your boyfriend or husband, or with your kids. Whatever season of life you’re in, this list is for you, as long as you’re willing to keep that phone stashed away!

Go for a Bike Ride

Get out your bike, pump up the tires, and head out with no destination in mind. Or pick a park, local shop, or friend’s house that you usually drive to and bike there instead. Benefits include a great cardio workout, feeling like you’re flying, and a clearer head.

Read a Book on a Coffee Shop Patio

Head out to your favorite spot for a caffeine fix, but instead of packing your phone, pack a book. Choose a patio table for the fresh summer air and linger over your latte as long as you’re able.

Make a Friend a Mixtape on CD

Find an older computer that has a disc drive or use an external one to burn a custom playlist onto a CD for a friend. You’ll need a blank CD, the MP3 files of your chosen tracks, a music app like iTunes, and a little bit of a DJ’s ear to sequence the songs. Bonus points for making your own CD case.

Go for a Drive with the Girls

Grab your closest girlfriends for a night out, just driving around. Whoever has the best AC, or the best stereo, or the sweetest vintage ride can chauffeur while you swap stories, share your dreams, and maybe even make a stop for ice cream or lemonade.

Use up a Whole Disposable Camera

Believe it or not, disposable cameras are accessible again. Pick one up at a store near you and use it to document your summer adventures. When you get the roll developed, you can put your pictures in an old-fashioned photo album or make your own scrapbook to relive your ’90s summer anytime you like.

Host a Mani-Pedi Night

All you need is some tunes, cold beverages, and a few great summer nail colors to host an incredible mani-pedi night. While the polish may feel like the focus, it’s really a chance to sink deep into the girl talk with your crew.

See Live Music

Whether it’s a dive bar rock band, a local jazz festival, or whoever’s playing at the farmers market, find some live music happening near you. Treat it like a Phoebe Bridgers concert and put away your phone and smartwatch, focusing on the music and the people you’re with instead.

Hit the Mall

Spend a few hours wandering around a mall near you. Indulge in a chair massage or have a smoothie from the food court, and definitely don’t leave without trying on some glamorous dresses. Spending money: optional.

Start a Book Club

Commit to some summer reading the fun way: with your friends! Choose a summer novel like “Summer Island” or a timeless classic like “Little Women” and meet regularly over tea and snacks to discuss.

Bring a Picnic to the Park

This can be as simple as sandwiches and chips on a park bench or appetizers, sides, dips, and drinks on a gorgeous blanket in the shade. Bring along a book to read or a guitar to strum to pass the time with friends.

Attend a Drive-In Movie

Pick a night to check out a nearby drive-in movie with some friends. Since most drive-in theaters offer double features, pack some snacks or plan to enjoy some popcorn and movie treats from the concession stand while you watch.

Play MASH

One of the most classic and cheapest ways to have a little fun: try the ’90s favorite paper-and-pencil fortune-telling game, MASH (Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House). Not only will you get some laughs with your friends, but you’ll get to find out who your future husband will be, what your career and salary will be, and the number of kids you’ll have someday without ever consulting a psychic!

Make Friendship Bracelets (or Ankle Bracelets)

Dig through your mom’s sewing supplies or make a stop at the craft store to get some thread, beads, or other treasures to make some simple friendship bracelets with the girls. Or you can make several on your own and give them as gifts to your closest friends.

Have a Karaoke Night

Whether you host a karaoke night with a karaoke machine or a microphone and YouTube, or you find a bar near you that offers live karaoke nights, spend a little time getting silly and vulnerable by singing some ’90s hits with your friends. “I Want It That Way,” “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” “Wonderwall,” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” are all great places to start.

Play Tennis (Not Pickleball)

Hit the local courts, but instead of opting for the 2026 favorite, pickleball, go old school and play some actual tennis. This works great as a double date or as a fun way to get some exercise with a few friends.

Lie in the Grass

Now here we get to the real “doing nothing” Christopher Robin was probably talking about: spend an hour or so just hanging out in the grass in your yard or at a nearby park. Watch the clouds, listen to the birds, or chat with a friend. You’ll be surprised by how refreshed you feel after literally “touching grass” for a while.

Have a Bonfire on the Beach

Check with local ordinances to find a beach near you that permits bonfires, and enjoy a night on the beach with s’mores, cold drinks, and conversation. You’ll feel closer to nature as you watch the sun set over the water, and closer to your friends as you spend some screen-free time together.

Learn the Choreography to a ’90s Hit

If you were a girl in the ’90s, there is an almost 100% chance you learned at least one or two choreography sequences from your favorite pop hits. Recreate this classic ’90s experience by learning the moves to “Wannabe,” “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” or “U Can’t Touch This” with online tutorials.

Watch a Classic ’90s Summer Movie

Pop the popcorn and put on a ’90s summer classic like “Twister,” “Ghost,” or “Sleepless in Seattle.” Extra credit if you can manage to watch on DVD or VHS rather than streaming, but if you do need to stream, decide what you’re going to watch beforehand so you don’t waste any time scrolling through options.

Attend a Live Theater Performance

From Shakespeare in the Park to community theater to professional stages, theater is everywhere during the summer. Check out what’s happening near you and enjoy the artistic treat of live acting and timeless storytelling.

Play Truth or Dare

This classic sleepover game is sure to get you out of your comfort zone as you answer personal questions with total honesty or complete daring tasks with an openness to the sort of embarrassment that promises bonding and a good time with friends. If you’re an introvert, try picking “dare,” and if you’re an extrovert whose go-to is “dare,” try shaking it up by picking “truth” once or twice.

Watch a Summer Storm from the Porch

If rain is in the forecast, don’t despair. Make the most of nature’s firework displays by watching the rain and lightning from a comfortable seat on your porch. Or, for the daredevils among us, purposely get caught in the rain (with or without an umbrella).

Collect and Paint Rocks

With some acrylic paint or paint pens, transform some rocks you find on your ’90s summer meanderings into ladybugs, strawberries, or any other cute design. This is super relaxing to do with friends or on your own, and the finished rocks make thoughtful DIY gifts. If you want to put your painted rocks outside, you may want to spray them with a sealant to keep them looking vibrant.

Fly a Kite

At a park or other open space near you, relive your childhood by flying a kite through the summer air. Kite flying requires the perfect combination of relaxation and focus, just watch out for things like trees and power lines!

Get out the Board Games

Dust off that board game collection that I’m sure you or your parents have tucked away in some drawer or other and pick a night to play a few with family or friends. Whether it’s Scrabble, Sorry, Monopoly, or Guess Who?, there’s a board game for everyone.

Catch Fireflies

At golden hour, grab a mason jar and hunt for fireflies. Fireflies like tall grass, shrubs, and vegetation near water, so search for them there, making sure to be calm and to move slowly as you do. You can poke some holes or use netting at the top of your jar so they can breathe, and release them where you found them once you’ve gotten a closer look at these special insects.

Make Cookies for a Neighbor

Make some delicious cookies for a new neighbor, a friend who just had a baby, or the little old lady down the street. Use a family recipe or find a classic cookie cookbook at a garage sale or thrift store so that you don’t need your phone through the whole process. You’re sure to make their day!

Attend a Small Town Parade or Festival

Whether it’s a Fourth of July parade or a small town’s local summer festival, spend a few hours immersed in the culture of your community. Try a favorite locally made snack or take a ride on a carousel for some serious summer nostalgia.

Go Bowling

Find the most retro bowling spot near you, ideally somewhere where you have to use pencil-and-paper to keep track of your scores, and spend an afternoon in friendly competition with your crew. This works great as a way to get to know someone better without the pressure of nonstop conversation (but without the distraction of screens).

Write a Letter to a Friend

Thinking of texting someone how much they mean to you, or reminiscing on some shared memories? Try writing them a letter instead! Snail mail is a super fun way to stay in touch with a long-distance friend, or a great way to let someone closer to home know you’re thinking about them in a much more tangible way than a text or Snapchat ever could.

Make Dandelion Crowns

Whenever you see a field or yard just chock-full of dandelions, pick enough to make yourself a dandelion crown. You can also use their sap as makeshift invisible ink, experiment with watching the stems curl when you put them in water, or “paint” with their yellow blooms.

Grab a Book from the Library

If you haven’t already, get yourself a library card at your local library so that you can read books for free. While you can request specific books, try just popping in to see what’s there. Pick a book “by its cover,” and you may stumble upon your new favorite author or perfect book club book!

Run through a Sprinkler

Summer is all about beating the heat with a little water. The next time you see a sprinkler on a hot day, go with your gut and just run right through it! You’ll feel more alive and in touch with your childhood than you have for a long time. And you’ll want to leave that phone behind, so it doesn’t get wet.

Take Cute Pics in a Photo Booth

Find a real one at the mall, the arcade, or a diner, cram in with your friends, and make four faces in four frames. No retakes!

Have a Slumber Party

Pick a few other things from this list (karaoke, mani-pedis, MASH, truth or dare, etc.) for a phone-free night of ’90s fun you’ll never forget. Be sure to share a slow breakfast together before everyone leaves in the morning.

While some of the things on this list are admittedly doing a bit more “something” than “nothing,” they’ll all require you to be more present and a little more comfortable with the fact that, on social media, you won’t appear to be doing anything at all. If you’re able to try some of these ’90s activities this summer, I hope you feel the same way Pooh did when Christopher Robin explained how to do nothing: “I like that,” he said. “Let’s do it all the time.”