12 After-School Habits From the 1970s That Would Shock Today’s Generation
Let’s take a trip back in time to the 1970s, a decade when after-school routines were a whole different world than the tech-driven schedules kids have today. Those weren’t the days of smartphones, streaming platforms, and Fortnite.
In the ’70s, kids actually went outside to play, with no supervision, no GPS, and no adult intervention. If you grew up in the ’70s, chances are, you bent the rules or found ways to entertain yourself that today’s kids would be utterly baffled by.
So here are 12 classic after-school habits from the ’70s that would definitely shock today’s generation.
1. You Watched Without Remote Control
Those weren’t the days of binge-watching or endlessly scrolling through streaming options. If you wanted to watch TV, you had to make it to the couch when your favorite show came on—and there was no rewinding or choosing from a list of shows.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the battle for the one TV remote, where the most powerful person in the house had control. The thought of kids today being forced to watch commercials for the next 10 minutes feels like a form of torture.
2. You Roamed Freely Without GPS
In the ‘70s, kids didn’t need a “Playdate” app to go outside. You simply walked out the door, said goodbye, and wandered off to who knows where—sometimes even without telling your parents where you were headed.
The only way to check in was when you came home for dinner or when the streetlights came on. Can you imagine today’s parents letting their kids wander freely like that? Not a chance!
3. You Had to Bike to Socialize
Today’s kids just have to text their friends and plan the next hangout—but in the ’70s, you had to earn your social life. Riding a bike to your friend’s house was your daily cardio routine, and the dangerous thrills of crossing busy streets to get there were just part of the fun.
There was no Uber to drop you off or parents waiting in the driveway—just you, your bike, and an after-school adventure.
4. Playing with Real Dirt
Instead of planting virtual crops in some digital game, ’70s kids had real dirt, and they weren’t afraid to get it under their fingernails.
Whether it was digging holes, building mud forts, or making a mess with friends—your backyard was an open-air laboratory for experimentation and getting dirty.
If modern kids had to endure a full-on mud fight without any virtual immunity, they might just melt.
5. Riding in Pickup Trucks
You could probably spot a pickup truck cruising through the neighborhood, and the best part? You didn’t need to be in a seat—you were in the bed of the truck, getting a good breeze and hoping to avoid flying out when your friend did a U-turn.
Today’s kids would definitely raise an eyebrow if they were asked to sit in the back of an open truck without a seatbelt, let alone ride there for fun.
6. Snack Foods of Questionable Nutritional Value
Forget about those organic, gluten-free, allergy-conscious snacks—back in the ‘70s, kids happily devoured Little Debbie cakes, Twinkies, and sugary cereal, all with zero concern about their health.
They were addicted to processed snacks with zero nutritional value, but hey, it was the 1970s, and no one knew any better.
7. Answering the Landline Phone
In a world where kids can now communicate via texting and emojis, ’70s kids had to answer the landline if they wanted to talk to their friends.
You’d pick up the phone, hoping it wasn’t someone’s parent, and if you were lucky, you got to chat for hours. No caller ID, no text messages—just a waiting game to see who was on the other end.
Imagine how mortified today’s kids would be to talk on the phone for hours with friends, without emojis to soften the conversation.
8. Finding Your Own Entertainment
Imagine coming home after school and being forced to find something to do without a device. No social media, no YouTube, no TikTok dance trends—just you, your imagination, and maybe a bored sibling or two.
Nowadays’ kids wouldn’t survive an afternoon without endless apps to entertain them—after all, there’s only so much fun you can have with jump rope and Monopoly.
9. Watching After-School Specials
If you wanted to watch TV after school, you were treated to an endless parade of after-school specials, which usually involved heartfelt lessons about life. These shows were moralistic, melodramatic, and often way over-the-top in their depictions of “real-life issues.”
Today’s kids would probably be laughing uncontrollably at the overly earnest tone and messages, but for ‘70s kids, they were the highlight of the day.
10. Waiting for Snacks Without Microwaves
In the 1970s, if you wanted a snack, you couldn’t just nuke it in two minutes. Microwaves were a newfangled invention and still not widespread. That meant that heating up leftovers or making a snack often required some effort.
Whether it was waiting for Pop-Tarts to toast in the regular toaster or cooking a frozen pizza in the oven, snacks were slow-cooked and much more rewarding.
Today’s kids might be in shock at the waiting time for even the simplest snack.
11. Playing Board Games With No Batteries
Before video games took over, board games were the ultimate after-school entertainment. But these weren’t your fancy, battery-powered games—they were the old-school kind where you moved pieces around with your hands, and you actually had to use your brain to win.
Whether it was Monopoly, Scrabble, or Risk, there was no need for a console, just a good ol’ fashioned family showdown. Today’s kids would probably be confused by the absence of flashy lights and sound effects.
12. Wandering Without Concerns
In the 1970s, it was completely normal for kids to head out after school, wander the streets with friends, and not check in for hours. Your parents weren’t hovering over you with constant texts or calls—you were just out there, exploring.
If you didn’t come home by dinner, it was a bit concerning, but you could count on no one questioning your whereabouts. Today’s kids? They would never be allowed to roam free like that, with helicopter parenting firmly in place.