How Childhood Adventures Differ Between Generations in Montana

Nostalgia for Unplugged Childhoods

The older I get, the more I reflect on my youth. Those days that seem like yesterday, are really several years ago.

It was a different time back then, there was no social media, no one had a phone by their side, you just played with your friends and half the time, your parents had no clue as to where you were.

Freedom to Explore: A Different Era

It really was a magical time.

What Today's Kids Miss

I was curious as to what adults now would say was different about their childhoods compared to the current generation of kids here in Montana, so I asked the simple question

What's something you did as a kid that kids don't do now?

I was curious as to what the answers would be and if things had really changed that much, turns out they have, and maybe not for the better.

The Essence of Outdoor Play

Some of the most popular answers were:

Rode our bikes everywhere
Played outside with friends
Build Forts and Tree Houses
Rode in the back of Dad's truck
Swimming in creeks
Being outside all day, and coming home when it became dark

Awww, it takes me back to my youth, because I did all of those things.

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I have no clue as to how many miles I rode on my bike, but I know it was a lot. The kids of my neighborhood, we were looking for adventure, and every summer day was a new one.

Change in Playtime Dynamics

While I'm sure some kids still do those things, it seems that most avoid going outside and spend a lot of time on their electronic devices. When I was a kid, I was the electronic device, as in I was the remote control for when my Father wanted to see what was on the other channels.