Unsupervised and Unafraid: The Art of ’90s Kids Playing Outside Alone

Each decade had its own special trends and distinctive items that were unique to that era, from clothing styles and music to television, dance movements, and activities. We may often think that we've left an era behind, looking back with nostalgia and wondering if what we once loved will ever make a comeback although many of us were glad to have moved on, hoping to never see the return of certain fads. (If you were like most kids, you also most likely played soccer, known as football outside the U.S, and are likely feeling nostalgic watching the Euro 2024.)

When it comes to the resurgence of a decade gone by, they often come back with each new generation, whether taken from items generations before had or creating similar, updated versions. We've seen a comeback of '70s styles, and '80s music, and now now, we're seeing a return of the '90s in a big way. From the new Blink-182 tour dates to the "Scream" slasher film reboot to the return of super wide-leg jeans and Birkenstocks, Millennial nostalgia has been guiding both media and fashion in the last few years. (Here are 29 fashion trends only '90s kids will remember.)

A major reason that newer generations, from Millennials to Gen Y and Z, have been pining for the '90s is that it was a time they either did not experience or it represented a simpler time in their lives when the prevalence of the internet and cell phones had not yet fully taken hold. These technological changes have shaped society as we know it, and not always for the better. The '90s were a decade of freedom from the ever-present eye of social media. They were a time when access to music and films was much more limited, which made hearing a favorite song on the radio all the more precious.

It may seem unthinkable in today's climate but there was once a time when kids passed the time without cell phones. Children and teenagers found many ways to entertain themselves in the '90s and they clung tight to their favorite hobbies. To determine the favorite hobbies every '90s kid loved, 24/7 Tempo utilized editorial discretion to select pastimes, games, and sports that peaked in the last decade of the 20th century. Many of these hobbies were also big in prior decades, but we focused on activities that saw a decline in popularity in the 2000s or 2010s. (These were the top toys when Millennials were kids.)

Rhinestones were big in the '90s, and this craft tool made it easy to apply sparkles to hats, jeweled eyes to characters on T-shirts, accents to jeans, and so much more.

Originally designed to teach lessons about American history and the roles of women, this popular doll line expanded in the '90s to include modern girls with a diversity of eye, skin, and hair colors.

As CDs became the predominant way to listen to albums, teens began spending all of their money on music and asking for more CDs for birthdays and holidays.

Marvel and DC gave many of their classic superheroes modern makeovers to appeal to youth in the '90s, and a new publisher, Image was also born.

A fad that ended just as quickly as it started, Pogs were cardboard discs that could be won in a game by hitting your opponent's stack with a "slammer" and keeping the discs that landed face up.

Sports fans would do extra chores or even forego lunch some days to save up money for packs of baseball or football cards.

School field trips and weekend outings sometimes entailed going to the skating rink and doing the limbo, the hokey pokey, and the chicken dance.

Doing anything but actually shopping, teens descended upon malls in droves, often spending hours eating at the food court, playing in the arcade, and people watching.

From the criss cross to the 360 turn, jump rope tricks were not only challenging and fun; they earned kids respect in the social order.

While waiting at the bus stop or going on a family road trip, having your own choice of music piped into headphones offered a feeling of freedom and individuality.

Kids made these colorful, woven bracelets to give to their friends. Many would wear them day and night, without ever removing them, until they finally wore thin and fell off.

Whether the songs were recorded straight from the radio or from a CD, mix tapes were a time-consuming project that preceded the digital playlist.

A thrilling reason to get off the couch, Skip-it would count how many successful rotations you made before missing and whacking yourself in the shin.

Passing notes was a convenient way to keep abreast of social happenings or to ask someone to a dance – that is until the teacher intercepted and read it aloud to the whole class.

Kids in the '90s had much more freedom than they do today. Helicopter parenting was virtually nonexistent, and nobody threatened to call the cops on your folks if you were playing unaccompanied in the neighborhood.

After the Nintendo Entertainment System, '90s kids got hooked on newer consoles including Super Nintendo, N64, Gameboy, and Sega Genesis, playing both solo and against friends.

Raising cute digital space aliens became an engrossing pastime, which included giving them medicine when they were sick, cleaning up their droppings, and mourning their eventual deaths.

These supernatural horror novels became so popular with children that they were turned into an anthology television series that ran for four seasons.

Keeping up with celebrities and fashion trends, learning how to be confident, getting dating tips, and laughing at embarrassing stories sent in by other subscribers were just a few of the perks of reading teen magazines.

Before the advent of streaming, kids went to the local video store to rent films on VHS, and eventually on DVD. Sometimes a hit film was rented out, and the only options were to get on a wait list or check again another day.

Aside from rolling down flat stretches of pavement, many kids learned tricks and began grinding on public handrails and on PVC pipes in homemade backyard skateparks.

With the inauguration of the widely publicized ESPN X Games, many kids began learning how to skateboard. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video games solidified the appeal of this extreme sport.

Disposable cameras were all the rage. Kids could pass a one around at a party and end up with some hilarious surprise pictures after getting the film developed at a local pharmacy.

Game shows like "Double Dare," "Wild and Crazy Kids," and "Legends of the Hidden Temple" were thrilling weeknight and weekend entertainment.

Nowadays, kids can keep in touch with friends all over the world through email and social media. For kids in the early '90s, however, the feeling of opening the mail box to find a letter from a pen pal in another state or country was exhilarating.