Before the age of iPads and smartphones, childhood was a time of strange habits and pointless little quirks that, in hindsight, made absolutely no sense. Still, these weird activities brought us endless entertainment in their own way. Let's talk about all the weird things we did to spend our time!
Piercing the Thin Skin on Our Fingers with Needles
Credit: Reddit
Pricking the delicate skin on our fingers with a needle was a weird kind of experiment we all participated in. It didn't really hurt, and watching it pierce through without drawing blood was strangely satisfying. Of course, showing it off to friends like a bizarre magic trick was all part of the fun.
Sucking in Air from a Fan
Credit: iStockphoto
The robotic voice effect that came from talking into a fan's spinning blades was pure entertainment. We'd take turns making weird noises, laughing at the way our voices distorted, and completely ignoring the fact that standing too close might result in hair getting caught.
Poking Holes in an Eraser Using a Pencil
Credit: Reddit
A brand-new eraser never stayed smooth for long. We'd take a sharp pencil and start poking holes in it, sometimes creating little patterns or trying to push the pencil all the way through. By the end of the school year, the eraser barely did its job.
Glue on Our Hands and Playing with It
Credit: Reddit
We found something fascinating about spreading glue on our hands, waiting for it to dry, and then peeling it off like fake skin. The challenge was always getting it off in one piece, and we never tired of it, no matter how many times we did it.
Turning Potato Chips into Beaks
Credit: Facebook
Wear them before you eat them. Pressing two curved potato chips onto our lips and quacking like a duck was a necessary part of snack time. It never failed to make us feel ridiculous.
Drawing the S Symbol
Credit: Youtube
No one taught us how to draw it, yet somehow, it became a common sight around us. That mysterious "S" shape ended up on desks, notebooks, and even walls. It was an artistic achievement every time we sketched it perfectly.
Trying to Hold a Switch for a Fan or Light in the Middle
Credit: Getty Images
Balancing a switch halfway between on and off was a herculean task. If you got it just right, the light would flicker, or the fan would hum softly before snapping back into place. It never really did anything useful, but it kept us entertained for hours.
Trying to Climb as Many Stairs at Once
Credit: iStockphoto
Taking the stairs one at a time was too easy—so, of course, we tried jumping up two, three, or even four steps at a time. This also meant you reached the top in as few jumps as possible without faceplanting.
Tracing Gaps Between Tiles While Walking
Credit: iStockphoto
For some reason, dragging a finger along the grooves between the floor tiles or bricks was weirdly enjoyable and satisfying. And in the event that we mess up, we had to start all over again.
Drawing a Smiley on the Car Window During Rain
Credit: Getty Images
A foggy car window was basically an empty canvas. We'd draw smiley faces, random doodles, or write secret messages, only to watch them fade as the glass cleared. The artwork was temporary but oh-s.
Holding a Sword Made of Stacked Markers
Credit: Reddit
Clicking markers together end–to–end and pretending they were swords was the ultimate classroom battle weapon. The longer the marker sword, the better—until it inevitably collapsed mid-fight.
Having a Really Short Pencil Intact
Credit: Reddit
A tiny pencil stub was a badge of honor. The tricky challenge was to see how long we could keep using it before it became impossible to hold, even when it was barely more than an eraser.
Using Aluminum Foil as Braces
Credit: semanticscholar
It's hard to imagine, but when we were kids, braces seemed kind of cool. Naturally, rolling up aluminum foil and shaping it over our teeth felt like the next best thing. It gave us shiny but questionable "braces" look that lasted until we got bored.
Drinking Soda from Its Cap
Credit: Reddit
Instead of taking normal sips from the bottle, we'd pour soda into the tiny cap and drink it like it was some fancy, miniature cup. It took forever actually to drink anything, but that wasn't the point.
Wearing a Hair Clip Over the Lips
Credit: TikTok
Snapping a hair clip onto our lips was oddly satisfying—just the right mix of pain and amusement. The tiny pinch? Easy to ignore. The ridiculous look? Totally worth it. It was one of those things we never questioned, yet somehow, it just felt right.
