5 Core Memories From Childhood That I’m Definitely Passing On To My Kids

Picture it: You’re driving along and a song from your childhood comes on the radio. You haven’t heard it in years, maybe decades. Suddenly, you’re belting out the lyrics, not even sure how you remember every word. That’s nostalgia. And revisiting those sunny places in our childhood brains isn’t about dwelling in the past — it actually alleviates stress. Who doesn’t want less stress in their life? (Ahem, me with the mile-long to-do list and whose youngest just gave the dog a haircut.)

Another reason to revisit core memories is that now you can share them with your own kids. You get a chance to not only relive a sweet memory, but also to create new ones — in addition to the lifelong memory of you shouting, “Where’s your other shoe?!” of course...

Whether it’s a late summer bike ride at dusk, eating a beloved snack (like the PB&J sandwiches your mom made or Dole® Fruit Bowls®), or sledding on a trash can lid, sharing favorite moments from your own childhood is a gift your kids can carry with them always. Here are five core memories I’m definitely passing on to mine.

Blanket Forts & Sheet Castles

Kids love cozy spaces. They just do. How else to explain disappearing into clothing racks at stores or holing up in the closet with a book? And it’s easy to see why! There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being safely nestled in a little space you created for yourself. That’s why my kids are allowed to go absolutely nuts making forts and castles in our house. They love hauling out and rearranging pillows, couch cushions, sheets, and blankets to make their own cozy spaces. Pro tip: stringing up fairy lights? Next level.

Finding A Favorite Snack In Your Lunch Box

I see you nodding your head and smiling, remembering that “Score!” feeling of digging into your favorite childhood snack at the cafeteria lunch table. As a kid, finding a hot commodity snack in your lunch box was like winning the lottery — and no snack reigns more supreme than Dole® Fruit Bowls®. Everyone loves finding those little mandarin oranges in their lunch. And as a mom, I love packing them for my kiddos and sending them off to school with an easy, tasty snack that also happens to be made with 100% fruit juice and has no added sugar.

These little fruit bowls are also incredibly convenient, nutritious, and a perfect addition to a balanced diet. They’re the “kid requested, parent approved” snack that should probably be in every lunch pack in America. In our house, they’re technically “parent requested, kid approved” but either way, there’s a reason everyone loves this perfectly portable snack.

Bath Time Party Time

Looking back now, it’s pretty clear that as kids, our earliest attempt at “self care” was soaking in bubble baths. Before we knew about day spas or yoga retreats, we knew the joys of having fun splashing around. A few fun additions – bath crayons, bombs, that incredibly fun squirty foam stuff, or good old bubbles — make bath time just a little more special.

Wayback Movie Night

Want to make your kids laugh and laugh? Try to explain the concept of a video store to them. Watch their eyes widen in amazement as you describe browsing the “new releases” aisle, desperately hoping there’s a copy of the movie you were dying to see. Now that streaming services make it incredibly easy to access your childhood faves, plan a movie night where your kids can ask if you grew up in the 1800s. Who knows, they may discover a new favorite!

Board Game Showdown

I can’t pretend my kids are the only ones spending too much time on screens these days. If I’m honest, I look at my phone approximately 372601327 times daily. And while playing a game on the phone is super convenient, there’s something really special about going to a shelf of games, choosing one, and setting it up to play. Laying out the board, selecting the pieces — all of it has that analog quality we’re nostalgic for. My kids may — again — think I came over on the Mayflower, but they’re also going to discover the unmatched fun of face-to-face gaming. And you know what? I’m not even going to let me them win. Hold my fruit bowl: It’s on.

We often think creating memories with our kids is about flawless holiday decor or the best Halloween costumes. We can create the perfect experiences but at the end of the day, our kids’ core memories will be the small moments like digging into a fruit bowl, just like we did when we were kids.