Summer days in the '80s were spent playing on the streets, engaged in endless games of hide-and-seek and capture the flag with neighborhood pals of all ages. It was always "game on" until the sun went down, the street lights came on, or you heard the echo of your mom's voice calling your name.
Colour TV was common in every house and there were many more children's programmes. Writing letters to other children, called penpals, became very popular in the 1980s. Children still spent most of their time outside playing traditional games and on their bikes.
Kids were encouraged to go outside to play after school in the streets and expected to be home in time for dinner. We wouldn't wear watches so the moment the sun went down and street lights came on – that was our signal that our outside playtime was over.
From break-dancing to bingo, the '80s is known as a revolutionary decade for fun activities. Whether you listened to Madonna or The Police, watched Dirty Dancing or Bladerunner, the '80s were packed with fun things to do!
Many pre-teens and teenagers enjoy spending their free time doing things like shopping, going to parties, being with friends, gaming and using social media, texting, watching movies, reading and going to the beach or park.
Ninety three per cent of Autralians engaged in recreation and leisure activities, spending an average 4 hours 23 minutes each day. A breakdown of chosen activities shows media and digital use is the major activity.
In the past, people had fun in many of the same ways we do today. They played games, told each other stories, and played music. In fact, music has always been one of our most popular hobbies! It's been around about as long as people have.
The '80s was flocked with some of the best movies of all time. Blockbusters like the sequels to Star Wars, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, the Indiana Jones trilogy, Batman, and Back to the Future are just a few films that are iconic to the decade and still revered among fans who watched them in the theater.
The '80s were an exhilarating time for music, fashion, and culture. Young people were moving to big cities in droves and embodying the catchphrase "dress for success." By day, many people were driven, successful, and put-together. By night, girls just wanted to have fun.
Generation X (circa 1965 to 1980) Millennial Generation (circa 1981 to 1996)
Why was the 80s a great decade? The 1980s were a time of great pop culture including some of the best movies, music, TV shows, and toys of all time. It is the decade most often associated with nostalgia and the style, and memories of the decade, continue to live on.
The 1980s, often remembered for its materialism and consumerism, also saw the rise of the "yuppie," an explosion of blockbuster movies and the emergence of cable networks like CNN and MTV, which introduced the music video and launched the careers of many iconic artists.
Cool Ranch Doritos, Planters Cheese Balls, Hot Pockets, Tofino's Pizza Rolls, Bagel Bites, Hostess Pudding Pies, Pepperidge Farm Star Wars Cookies, and Peanut Butter Boppers were all popular in the 80s. Not to mention Dairy Queen Blizzards and TCBY frozen yogurt. Then, of course, there was the candy.
The 1980s was possibly the boldest decade in modern fashion history, a magical era of over-the-top silhouettes, teased perms and saturated colors. They were the years of puffed shoulders and power suits, flashy skirts and spandex leggings, velour, leg warmers and voluminous parachute pants.
The Arcade
Every '80s kid's dream was to get enough money, not to buy action figures or candy or music, but for a days-worth supply of arcade game tokens. Most kids didn't mind spending hours on end playing classics like, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Centipede and Galaga.
After the social revolution of the 1970s, the 1980s witnessed an economic revolution that proved to be equally as far-reaching. At the same time, environmental and First Nations issues were gaining attention through the actions of everyday Australians. The newly elected Hawke government changed how the economy worked.
They played music on instruments.
As far back as 43,000 years ago, shortly after they settled in Europe, early humans whiled away their time playing music on flutes made from bird bone and mammoth ivory.
Pre-teens and teenagers spent a lot of their days off perusing the food court and shops of their local shopping malls. It was a hub to meet up and waste several hours of the day playing video games at the arcade, chasing the opposite sex, shopping (but not really buying) and loitering around the food court.
Drama, Dance, and Tournaments
People would entertain themselves with song, dance, music and stories. Wandering entertainers, called minstrels or troubadours, would travel from village to village providing such entertainment – particularly music – for the local people. They were paid in food and sometimes coins.