It was around a little after 11 PM and I was watching another rerun of “How I Met Your Mother." Halfway through the episode, there was a scene of Robin and Lily arguing about how Robin doesn’t like kids. To show how she already didn’t like kids even when she herself was one, they showed a flashback of kid-Robin and a girl of a few years younger than her–probably her sister–asking her for help with something. Robin then barked back with something along the lines of, “Can I just have five minutes to myself to read 'Highlights' and drink my juice?”
Highlights?! Do they still make those anymore? I quickly Googled the magazine and found no signs of defunction. I felt a rush of nostalgia as soon as I heard Robin mention the words “Highlights” and “juice” in the same sentence. I had never even heard of Highlights Magazine in ages, let alone having drank–what I relate my childhood juice to–“Juicy Juice!” Oh, those little juice boxes; and hearing the emptiness enter the box while trying to use the straw to sip the last drop from each corner.
Anyway, Robin’s “Highlights Children's Magazine” moment brought me to recollect not only my favorite magazine as a child, but all the other things that made my childhood–and hopefully yours–special. I have come up with an ongoing list with just those things. Another list to stack on top the countless “missed childhood” lists already online–here it is.
Literary/Creative Activities
I had this huge reading & writing learning set with special light up pens, stickers, books, etc.; everything literarily magical a kid would've loved, but I forgot the name of it...(It wasn't Leap Reader), Leap Reader, Highlights Magazines, Book Orders, Book Fairs, Coloring Books, Stickers, Beaded Bracelets, Square Braided/Scoubidou Keychains, Arts & Crafts, Sanrio stationary lol)
Books
Classic Fairytales/Stories:
Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty & The Beast, Goldilocks & The Three Wolves, Hansel & Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Red Hen, Rapunzel, Rumplestiltskin, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, The Princess & The Pea, Jack & The Beanstalk, The Frog Prince, The Elves & The Shoemaker, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Honest Woodcutter, The Selfish Giant, Johnny Appleseed, Henny Penny, The Three Little Pigs, The Tortoise and The Hare
Contemporary:
Junie B. Jones, Horrible Harry, The Babysitter’s Club, Magic Tree House, The Boxcar Children, Judy Moody, Goosebumps, Harry Potter, Dear Dumb Diary, Pippi Longstocking, The Bailey School Kids, If You Give A ___ A ___, Geronimo Stilton, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Dr. Seuss books, The Bernstein Bears, The Rainbow Fish, Roald Dahl books, Clifford The Big Red Dog, Curious George, Mercer Meyer books, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, No, David!, Arthur books, Amelia Bedelia, The Giving Tree, Sideways Stories From Wayside School, Frog and Toad, Chris Van Allsburg books
Toys/(Board, Hand, Singing) Games
Barbies, Betty Spaghetti Dolls, Bop It, Legos, K’nex, Monopoly, Trouble, Life, “Bubble-Gum Bubble-Gum in a Dish,” “Miss Mary Mack,” “Slide,” “Down Down Baby,” “Tweet,” Tag, Freeze Tag, Blind Tag, Hide & Seek
Computer Games/Game Consoles
PC:
Kid Pix, Paint, The Pinball Machine, Minesweeper (random clicking), Solitaire (random clicking & guessing)
CD-Rom:
Paddington Bear, My Little Pony, Jump Start, Clue Finder’s Adventures, Fisher Price Pet Shop
Online:
Disney:
Lilo & Stitch Sandwich Stacker, That’s So Raven Chill Grill Challenge, Suite Life of Zack & Cody Tipton Trouble/Pizza Party Pick Up, Jackson's Beach Treat Delivery, Hannah Montana Jammin' With Hannah/Rockstar Fashion Challenge, Mickey Mouse Pack The House, Kim Possible Bueno Rufus/Shopping Avenger/A Sitch In Time,
Etc.:
Millsberry, Everything Girl, Neopets, Disney Virtual Magic Kingdom, burger making games (lol), Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends Game
Game Consoles
Playstation I/II, XBOX, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance (Crash Bandicoot), Gameboy Advance SP (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Tipton Caper), PSP (Need For Speed Most Wanted)
Game Consoles
Playstation I/II, XBOX, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance (Crash Bandicoot), Gameboy Advance SP (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Tipton Caper), PSP (Need For Speed Most Wanted)
TV Shows/Movies
Cartoon Network:
Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo, Powerpuff Girls, Cow & Chicken, Johnny Bravo, Dexter’s Laboratory, Courage The Cowardly Dog, Spaced Out, Codename: Kids Next Door, Ed Edd & Eddy, Ozzy & Drix/Osmosis Jones, The Life & Times of Juniper Lee, Hi HI Puffy AmiYumi, Class of 3000, Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends
Disney Channel:
Older:
Out of The Box, Bear in The Big Blue House, Rolie Polie Olie, Boy Meets World, Smart Guy, Pepper Ann, The Weekenders, Recess, Even Stevens, Kim Possible, The Proud Family, Lizzie McGuire, That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Phil of The Future, Naturally Sadie, American Dragon Jake Long, The Buzz on Maggie
Newer:
Hannah Montana, Jonas L.A., Sonny With A Chance, So Random, Good Luck Charlie,
Nickelodeon:
Older:
Rugrats, All That, The Wild Thornberrys, Are You Afraid of The Dark, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, The Amanda Show, Doug, Rocko’s Modern Life, Kenan & Kel, Clarissa Explains It All, Secret World of Alex Mack, Hey Arnold, Rocket Power, 6teen,
Newer:
My Life As a Teenage Robot, Danny Phantom, Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, Drake & Josh, Zoey 101, Victorious, iCarly
PBS Kids/WB/4KidsTV/Etc.:
Arthur, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, Barney, Winx Club, Mew Mew Power, Totally Spies, Darcy's Wild Life, Flight 29 Down
Movies:
Disney:
Aladdin, Thumbelina, Pinnochio, Winnie The Pooh, Mulan, Tarzan, Hocus Pocus, Don’t Look Under The Bed, Seventeen Again, Zenon film series, Brink, You Wish, Smart House, Life Size, Even Stevens Movie, The Ultimate Christmas Present, The Luck of The Irish, Halloweentown movie series, Johnny Tsunami, Cadet Kelly, Stuck in The Suburbs, Get A Clue, You Wish, Gotta Kick It Up!, Model Behavior, My Date With The President's Daughter, The Lizze McGuire Movie, Eddie’s Million Dollar Cook-off, Max Keeble’s Big Move, The Kim Possible Movie, High School Musical movie series, Twitches movie series, The Cheetah Girls movie series, Go Figure, Cow Belles, Read It & Weep, Jump In!, Minute Men, 16 Wishes, Princess Diaries
Pixar/Cartoon Network/Etc.:
Harriet The Spy (the one with Michelle Trachtenberg, not Jennifer Stone), Matilda, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story movie series, Finding Nemo, Monster’s Inc., Ratatouille, Up, Scary Godmother, James & The Giant Peach, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (the older version), Holes, Freaky Friday, Mary Kate & Ashley Our Lips Are Sealed/Holiday in The Sun
Maybe reading this has suddenly sparked a memory or two in you or even have you wanting to YouTube, Google and Netflix your way to a personalized childhood-cartoons marathon after reading this. Maybe it has inspired you to make a pact with yourself to have your future child only grow up on the things (music, television, technology, etc.) that you grew up with! And strictly nothing contemporary. Hey, it’s an idea.
(*I've decided to make a second part to this, as I didn’t even include a Music, Clothing or Food category in this, which are as important as the rest! That’ll be coming up later.)