17 Ways Families Spent Weekends Before Smartphones
A look at how families bonded, played, and stayed entertained before screens became the default.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
Before everyone had a phone in hand, weekends looked a lot different. Families found joy in activities that brought them together, outside around the table, or on the road. These 17 ways shows weekends were filled with real connection, creativity, and a little bit of chaos. You might just feel inspired to bring some of these back.
1. Game Nights Got Loud (and competitive)
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Monopoly, Scrabble, and Uno, there was no shortage of family drama over these. Game nights brought everyone together, and no one forgot who flipped the board last weekend. It was messy, fun, and full of laughs.
2. Going for a drive, Just Because
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Sunday drives were about rolling the windows down and seeing where the road led. There was no GPS, no destination, just magic and random stops at roadside diners. It was quality time on four wheels.
3. Movie Marathons on VHS
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Rewinding the tape was part of the ritual. Families curled up on the couch for “Back to the Future” or Disney reruns, popcorn in a giant bowl, and no pausing for texts. It felt like an event, not background noise.
4. Backyard Barbecues That turned into Parties
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Burgers on the grill, kids running wild, and the sound of old hits playing through tiny speakers. These gatherings started small and ended with neighbors joining in. No one needed a reason to celebrate.
5. Visiting Grandparents, No Text Ahead
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You just showed up. Grandparents were always home, usually with food on the table and stories on repeat. It was unplanned but always comforting.
6. Playing Outside Until the Streetlights Came On
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Bikes, tag, hide-and-seek—it was nonstop until someone’s mom yelled out the window. There were no screens, just scraped knees and wild imaginations. It felt like summer even on weekends in October.
7. Weekend Breakfasts That Took All Morning
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Pancakes weren’t rushed. Parents flipped while kids set the table, and second helpings were expected. It was one of the few times everyone sat down at once.
8. Reading was actually a Weeken Plan
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Trips to the library or rereading a favorite book under a blanket counted as entertainment. There were no spoilers online, no distractions, just you, the story, and maybe a flashlight past bedtime.
9. Sundays Meant Church and Fellowship
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It was more than a sermon; it was a community. After the service, families gathered for lunch or potlucks. This rhythm shaped the rest of the week.
10. Card Games that Got Intense
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Uno, Go Fish, or Poker, everyone had their go-to. The rules weren’t always official, but the smack talk definitely was. It brought generations to the same table.
11. Arts and Crafts for Hours
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Glue, markers, and chaos were expected. Whether making cards or random creations, it was all about being hands-on. Bonus points if glitter were banned in the house.
12. Taking Photos You had to Develop
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You posed once, hoped it turned out well, and waited a week to find out. There were no filters, no retakes, and every photo had weight, sometimes a thumb in the corner.
13. Camping in the Backyard or the Woods
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There were tents, marshmallows, and scary stories under the stars. Sometimes the backyard was enough for a great adventure. You fell asleep to crickets, not podcasts.
14. Baking Together and Licking the Spoon
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Cookies, cakes, and chaos in the kitchen. Everyone got a job, even if it was just “official taste tester.” The mess was part of the fun.
15. Finishing That One
Pavel Danilyuk
Someone always lost a piece, which drove everyone mad. However, puzzle nights were about the process. You could work on it all weekend, and no one wanted to quit.
16. Picnics that Came with Ants
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There were sandwiches, a checkered blanket, and someone always forgot the napkins. It was never fancy, just fresh air and food you packed yourself. Yes, ants were part of the deal.
17. Local events That Felt like Big Deal
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Street fairs, small concerts, and community theater had everyone out of the house. There were no live streams; if you missed it, you missed it. That made showing up even better.