If you grew up in India in the 90s, you know that summer truly began when school ended for the year. There were no alarms, just sunlit mornings, cousins pouring in, and the comforting whirl of the ceiling fan.

We’d spend hours on the terrace or outdoors, our fingers stained purple from peeling jamuns, laughing over nothing and everything. Family cricket matches, marbles, hopscotch chalked onto the driveway — our calendars were ruled by the sun, not the clock. And somehow, even the boredom felt like a gift.

Now that we’re parents, we often find ourselves asking, can our kids ever experience summers the way we did? With screens everywhere and schedules packed, it feels harder than ever.

Recently, I took my five-year-old daughter to the Goa Science Centre in Miramar — a quiet, breezy spot with hands-on exhibits, a mini planetarium, and an open-air science park. As we wandered around, we stumbled upon a Shaktimaan installation, and it instantly transported me back to the 90s. It was such a fun, unexpected flashback, and it made me so happy to be sharing that feeling with my daughter, who (surprisingly!) loves being out in nature.

In a world where screens usually come first, that moment reminded me how rare and special it is to create those simple, old-school memories with our kids.

So I went looking for more such moments — and found parents who are bringing back the slow joys of 90s summers in their own creative ways.

‘Going to the jungle with all cousins for collecting wild berries and jungle health treasure…’

In Goa, Sheetal Phaldesai is recreating the summer magic she once lived. “We used to go into the jungle with our cousins to collect wild berries and explore what we called ‘jungle health treasure’. We’d pluck mangoes, jackfruits, and chikoo — waiting eagerly for them to ripen so we could devour them,” she shares.

If you’re in Goa, try exploring the lush biodiversity trails near Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary or the Mhadei River, which are perfect for introducing kids to wild berries, native plants, and the thrill of a jungle adventure. If you don’t want to venture too far, step into a ‘forest’ in the heart of Panaji.

Nestled along the Campal promenade, the Bhagwan........

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