The 1960s were a time of rock ’n’ roll, space race dreams, and everyday routines that feel like another planet to kids today. While smartphones and digital convenience rule the modern world, the ’60s relied on patience, simplicity, and analog everything. From soda fountains to paper maps, some things were just different back then – and not in a bad way. In fact, many of these forgotten practices had a certain charm and rhythm that’s hard to find now.
Let’s take a deep dive into 20 everyday things from the 1960s that would probably leave modern kids scratching their heads – and maybe make a few adults nostalgic for simpler times.
1. Soda Fountains as Hangout Spots
Before Starbucks and fast food chains took over, soda fountains were the ultimate social scene. Located in drugstores or diners, these bubbly bars served custom fizzy drinks mixed by a “soda jerk.” It wasn’t just about grabbing a cherry cola – it was about chatting with friends, flirting over milkshakes, and making memories on shiny stools. The social energy was real. Today, kids would probably wonder why their soda isn’t arriving by app delivery.
2. Public Service Announcements During Cartoons
Imagine sitting down to watch your favorite animated show, and in between laughs, you get a serious message about fire safety or good citizenship. In the ’60s, Smokey Bear would appear between cartoon episodes, reminding kids: “Only you can prevent forest fires.” These little lessons snuck in values while you were just trying to see what Bugs Bunny was up to. Not exactly YouTube ad-skipping material.
3. Green Stamps for Shopping Rewards
Before loyalty cards and digital coupons, there were green stamps. When families shopped at certain stores, they’d earn these small sticky stamps they could save in booklets. Collect enough, and you could trade them in for toasters, radios, or even furniture. It was like a real-world version of collecting coins in a video game – except you actually got stuff.
4. Film Strip Projectors in Classrooms
Kids today learn with tablets, Smart Boards, and YouTube. In the ’60s, classrooms dimmed the lights and fired up the film strip projector. It showed frame-by-frame still images on a roll of film, and the teacher had to click through them manually. Each click was a new moment in the lesson. It felt like the class equivalent of flipping through a photo album together.
5. Manual Typewriter Ribbons
Typing in the 1960s meant hammering away at a manual typewriter. There was no backspace key and no screen – just a ribbon soaked in ink that slowly wore out as you typed. When the ribbon faded, you’d have to change it by hand. Ink-stained fingers were part of the job. It was messy, loud, and oddly satisfying. Today’s kids might call it “vintage,” but they’d definitely miss autocorrect.
6. Driveway Cleaning With a Hose
Need to clean your driveway? Just grab the garden hose and spray it down – that’s how it was done in the ’60s. It seemed harmless at the time, but in an age of water conservation and climate awareness, it’s almost shocking how normal it was to use gallons of water to wash away some dust. Now people would reach for a broom or a pressure washer – and maybe think twice.
7. Phone Numbers That Started With Words
Dialing a phone in the ’60s wasn’t just numbers – it was names, too. You might hear a number like “Butterfield 8-2500,” with the first two letters referring to a part of the city. It was like having an address built into your phone number. Kids today might wonder why phone buttons still have letters, but it all goes back to this quirky system.
8. The Milkman’s Daily Delivery
Fresh milk, straight to your doorstep in a glass bottle – that was the daily reality for many families. The milkman came like clockwork, often before sunrise. It wasn’t just milk; it was a whole routine. People left empty bottles out, and full ones magically appeared. It was local, personal, and zero plastic waste. Try explaining that to a kid used to gallons from the grocery store.
9. Encyclopedia Sets for School Research
Before the internet, homework meant flipping through a set of heavy encyclopedias. These massive books were packed with information on everything from astronomy to zebras. Students had to find the right volume, turn pages, and read actual paragraphs. Google wasn’t around to help, and AI wasn’t writing essays. It was all about focus and patience.
10. Adding Machines With Paper Rolls
In 1960s offices, math wasn’t digital – it was mechanical. Adding machines with big buttons and paper rolls made loud clacking noises as they calculated. Each entry printed a line of numbers on a long receipt-style tape. Make a mistake? You had to redo the whole thing. Kids today might think it looks like a cash register from a cartoon – and they wouldn’t be far off.
11. Watching TV Shows Sign Off for the Night
Believe it or not, there was a time when TV actually went to sleep. At the end of the night, stations would play the national anthem, show a test pattern, and then cut to static. That was your cue to go to bed. No late-night reruns, no 3 AM cartoons, and definitely no Netflix marathons. It gave the day a natural end, something the always-on world has lost.
12. Telephone Party Lines
A party line wasn’t a fun celebration – it was a shared phone line used by multiple homes. Each house had a specific ring, and anyone on the line could listen in. It was like living in a group chat with no privacy. While it helped save costs, it also meant your neighbor might hear about your crush or your embarrassing dentist appointment.
13. Changing Record Player Speeds
Playing music on a record player required more than just hitting play. You had to set the right speed: 33, 45, or 78 revolutions per minute. Get it wrong, and your favorite tune sounded like chipmunks or a slow moan. It was part of the fun – and part of the learning. Vinyl had rules, and respecting them was the key to a perfect listening session.
14. Carbon Paper for Making Copies
Need two copies of the same note? You’d sandwich a sheet of carbon paper between two pieces of paper, then write or type on the top one. The pressure would create a duplicate below. It was like magic, but very low-tech. Smudges were common, and if you messed up, you had to do it all over again.
15. Cigarette Commercials on TV
In the ’60s, it wasn’t weird to see cigarette ads on TV – even during shows kids might watch. These commercials showed smoking as cool, classy, and harmless. But as health studies revealed the dangers of tobacco, the government stepped in. By the early ’70s, cigarette commercials were banned. Today, such ads would be unthinkable on mainstream television.
16. Sunday Drives as a Family Activity
With cheap gas and open highways, many families in the ’60s hopped in the car for a relaxing Sunday drive. No destination, just cruising. Maybe they stopped for ice cream or watched a sunset. It was a low-cost, low-pressure way to spend time together. Now, with high gas prices and screen-driven attention spans, that kind of leisure feels rare.
17. Writing Letters by Hand
If you wanted to talk to someone far away, you wrote them a letter. You’d sit down, put your thoughts on paper, fold it up, stamp it, and send it off. Then you waited days – or even weeks – for a reply. It made communication more thoughtful, more personal. Today’s quick messages don’t quite carry the same weight.
18. Pull-Tab Soda Cans
Opening a soda in the ’60s meant yanking off a sharp little piece of metal called a pull tab. Once removed, the tab had nowhere to go but the ground – or your pocket if you were responsible. They caused litter, cuts, and the occasional injury. Eventually, companies switched to stay-on tabs, making life a little safer and a lot cleaner.
19. Using Paper Maps to Navigate
Before GPS and turn-by-turn directions, people relied on road maps – those giant, fold-out monsters that never folded back the right way. Planning a road trip meant plotting your route by hand. One wrong turn and you’d be squinting at intersections, looking for landmarks, or pulling into a gas station for help. You had to really know where you were going – or be good at asking.
20. Pogo Sticks as Top Toys
Forget touchscreens – the pogo stick was pure physical fun. It was a metal pole with foot pegs and a spring at the bottom. Kids would bounce for hours, trying to out-jump each other or master tricks. It took balance, strength, and a good sense of humor (because you were definitely going to fall at some point). Simpler? Sure. But definitely not easy.
A World That Took Its Time
The 1960s weren’t just a different era – they were a different pace of life. Things took time. Whether it was waiting for a letter or rewinding a record, there was a rhythm to the day that demanded patience. Kids today, growing up with constant notifications and instant everything, might find it hard to imagine. But maybe there’s something worth rediscovering in that slower, simpler world.
It wasn’t always better – but it sure had character.
Mark grew up in the heart of Texas, where tornadoes and extreme weather were a part of life. His early experiences sparked a fascination with emergency preparedness and homesteading. A father of three, Mark is dedicated to teaching families how to be self-sufficient, with a focus on food storage, DIY projects, and energy independence. His writing empowers everyday people to take small steps toward greater self-reliance without feeling overwhelmed.