7 Things You Never See Kids in Michigan Do During the Summer

Well, if you're reading this, you're here to wax nostalgic or you're someone born after the year 2000. Or, you're wondering what we used to do in Michigan, before the advent of TikToks and ring lights. They usually involved grass stains, questionable safety standards, and drinking water that had an iron taste.

RELATED: Gen X's Childhood Now an Exhibit at Michigan's Henry Ford Museum

Sunburns, Iron‑Water, and Outdoor Hazards

For those of us born in the twentieth century, summer came with burns: sunburns and a right ankle with a burn in the shape of an exhaust pipe. However, one of the worst burns would come from the nearly extinct 9,000-foot-tall aluminum slides that heated up to roughly 10,000 degrees Kelvin in the middle of a Michigan summer.

Hot Aluminum Slides—Why That Was a Problem and Why We Didn't Care

Imagine sitting on a cookie sheet that just came out of the oven, while wearing shorts—and we did this for fun. Our parents had no clue where we were; their only concern was that we were out of the house.

No Screens, No Supervision—Total Freedom

We knew if we came home, for any reason, because parents in Michigan would no doubt ask, "Why are you inside? You're supposed to be outside. Get. Out. Side. Now." That command was either said through clenched teeth or at a volume that could be heard throughout Ohio and Northern Kentucky.

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DIY Ramps and Risky Playgrounds

Michiganders born after 2000, I feel for you. Sure, you have the internet in the palm of your hand, but you also fear a knock at the door. While you may not have third-degree burns from using playground equipment, you also don't know what it's like to build a ramp out of discarded construction material (of course, that always ended with someone breaking a limb, but that's when knowing how to hide an injury comes in handy).

RELATED: Rare Sighting of North American Pine Squid in Michigan?

So, whether you're here to walk down memory lane (until the street lights come on, then you can go home), or you're here to see if your parents were exaggerating their youthful experience, here's a look at seven things that most of today's kids in Michigan, sadly, haven't or refuse to experience.