What is your favorite childhood memory?

One of my favorite childhood memories was my first trip to Disneyland. I had the time of my life and couldn’t get enough of it. :o)

Riding an elephant at the zoo with my dad.
Playing with the squirrels afterward.

It’s a rough memory, but I love it.

backyard football games with my brothers and kids in the neighborhood were out of control badass. we played in rain, snow, 100 degree heat…you name it. definitely some of the happiest times of my life

This question was also asked/answered here.

Picking blueberries off of the bush and eating them on the spot in Maine when I was 3.

(you mean they don’t just come in little cartons?!?!?)

@Tali – Thanks, I was sure I could remember reading it somewhere. It’s funny, though – they’re not even “siblings”.

living in a tent for 3 months in Italy at a beautiful Mediterranean sea coast, I felt like in paradise with other kids living there too.

I don’t have any….

Being at my g-parents house with cousins, aunt & uncles everywhere! Making mud-pies, climbing trees, and falling into bed exhausted every night. Controlled chaos, and true genuine simplicity at its finest.

@cdwccrn; I hope that’s because you have a poor memory and not because you have unhappy memories :(

I had a very lonely childhood, with a mom who had emotional difficulties and a dad that worked many hours. I was not physically or sexually abused,
but there was not much joy to be found in our home.
That said, I know my parents
loved me and did their best.
It’s just that what we had would not yield that wonderful memories that others are sharing here.
Thanks for asking.

Standing on a chair in my grandmother’s kitchen, cutting circles out of noodle dough with a lipstick tube top, and then having my grandmother cook them for me, and serving them in a special bowl with chicken broth.

@cdwccrn, my Mother said to me once, as I was an obnoxious teen crticizing her parenting; “Your father & I did the best we could with the tools we had available”...“perhaps one day you’ll do better than you think we have”! As an adult I think back to her statement often. I hope you’re making some happy memories now.

Christmas in my Grandmother’s house. a two story house full of relatives of all ages…cots everywhere. Kids everywhere. Adults playing cards after the kids went to bed. Adventures with all the kids in the basement after the lights went out. Turning 16 getting to stay up and play cards with the adults.

There used to be a little zoo around here called the Catskill Game Farm. My mother’s father worked there. When I was very little he still traveled with the owner, transporting animals. He lived near the Game Farm, too, so a lot of the time he would drive past the house on the way back from wherever he went to pick something up. One time he was coming back with black bears—a mother and two cubs. I happened to be at the house with Nan, so he stopped to show them to me. He actually brought one of the babies inside and I got to touch it. When it was time to put it back in the cage and go on to the Game Farm, Nan took me outside to watch and see the mother and the other cub.

Here’s a picture. Pardon my horrendous bed head. I was napping when he stopped!

Walking through the cornfields with my grandfather….with not a worry…

@MacBean: I loved the Catskill Game Farm!! It was a once a year ritual when we went to visit my gparents—lucky you, and such a cute pic!

@bythebay-yes, enjoying a wonderful husband and beautiful grandchildren and learning how to reparent myself-caring tenderfully for the child within. I am, as we all are, a work in progress. I do experience joy at this point in my life.

@cdwccrn, I am so pleased to read your answer. Sometimes we all need to heal ourselves. Sending you joy!!

Going to my grandma’s house for Christmas when she still lived in New Orleans.

I used to love that city- before her neighborhood became a ghetto…and then flooded…twice.

Back when my family was together and we had those big family dinners at my grandmas house. Back when we were all younger and weren’t embarrassed to play make-believe. Now my two cousins are across the country, I don’t live with my mom, my step-dad has my little sister and I never see her, I recently only met my real father 2 years ago and don’t see him too much either. We don’t have big family get togethers anymore, and I barley get to see or speak to my other family members.

@trance: I am sorry that your family is broken and torn.

@cdwccr thank you.

I have too many to pick just one. I loved the trips we took, holidays with the family, camping and fishing, going to the museum in Chicago, sledding with my sisters, playing outside lawn games with the neighbor kids in the summer (the Easter Egg game, Red Rover, Statues, and the babysitting game). I agree with the general consensus here, that Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner at Grandma’s house was the best. When my kids were growing up, I felt bad that my extended family all scattered, and they were raised with no aunts, uncles or cousins around, but I was determined to have the family dinner thing anyway, so we had it with just us. Now I am reaping the benefits for that, because my kids are now married with children, and the family dinner at grandma’s house is mine.

My favorite memory is of Marching Band. I met some of the nicest people and it was some of the best times of my life. I will never forget my experiences. I even got a cool nickname, Cheese

I think mine was of a holiday in Weymouth when I was small. My brother took me out in the sea in a hired canoe. There were destroyers anchored in the bay and he wanted close up photos of them. I didnt realise the fuss made on the beach as we went out of sight.
I do remember holding on to a buoy to keep the canoe steadier for him to photograph.
He was always offering to take me places. Going down huge hills standing on the back of my pushchair I was told. Taking me on his bike.etc etc. I adored him but I think I was an alibi for him most of the time. He was 10 yrs older. .