10 Things From Primary School You Didn't Know You Missed

Are you feeling mad about the world right now? Feeling like everything was better in the good old days? That's probably the 2000's nostalgia hitting you. A call for the days when all you had to worry about was the best silly bands trade, and convincing your parents to buy you club penguin membership.

I feel like for all of us 2000s babies who went through covid in some of the most pivotal period of our lives, there's a big part of us that longs for the 'good all days'.

So, to fulfill that need for a time before we grew up, here is your ultimate guide to the parts of primary school you probably forgot about.

1. Silly Bandz

Silly bands were the height of childhood. Trading for animals or the eiffel tower so you could have stack of random coloured rubber bands on you wrist really takes you back. I remember being told off by teachers because of the people at the back of the class flicking them around the room. 

@madihearts #sillybandz #sillybands #brandhistory #nostalgia #early2000snostalgia #early2000s #2010snostalgia ♬ original sound - Madi Hearts

2. Woolies Mud Cake

If you didn't have at least one school party with a woolies mud cake then what on earth were you even doing at primary school. The chocolate goodness is the only cake that was guaranteed to make every kid in the class hyper for the rest of the day.

@woolworths_au Say n'more. #woolies #wooliesgang #woolworths #mudcake #aussie #throwback #foodtok ♬ original sound - Woolworths_au

3. Handball

Hands up if you came into school early every day just to get the best spot for handball. I would run for my life every day just so we could use my handball - meaning I could start in the best square, kings!

@jezbreezy Thomas is a dibber dobber #fyp #aussie #tiktokaustralia #straya #nostalgia #primaryschool #handball #fyp ♬ original sound - Jeremy Franco

4. ABC 3

Who remembers the show that would come on when they got home from school each day - for me it was My Place. Oh the memories!

@forgotten.moments0 #aussie #aussiethings #tvshow #memories #abc3 #abc3shows #aussietvshows #aussietvmemories #fyp #australiantv #australiantvshows #abcme ♬ House of Memories - Panic! At The Disco

5. Playing the recorder

Ok maybe it was just my recorder lessons that were slightly traumatic, but as the middle child who was never all that committed to recorder, those lessons were absolute torture! My brother would be praised for his skills, getting rewarded by learning to play the bass recorder (why is that even a thing??) and I would sit there hoping I hadn't left the instrument at home. Seriously, it was a struggle.

@samanthandrew1 It’s important to jump on trending sounds @melllllllllllllllll___ #nohatnoplay #primaryschool #oliviarodrigosour #harrystyles #recorder #mel ♬ original sound - Samantha Andrew

6. Pen Licence

Something I can be proud of is being one of the first to get my pen licence. That little piece of paper meant everything in year 4.

@lucasivkovic Who had a pen license 😂 #fyp #foryou #school #penlicense #kids ♬ original sound - Lucas Ivkovic

7.  Zooper Doopers

Can I buy zooper doopers from the shops today, yes, but there is something that is a required nostalgia to zooper doopers. It feels illegal to buy them from anywhere that isn't your school tuckshop. Zooper doopers are the epitomise my primary school days. 

I remember one day a kid in my year somehow got given $20 and bought 20 of them. He then proceeded to choose his best friends to give out 10 to. And only 10 because he had the rest of them for himself - it was honestly pretty impressive.

@abbeylouuu #pov South Australians today. 🥵 #summer #southaustralia #adelaide #australia #aussie #livinginaustralia #zooperdooper ♬ Sunshine - WIRA

8.  Club Penguin

The ultimate gamer experience, club pengiun was the absolute best game on the market. It was all about getting your parents to buy you the membership so you could make the best igloo. 

@britishrage This one really hits hard... #gaming #gamer #club #penguin #memories #nostalgia #childhood #fyp #foryoupage #fypシ ♬ original sound - 🎵anti.audios🎵

9. Dollarmites

Now I was not a kid who had one of these - so I just remember once a month all my friends coming in with a couple of stray 50c coins, maybe a gold coin in there somewhere, ready to make some money 😂

@violethalton Aussie kids will remember #2000 #dollarmites #primaryschool #banking #aussie #memory ♬ original sound - creepy slowed audios

10. Lunch orders

Lunch orders were the best day of the week, month and year. Even if you never got one yourself - or if they were a once a year treat those friends that got them all the time were definitely your best friend! 

@ordersrhys primary school lunch orders were elite #fyp #xyzbca #viral #elite #yum #aussie #primaryschool ♬ follow me j.osh.1 - josh

Remembering the things that brought us joy as a kid may have a deeper meaning than just remembering the good old days. The last few years have been really stressful - for everyone - but for us, going through the pinnacle of our teenage lives while also dealing with lockdowns picturing the past can be calming. 

My tip for you is don't forget that all those things that made the child you happy are still possible to enjoy today. Go find a fun video game to play or  maybe club penguin closed down, find another game that makes you happy. Treat yourself to lunch out once in a while, and go find that old recorder I know you have somewhere and see if you can play a song on it. Get out there and unleash your inner child!