Before smartphones, social media, and mobile money, Kenyan childhood had its own rhythm — simple joys, quirky routines, and unforgettable moments. If you were born before the year 2000, you’ll definitely remember these iconic things that shaped everyday life in Kenya.

1. Playing Football with a "Tungatungi" (Plastic Bag Ball)

If you didn’t wrap polythene bags to form a ball, did you even have a childhood? The tungatungi football was the pride of many neighborhoods before proper balls were affordable.

2. Blue Band Tins as Containers

After the margarine was finished, the empty tin became a sugar container, pencil holder, or sewing kit. It was basically the Kenyan version of Tupperware.

3. Sunday Cartoons on KBC

Sundays meant early morning church, then rushing home to catch "Power Rangers", "Tom & Jerry", or "Inspector Gadget" on KBC before the national anthem kicked in at midnight.

4. Bata Toughees and Safari Boots

Back to school wasn’t complete without a shiny new pair of Bata shoes. If you wore Toughees, you knew you were elite!

5. Visiting Tuskys, Uchumi or Nakumatt

Family outings to supermarkets were an event. You'd hop on a mathree just to visit Nakumatt Mega and admire the toys — even if you weren’t buying anything.

6. Collecting Stamps or Pepsi Bottle Caps

These were the original collectibles. From “buy 5 bottle caps and get a free Pepsi” to mailing pen pals with actual stamps — it was real-life fun.

7. TV with a Curtain or Padlock

Some TVs were covered with fabric like sofas. Others even had padlocks to prevent “watching too much TV” without permission.

8. Cassette Tapes and Rewinding with a Biro

Before MP3s, we rewound cassette tapes using a pen. And if it got tangled, you became the audio technician real quick.

9. School Desks with Etched Love Notes

Every desk had at least one “S + A = ❤️”. And sometimes, an older cousin’s initials would still be scratched into the wood years later.

10. Having a ‘Landline’ or Neighbour’s Phone Number Memorized

There was always that one neighbor with a telephone — and they’d yell your name when someone called. Mobile phones were a luxury.

Life may have changed, but these moments live forever in our hearts. If you relate to most of these, congratulations — you're certified #TeamAnalog. And while today's kids enjoy tablets and TikTok, we’ll always have tungatungi and Blue Band tins.