If you grew up in the early 2000s, you'll want your kids to experience these 8 things too.

Thanks to our brand partner, Paramount Pictures

Growing up in the early 2000s had its own kind of magic.

It smelled like watermelon lip gloss, sounded like someone yelling "get off the internet, I need to use the phone," and involved accessorising with butterfly clips. Lots of butterfly clips.

We spent afternoons burning CDs with handwritten tracklists, and making loom band bracelets long before they became a rainy-day craft.

These were the rituals that made childhood feel full of possibility.

So in the spirit of nostalgia, here are eight early-2000s experiences I hope my kids get to enjoy too.

1. Burning a CD that said everything about you.

There was no greater early 2000s love language than someone handing you a freshly burnt CD with "DO NOT SCRATCH" scribbled across it.  

The stakes were high. The vibes were immaculate.

It was the era of sitting at the family computer, carefully curating a playlist that showed your emotional depth and chronicled every obsession (Josh Hartnett, anyone?).

Every track mattered because it wasn't just music, it was your life soundtrack. That one album you carried in your portable CD player and swore explained love, heartbreak and hope better than anyone could.

Sure, our kids now just tap a screen and have instant access to music, but there was something magical about that tangible mix. 

And yes, I'll absolutely be making a family "throwback vibes only" playlist, complete with 'Oops!… I Did It Again', so my kids can feel those early-2000s emotional highs. Even if it is through Bluetooth instead of the CD wallet I once guarded with my life.

2. Saturday mornings with SpongeBob.

SpongeBob SquarePants was the ultimate early-2000s comfort-viewing.

It was funny, positive and the soundtrack to those slow, golden Saturday mornings. Remember the ones we got to enjoy before life got serious?

I can still picture myself shuffling into the lounge room in my tie-dye pyjamas, a bowl of rice bubbles in hand. And, after a quick "discussion" with my brother over who got to sit on the bean bag, we'd settle in front of the TV for an episode (or marathon).

The laughter, the adventures and the unshakable friendship between SpongeBob and Patrick made those mornings feel like a warm hug we didn't realise we needed. 

There was something comforting about the routine, the way the theme song started and you just knew the chores could wait — sorry mum.

And it had the kind of heart-first storytelling that makes me excited to share it with my kids today. It's timeless, sweet and genuinely joyful, the kind of show that makes you laugh while sneaking in important lessons about friendship, kindness and optimism.

The new film, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, feels like the perfect nostalgic full-circle moment.

Watch: The official trailer for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. Post continues after video.

You can count on it being a swashbuckling, pirate-themed adventure packed with humour, energy and family-friendly fun. I know where I will be with my kids when it arrives in cinemas on Boxing Day.

Because honestly, sitting beside my kids as they meet the character who shaped so much of my own childhood? Pretty special.

3. Collecting anything and everything.

If you didn't have a collection in the early 2000s, were you even living? 

There was always something taking over the playground. 

For us, it was Tazos. 

Remember those tiny discs you'd pull out of chip packets and immediately assess for value like you were on the ASX? And if you scored a holographic Tazo? Well that was basically like unboxing a limited-edition Labubu.

It wasn't just about owning things. It was about social strategy. The negotiations. The trades so intense they might as well have required peacekeepers.

4. The joy of boredom.

Remember being bored? Like truly bored?

It was underrated magic.

And from boredom came imagination. Stories. Games. Backyard concerts. Neighbourhood adventures.

Our kids have the world at their fingertips. But every now and then, when I enforce a little screen-free time, I see the spark. The creativity. The early-2000s energy of making something out of nothing.

And it reminds me that maybe the best parts of childhood aren't tied to a decade at all. Maybe they're just simple, joyful moments we get to pass on. One nostalgic ritual at a time.

5. Lip gloss (and owning 17 flavours).

The early 2000s were sticky, fruity and absolutely coated in lip gloss.

Lip Smackers weren't just lip balm. 

They were identity. They were status. They were the thing you traded with friends because someone had the coveted cotton candy flavour and you needed it more than oxygen.

6. The accessories we couldn't live without.

Chunky belts. Layered necklaces. Micro bags.

The early 2000s were the birthplace of experimenting with "style", and by style, I mean clipping 12 sparkly butterflies into your hair and calling it a day.

Now I watch my own kids mix patterns and accessories with confidence. The early 2000s walked so their maximalism could run.

7. Making plans… and then just showing up.

Before location sharing, tracking apps and endless messaging, you simply made a plan and trusted people to turn up.

It was a golden era of independence. You'd agree on a time, a vague location and just see what happens.

There's something freeing about being a little spontaneous, a little brave and a little bit "meet me at the food court at 1pm" and seeing where the day takes you.

8. Dial-up internet (aka character building).

You haven't known true resilience until you've tried to sneak in a solid 14 minutes of internet time before someone picked up the home phone and disconnected you.

Dial-up was a personality test. A patience exam.

It was also the era where you learned to type MSN messages at the speed of light because if your Mum needed to call your Aunty, the entire household's online world would combust.

While I'm obviously not throwing us all back to dial-up (we're not animals), there's something sweet about remembering a time when the internet wasn't the centre of everything and when offline fun ruled.

Watch The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants in cinemas this Boxing Day.

Feature Image: Paramount/Reddit/Unsplash.

This is Spongebob like you (and your kids) have never seen before! Join two best friends, SpongeBob and Patrick as they embark on a swashbuckling adventure filled with laughs and jaw dropping action made for the big screen. Don't miss The SpongeBob Movie: Search For Squarepants, only in cinemas Boxing Day. Get tickets here.