Skills such as riding a bike or learning to swim are often considered part of growing up – but not everyone gets to experience these childhood staples, and some only discover them much later in life. Drew Barrymore, who has spoken about her traumatic childhood in the past, recently shared TikToks of herself enjoying the experiences that, in a more conventional youth, might be considered unexceptional. In one, she laughs in pure pleasure at feeling the rain on her skin; in another, she dances with abandon in her living room. Here, seven writers describe belatedly embracing “childlike” endeavours – and experiencing the joy they can bring later in life.
