Forget smells for a second — is there a particular SOUND that instantly takes you back to childhood? What is it?

B Natural answer

I’d say the sound that gets me most is the ice cream truck tune. It still feels like summer, even if I’m just standing somewhere busy on a normal day. I also remember the squeak of the old gate at my grandparents’ house, because that was the noise you heard right before you ran inside. And there was always my brother running down the stairs when he wanted to be first at breakfast. Those little sounds are simple, but they bring back a very clear picture of being a kid again.

Key phrases in this answer

• ice cream truck tune — the little music played by an ice cream truck“The ice cream truck tune always made us run outside.”
• brother running down the stairs — a fast, noisy movement that sounds lively and familiar“I can still hear my brother running down the stairs every morning.”
• school bell — the bell that rings to start or end school time“The school bell rang, and everyone ran to class.”
• grandma calling us in for lunch — a family voice that means lunch is ready“I still remember my grandma calling us in for lunch.”
• kids shouting on the street — children yelling outside while playing“Kids shouting on the street made me think of summer break.”
• old gate squeak — the high sound a rusty gate makes when it opens“The squeak of the old gate told me I was home.”