There was a time when life’s biggest worries were scraping knees and finishing homework before your favourite cartoon came on. And in between all that, we unknowingly dabbled in a bit of magic. From whispering secrets to the moon to making potions out of garden mud, our childhood was filled with rituals that, looking back, were basically mini spells.
Before anyone starts picturing broomsticks and bubbling cauldrons, relax. We’re talking about the innocent kind of witchcraft, the quiet, whimsical magic of belief, imagination, and intention. You know, the same kind that made you believe blowing on an eyelash could make your dreams come true.
“I used to believe that finding a white feather indicated my desire would come true. I’d save it in a tiny box with marbles and shiny wrappers. Looking back, it feels so silly, but I still kind of believe those feathers brought me luck,” laughs Ritika Rawat.
Maybe that’s the thing, as kids, we didn’t overthink it. We just believed. And that belief? That was pure magic. Here are seven childhood habits that prove we were all tiny witches in disguise.
Eyelashes and dandelions
Every kid has done this by closing their eyes, making a wish, blowing, and hoping the universe listens. Whether it was an eyelash on your finger or a dandelion puff ready to scatter, that simple act had power.
In folklore, blowing something into the wind was seen as a way to send your desires into the world. Air was thought to carry energy, and your breath was what gave it life. “I remember wishing for a dog every time I blew a dandelion. It didn’t exactly come true, but in that moment, it felt like real magic,” says Naina Shah. Basically, that was an early manifestation, before anyone knew what the word meant.
Talking to the moon
Did you ever stare at the moon and tell it your secrets, or wave to it when it followed your car home? As children, we felt oddly connected to that glowing circle in the sky and maybe that’s because so many cultures believe the moon listens.
Moon magic has been around forever. Witches use moonlight for rituals, manifestation, and emotional healing. The moon is believed to amplify energy, and each of its phases carries a different kind of power. So every time you whispered, ‘goodnight, moon,’ or confided in that silver friend above, you were actually performing a quiet lunar ritual. Who knew bedtime could be so cosmic?
Making potions
A handful of dirt, some flower petals, a dash of water, and maybe a few leaves, the ultimate childhood recipe. Every kid has mixed up a mysterious potion at least once. We stirred it with a stick, gave it a name, and declared it magical.
Sound familiar? Because potion-making is a cornerstone of witchcraft. Herbs, water, and intention, that’s basically a spell in a jar. Sure, our backyard or garden brew probably smelled terrible, but it was a creative act of transformation. We gathered ingredients, stirred with focus, and believed in your power to make something happen. Honestly, we were mini herbal witches without even realizing it.
Jumping over cracks
Stepping on a crack means breaking your mom's back was the playground chant had us hopping down the side-walk like it was hot lava. You’d hop and skip around the pavement like it was a lava field. Turns out, this superstition has deeper roots.
In old folklore, cracks were believed to be openings to another world, and stepping on them could invite bad luck. So when you avoided them, you were performing a mini protection spell. Who knew your weird side-walk dance moves were actually ancient spiritual defense tactics?
Collecting lucky stuff
Every kid had a treasure box, a place to keep shiny pebbles, bottle caps, feathers, and random trinkets. We guarded those boxes like they were priceless.
In witchcraft, natural objects are powerful. Stones, shells, and feathers are used for grounding and protection. “I still own a small jar of pebbles. I didn’t know it then, but I was basically building a crystal collection before I even knew what crystals were,” shares Chandni Shah. We weren’t hoarding junk. We were building our first altar.
Friendship bracelets and love charms
Remember braiding friendship bracelets and promising never to take them off? Or writing your crush’s name on paper, folding it three times, and hiding it under your pillow? That was spell-work in disguise.
In witchcraft, binding spells use threads and knots to hold energy or intention. Each knot represents a promise or emotion. So those colourful bracelets were little spells of loyalty and love and, honestly, more powerful than any store-bought charm.
Wishing on stars
Wishing on stars is one of the oldest human traditions, rooted in the idea that stars connect us to something divine. When you made that wish, you were practicing one of the purest forms of magic, believing that the universe hears you. Even as adults, we still catch ourselves doing it. “I spotted a shooting star last year and couldn’t resist making a wish, some habits never really fade. It just felt natural, like my brain remembered being a kid again,” says Divya Rai, grinning.
Magic never really left
Looking back, it’s kind of amazing how much quiet magic lived in our childhoods. We weren’t calling it witchcraft, we were just following our instincts to wish, to believe, and to hope. Those silly rituals made us feel connected, safe, and powerful in our small worlds. And maybe that’s what magic truly is not potions and spells, but the simple act of believing in something bigger than yourself. So the next time you find a lucky feather, catch yourself wishing on a star, or pick up a smooth stone because it feels right, smile. The little witch in you never went away. She just grew up and learned to call it intuition.
