Children's Toys: Cards


Figure 1.--The '50 Card Games for Children' is a 1963 publication by Vernon Quinn. It was printed in the United States by the Whitman Publishing Company. It was originally printed in 1946 (MCMXLVI). It shows the T-shirts so typical for American boys during the 1940s and 50s. Notive the one boy wearing a long-sleeved "T" shirt.

There are many different types of cards. Regular playing cards in the 19th century wre not considered suittable for children. That does not mean, however, that children did not play with cards. There were special cards for children. Children have enjoyed playing with a variety of cards. There are many games that can be played with cards and some like "Old Maid", for example, are especially suitable for children. An Australian reader rememvers pairs and snap. The popularity of cards, however, has varied greatly among children. Some religions have taken a dim view of cards because of their association with gambling. Many churches for example strongly discouraged cards as a play item. Some discouraged bords games as well, even checkers. This was especially the case in America here fundamentalist churches wee especially strong. This moral prohibition becan to decline after World War I (1914-18). Some fundamentalist churches continue to ban them. Collectable cards appeared in the late 19th century, orginally enclosed as a promotion in a variety of commercial products. The most popuar cards, of course, were for sports figures, epecially baseball players. These sports cards were especially associated with boys and collecting became an important part of Americam boyhood. Cards in the 40s and 50s came in packs of five for 5 cents and include a bonus card shaped, extremely hard piece of pink bubble gum. This appear to have been largely an American phemonenon. There are also game cards. The best known her are Pokemon cards in the lare 1990s. These seem to be more international in character.

Types of Cards

There are many different types of cards. Regular playing cards in the 19th century wre not considered suittable for children. That does not mean, however, that children did not play with cards. There were special cards for children. Boys in America during the 1950s collected baseball cards. There were also football cards, but we all wanted the baseball cards. We would trade them and flip them playing keepesies. You would shoot them at a wall. The one that fell clost to the wall kept all the omes tossed. A packet of baseball cards cost all of 5 cents and came with added bonus of bubble-gum. Baseball cards are now quite valuable. They are still collected, but kids nowadays don't get gum. The latest generation has taken a liking to Pokemon cards.

Playing Cards

The popularity of cards, however, has varied greatly as an activity for children. We are not positive about the chronology of playing cards yet. We know they existed by the 17th century. We note images of children playing with them in the 1730s. The French painter Chardin left us a marvelous image--House of Cards (1737). Regular playing cards in the 19th century were not considered suitable for children in proper Victorian households--certainly families with religious convictions. Some religions have taken a dim view of cards because of their association with gambling. Many churches for example strongly discouraged cards as a play item. Some also discouraged boards games as well, even checkers. This was especially the case in America here fundamentalist churches wee especially strong. Most parents in the 19th century did not want want their children playing with regular cards. Religious parents would have in fact been horrified at the very idea and would not plays with the cards themselves. Other parents were not as strict and did play card games themselves, but did not believe that their children should play card games with regular cards fearing that it would lead to gambling when they were older. That does not mean, however, that children did not play with cards. Some parents did allow children to play with the cards and the children might try to build a house of cards. Only gradually in the 20th century did playing cards become more acceptable for children. This moral prohibition becan to decline after World War I (1914-18). Some fundamentalist churches continue to ban them, but competing with sports is a difficult proposition when boys are concerned.

Children's Cards

The 19th century fear of gambling did not mean, however, that children did not play with cards. There were special cards for children. Special cards were made for children even in the 19th century. Some of the cards were made for a variety of games. Often these games were educational. They were available for a wide variety of subjects, including spelling, math, history, science, geography, foreign language, and other subjects such as teaching girls about cooking. There were even Bible card games. This begin to change at mid-century. Children's card games appeared that were just for fun without any redeaming eduactional value. This reflected attitudes toward children's play. The card games had colorful decks, much more illustrated than standard playing cards. Gmes included "Old Maid", and "Old Bachelor", "Our Birds", and "Dr. Busby". An Australian reader remembers pairs and snap.

Collectable Cards

Collectable cards began as promotional gifts included by various manufacturers in their product. An example here is Scott's Emulsion. Manufacturers began making series of cards that consumers could collect. They were on various topics such as actors and actresses, historical figures, sport's stars, and others. They proved popular with both adults and children.

Eventually the sports cards prpved the most popular, especially for boys. Comapnies began printing the cards for sale. Baseball was the major sport in America during the early 20th century and the collecting of baseball cards became a major passrime fir American boys.

These sports cards were especially associated with boys and collecting became an important part of Americam boyhood. Baseball cards were by far the most popular. There were also football cards, but we all wanted the baseball cards. Cards in the 40s and 50s came in packs of five for 5 cents and include a bonus card shaped, extremely hard piece of pink bubble gum. I remember flipping cards for keepsies. We would trade them and flip them playing keepesies. You would shoot them at a wall. The one that fell clost to the wall kept all the ones tossed. These old baseball cards are now quite valuable. These sports cards appear to have been a largely, but not exclusively, American phemonenon. An Australian reader writes, "American bubblegum cards featuring movies or popular tv shows like 1960's Batman and other simular shows and I still have some old Doctor Who cards. We had bottom caps to with ???? (SANFL) footy club players on the inside of the lid in gold colouring. I know there were other things featured on bubblebum cards but I have to check with my older brother for more details." Basvball and other sports cards are still collected, but kids nowadays don't get gum.

Game Cards

There are also game cards. The best known her are Pokemon cards in the late 1990s. These seem to be more international in character.






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Created: December 9, 2002
Last updated: April 4, 2004