** English boys play -- chronological trends








English Outdoor Play: Chronological Trends


Figure 1.--This 19th century engraving shows children at play, perhaps in the 1880s. Unfortunately we do not know who the illustrator was or when it was done. It shows a rather idealized scene of children playing and variously dressed from rags to to decent clothes. The girls and a younger boy wear pinafores. The two ragged boys in the foreground are playing 'Horsey' with a crude harness made from string. The girls are jumping role. Note the London 'Bobby'. The play activities individually seem an accurate description, but we doubt the concentration of children was very realistic. In particular we doubt that well-off children would have been allowed to play together with ragged, poor children even if they had wanted to do so.

Outdoor has changed signiicantly over time. One major development that as a result of the indutrial revolution and increasing affluence that children had more opportunity for play. Before the 18th century, most children would have been involved in farm labor from an early age. Another aspect of the industrial revolution was by the 19th century significantly increased urbnanization which also changed the nature of play which shifted childhood from relative isolation to more concentrated interaction with piers. The expansion of state education had a similar impact. Parental aditudes toward play also changed during this period. We see all sorts of traditional ring and chase games like tag on the school yard and village green during the 19th century. Many of the games have one thing in common, no equipment was needed. Thus poor as well as rich children could play them. Hoop rolling was popular as was horsey and piggy back. Further changes occurred during the 20th century. One was the expanding interest is sports, at least by older childern, especially the boys. Better equipped plsy grounds was another development. We believe a variety of different games like the ones reported by Opie were still quite common before World War II. We believe that children's play has changed significantly after the war, especially after he 1950s. We are not possitive why this is. There seem to be differences among boys and girls with girls holding on more to some oif the traditional games. Our visits to British schools in the 1980s found the children playing very few of these games. Most of the active play was sport, often football (soccer) and cricket. And of course technology in the form of computerized games further changed play trends in the late-20th century.

The 18th Century

Outdoor has changed signiicantly over time. One major development that as a result of the indutrial revolution and increasing affluence that children had more opportunity for play. Before the 18th century, most children would have been involved in farm labor from an early age.

The 19th Century

Another aspect of the industrial revolution was by the 19th century significantly increased urbnanization which also changed the nature of play which shifted childhood from relative isolation to more concentrated interaction with piers. The expansion of state education had a similar impact. Parental aditudes toward play also changed during this period. We see all sorts of traditional ring and chase games like tag on the school yard and village green during the 19th century. Here the development of free state schools meant that this was much more common as the 19th century progressed and child labor declined. Many of the games have one thing in common, no equipment was needed. Thus poor as well as rich children could play them. Hoop rolling was popular as was horsey and piggy back. Sports were developing for older boys, but only became widely played in the later-1890s. Unfortunately we have very few photograohic images of boys playing in the 19th century. This was especially the case of workihng-class boys who often lacked fields to play on or the equipment. Drawings exist, but photographs are rare because most photography was studio work in the 19th century. Cameras were complicated and snapshots wwre taken by only the most dedicated amateurs.

The 20th Century

Further changes occurred during the 20th century. One was the expanding interest is sports, at least by older childern, especially the boys. Better equipped plsy grounds was another development. We believe a variety of different games like the ones reported by Opie were still quite common before World War II. We believe that children's play has changed significantly after the war, especially after he 1950s. We are not possitive why this is. There seem to be differences among boys and girls with girls holding on more to some oif the traditional games. Our visits to British schools in the 1980s found the children playing very few of these games. Most of the active play was sport, often football (soccer) and cricket. And of course technology in the form of computerized games further changed play trends in the late-20th century.








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Created: 4:43 AM 8/27/2010
Last updated: 6:27 AM 1/30/2011