Figure 1.-- This 1908 Lewis Hine photograph shows a game of marbles at work. All the boys work in the Salisburym North Carolina cotton mill. The boy shooting is Henry Dedman, a warper. He has been woking in the mill 5 years. His grandmother said "I don't like to have 'em play marbles on Sunday."

The 20th century brought more change in popular boys activities. In fact there were more changes than ever before. And we know a great deal about these changes thanks to the home snapshots made possible by the Kodak Browie and similar cameras. Trends began in the 19th century, including urbanization and rising household income because of industrialization were all factors. Another factor was child labor laws and mandatory school attendance laws which removed boys from the work force and shifted them into classrooms, at first primary, but eventually seconday schools as well. With more than half of the population now living in cities, hunting and fishing began to decline in importance. Sports came into their own. And boys had a pashion to play them. Here school was factor. We at first see many of the activities that were popular in the 19th century. Boys continued to play marbels. Board games became inceasingly popular. Youth groups appeared early in the century and quickly became a popular activity. Toys became increasibngly sophisticated. New toys constantly appeared decade by decade. Toy trains were popular in the late-19th century, but became a major item as America began to electrify. Models were popular, at first balsa kits and then after World War II plastics. Toy guns, especially cap istils were popular as were BB guns. A range of vehichles were built for children. Most boys had trikes and bikes. Toy cars like hot wheels were a big hit. A particularly popular new item was transformers. The styles of bikes changed over time. Major changes occured late in the century aadvances made in the space race began to be commercialized. Boys liked radio controlled cars and hand-held games becam popualr, but the major new itms was computer gaming.

The 1900s

The 20th century brought more change in popular boys activities. In fact there were more changes than ever before. And we know a great deal about these changes thanks to the home snapshots made possible by the Kodak Browie and similar cameras. Trends began in the 19th century, including urbanization and rising household income because of industrialization were all factors. Although child labor was still very common in the 1900s, espcially in the South. Another factor was child labor laws and mandatory school attendance laws which removed boys from the work force and shifted them into classrooms, at first primary, but eventually seconday schools as well. With more than half of the population now living in cities, hunting and fishing began to decline in importance, but werre till common in rural areas. As America became more urbanized we begin to see familkies diverung themselves ny taking trips to get back to natire, likes into neautiful wildreness areas. This is not something rural people did. They were more intereted in comong to towns and cities. A part of the same movement, we see cities giving more and more attention to opening city parks. This began with Central Park in New Yoek City (1857) and the idea became increaingly popular in cities throughout America. By the turn of the 20th century, most large American cities had public parks to bring a little green into the city.

The 1910s

Sports began to come into their own, especially by the 1910s. And boys had a pashion to play them. Facilities like ball fields were not readily availabe in cities. Parks that existed did not have sports facilities and many discouraged active play. The most popular sport was baseball. And this stick ball energed as way of playing baseball in city streets. It was primarily played in the northeast, especially New York Cuty and Philadelphia. We are not sure when the soort develoed, but believed it was being played by the 1910s. School of course was a major activity. America had a fine public school system. Almost all kid attended school, but unyol the 1910s, many children ended school afrer only a few years of primary school, entering the work force. Compulsory attendance and child labor laws by the 1910s were becoming increasingly comprehensive. We at first see many of the activities that were popular in the 19th century. Boys continued to play marbels. Board games became inceasingly popular. Youth groups appeared early in the century and quickly became a popular activity. The American Boy Scouts were fonded (1909) and in the 1910s rapidly became an important natiomal movement. Toys became increasingly sophisticated. New toys constantly appeared decade by decade. By the 1910s one of the most prized toys for boys were an electric train set. Chemistry sets were also popular. More boys were getting trikes and bikes. There were a range of seasonal activities. Children in the summer wanted to cool off. Country children could go swimming, that was more complicated in cities. Fire hydrants could be opened. Ice blocks could be licked. In the winter there was ice skating and sleding.

The 1920s

American experienced economic prosperity after World War I. That prosperity meant that American children had more leisure time than ever before. Baseball was the big sport for American boys in the 1920s. Football was also popular, but basketball was not nearly as popular as today. Soccer was almost unknown. Most middle class boys were Cubs and Scouts and there was a substantial growth in the Scout movement after the War. Scouting was the only siuzeable uniformed youth group in which boys participated. Play grounds were very popular and often in walking distances from homes. There were substantial differences in the facilities. The move to the suburbs had just begun. Mothers strongly incouraged boys to take music or dance lessons. The United States is a large country and thus there are substantial differences among regions. Northern states tended to have winter sports like skating and skiing which were virtually unknown in the Southern states. This of course had an impact on clothing styles. Toy trains were popular in the late-19th century, but became a major item as Amrican began to electrify. Electric trai sets soon rose to very high on the wish list of American boys. Models were popular, at first balsa kits.

The 1930s

The prpsperity of the 1920s snded wiyh he great Depression of the 1930s. Many Ameican families no longer had much money to spend on the kids. A lot of kids had to relhy ontheir imaginstion for play. Technology comtinued to evolve. The movies appeared (1900s) and commercial radio (1920s). The Talkies appeared (1929) and the first full color films with the 'Wizard of Oz' and 'Gone with the Wind' (1939). Most films were still black and white. Money was tight, but families often found the movie and there were always bottles to be collected. The radio of course was free. Television was still expeimental, but mosdt familes had radios. There were mny popular serials such as the comedy "Amos n’ Andy' and the drama 'Empire Builders'. 'Empire' was the first radio western, but didn't last long. Boys liked serials like the 'Lone Ranger', 'Gang Busters', and 'The Shasow'. Shows for girls were much more limited. Comics were enormously popular, especially for boys. There sere comic strips in newsppers. Comic books cost 10 cents. Mockey Mouse was especially popular Superman appeared (1938). This is seem as the Golden Age of comics. American had made the transition to a majority urban poplation (1920s) and this only increased in the 1930s. This primrily mean big cities. The move to the suburbs was only beginning., This mean that mny children still played on the audewalk and in yhe streets. It was difficult to play baseball there, but stick ball was very popular. Thee were parks in tyhe cities, but few at the time had sports fields. Many populr toys were inexonsive, including included Yo-Yos, jacks, msrbles, bolo bats (wooden paddles with rubber balls attached by an elastic string), and others only 10-25 cents. The almost compulsory cowboy six-gun cap pistol cost a little more. Of course at the yome a kid felt well-heelded if the had a quarter. They were were purchased in five and dime stores. Bicycles and trikes were very popuar, but mostly middle-class kids at the time had vthem. Some city kids built cooters from wooden crates and roller-skate wheels. Amd mny kids had little red wagond. Some of the most popular boys' toys were metal army soldiers (none of his plastic nonnsence). English soldiers were especially popular. There sere also play sets incliding Lincoln Logs for the younger boys and mwtal Erector Sets for the little older boys. Girls were much more interested in dolls or sets of dish service or housewares--whivh boys looked on with thinly veiled disdain. Besides bikes, there were two items at the top of the wish list for most boys. Many wanted BB-Guns, but here mon had something ti syv bout it. Electric trains sets were also immensly popular, but more expensive. Board games hit the big time. Monompoly camge out of the Depression (1935). There wwas alwys checkers and chess for the more cerebrial. And there were outside games tht didn't require any equipment such as hide-and-seek ht didrequire adults. Othrs such as Simon Says and Red Ruder did require asdults. There was winter play, bnut these required wquippments likes skates and skis oir sleds. Organized sports were not yet wudesprad outside of highschools, but boys played pick-up games if a diekd of sone guy was availabke such as a vacant lot. Boy and Girl Scouts wete major out if school scr=tiviies. It was in the 30s tht the Girl Scouts began selling signature cookies.

The 1940s

We begin to see model kits done in plastic after World War II, although balsa kits were till common. Toy guns, especially cap pistols were popular as were BB guns for boys. A range of vehichles were built for children. Most boys had trikes and bikes.

Toy cars like hot wheels were a big hit.

The 1980s

A particularly popular new item was transformers. The styles of bikes changed over time. Major changes occured late in the century as advances made in the space race began to be commercialized. Toys like radio controlled cars and hand-held games becam popualr, but the major new itms was computer gaming.

Created: 7:13 AM 6/30/2014
Last updated: 12:41 PM 9/9/2021