Victorians+at+Play

Victorians at play

One dolls house made in the 1880's had: 36 rooms;77dolls to live in it; electric lights and running water. This would have been made for a very rich family whereas, poorer families would have had much more basic dolls houses. Rocking horses were common in rich houses.

As well as this, in small gardens they enjoyed playing Croquet and in other houses they would have played archery.

Where holidays are concerned many people liked a trip to the beaches and parks. Boys played with soldiers.However this game could prove fatal if they put them in there mouths people spent alot of their spare time reading and some typical favourites were : Alice in wonder land, Black Beauty and Treasure Island. Public libraries were set up for families that couldn't afford to buy books. Stamp collecting was a hobby too. Chimney sweeps in their time off work enjoyed flipping halfpennies and bowling stones at horses hooves as they trot by.Rich young boys would play lots of sports such as rugby and cricket. At the end of the Victorian era girls started to play tennis, skating and ride bicycles just like boys used to. Another fun activity that Victorian children enjoyed was collecting birds eggs and butterflies! Toys were more likely to be made for richer children than poorer children. Most toys in the nursery were home-made. Victorian parents believed in strict discipline and Christian worship, so toys had to be put away on Sundays.'For bad boys,' one mother said,'a yard of strap is worth a mile of talk.