Just for Kids - Games
Games & Activities Circle, Singing, Group & Parlor Games
Sports and Competitions Races, Team Sports
Toys and Play Equipment A Lengthy List of Terrific Toys
Civil War era children did not have computers and TV to provide their entertainments, so they enjoyed toys and games powered only by their imagination.
Circle games, singing games, and group activities were enjoyed by all ages. Unlike today, children of different ages played together. The older children were expected to watch out for the young ones, and to include them in their play. Girls joined in all the rough play and fierce competitions as boys did. Only when they reached maturity were they expected to develop into demure damsels, as boys were expected to become gentlemen.
Many period games are rarely enjoyed today. They have fallen out of popularity in these years of video entertainment. Do our children a service by teaching them the delights of a rollicking good game. Even the teens and adults enjoy joining in a rousing round of "Duck, Duck, Goose" or "Drop the Hanky".
Circle Games These are a lot of fun, and usually involve some active running and loads of laughter. Just to jog your memory, here are the instructions for a couple of our favorites.
Duck, Duck, Goose The children sit in a circle, and someone is chosen to be "IT". IT walks around the outside of the circle, and as they walk, they pat each child on the head and say "Duck". Finally, one child is patted on the head and pronounced the "Goose". The Goose has to leap up and chase IT around the circle. If the Goose catches IT, IT has to go around again. If IT beats the Goose back to the opening in the circle, the Goose becomes IT. The procedure is repeated and another Goose is chosen.
Drop the Hanky This variation of Duck, Duck, Goose, requires a hanky for use in the game. This time IT walks nonchalantly around the circle, and slyly drops the hanky behind the back of their chosen child. This child must grab the hanky and try to tag IT before they can run around the circle and claim the vacated position. If the child does not tag IT, then they become IT and the game is repeated.
Singing Games These are very popular among the younger children. They include games such as Pop goes the Weasel, the Farmer in the Dell, and Ring a Ring of Roses.
Group Games & Parlor Games Much fun can be had playing games such as Blind Man's Bluff, Squeak Piggy Squeak, Hide'n Horsy, and Hide and Go Seek. Older children and adults enjoy 20 Questions, Anagrams, and Charades.
Although organized sports were not the national passion they have become today, competitions were popular and frequent.
Baseball was a popular new sport, and was enjoyed by many in the more developed areas of the country. It became so popular, that as soon as the war was over and folks had more leisure to play it became a national obsession!
Races of all sorts were enjoyed as the most popular competition around. Foot races for various distances were common, and children would invent creative variations. Three-Legged races, races involving balance (remember the egg on a spoon race?), jumping contests would all be tried.
Croquet was a fabulously popular game, especially among teens and young adults. This requires a period correct croquet set and a nice even lawn, but is guaranteed to be enjoyed by all. By the end of the war, croquet became one of the most popular games in America.
This was a genteel sport enjoyed by even the most prim and proper ladies, and makes for a lovely portrayal of a gentler game from days past. The sight of ladies in lovely finery engaged in play with gentlemen on their best behavior is a memorable sight.
| Graces is a delightful game played with beribboned hoops & sticks. Each player takes a pair of sticks and uses them to propel the hoop to another player, who catches the hoop with their sticks and propels it back or to another player. This can be played with two children, or a whole group. We sometimes form circles with many players, and have several hoops flying about at the same time. |
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Running Hoops was an exhausting individual game. A hoop (larger than the graces hoop) is rolled along by propelling it with a short stick. The player must run alongside the hoop to keep it moving. Relay races were sometimes formed to keep the hoop in motion over distances.
Wooden toys were standard items and toys such as Cup and Ball, Jacobs Ladder, Limber Jacks, Jumping Jacks, Animals, Soldiers, Building Blocks, Trains, Wagons and Pull Toys.
Noisemakers & Musical Instruments were widely enjoyed. Children love to make rhythms and crashing cacophony with any delightfully noisy toy they can get their hands on. Whistles, bugles, drums, cymbals, rattles & clackers were just a few of the items a child might have.
Toy Weapons were hugely popular toys for girls and boys. Little muskets, pistols, swords and cannon were crafted from wood and used in mock battles and hunts. Termed "Quaker Guns", this era was not inflicted with political correctness hindering loud, rowdy play with these toys.
Avoid modern styled guns sold in stores and at sutlers. Any guns with metal or plastic parts, guns that make noise (such as cap guns), guns that shoot projectiles (such as rubber bands) were not used during the Civil War era. Don't waste your hard earned money on farby toy firearms.
Dolls were usually homemade of cloth and dressed in period correct fashions. A few privileged children might have lovely dolls with porcelain heads and limbs, but they did not stand up to active play and were not common among the working classes. Baby dolls were a standard among young girls who wanted to play Mommy.
Corn husk dolls are charming, and the children love making these at reenactments. This is creative play for little hands, and the sight of our youngsters crafting them delights our visitors. Making corn husk dolls is also a great activity for school presentations - the students love hands-on crafts and materials are inexpensive and readily available.
Soldiers crafted of wood and fabrics were a popular toy of the period.
Stuffed Animals were common, but were made of fabric, NOT FAKE FUR.
Board Games such as Backgammon, Checkers, or Chess were the standard.
Etc. Balls made of vulcanized rubber or rags were used in many games of catch. Jacks & marbles were frequent period games. Wooden Hobby Horses provided a galloping good time.
Playing house was enjoyed as much them as now. Save that old blanket or bed cover for the kids to use for creating a "tent" to play in.
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sutler n : a supplier of victuals or supplies to an army
You will hear the term “farby” tossed around on a regular basis with reenactment groups. There are many theories as to how the term originated. It doesn’t matter how it originated, as long as you understand two things:
It is not a compliment
You do not ever want to be referred to as “farby.”
In simple terms, farby means “FAR Below standard!” It means that either you and/or some part of your uniform, equipment, accoutrements, etc., are NOT CORRECT!
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All around the cobbler's bench
The monkey chased the weasel
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun
Pop -- goes the weasel!
Johnny's got the whooping cough and
Mary's got the measles
That's the way the money goes
Pop -- goes the weasel!
A penny for a spool of thread
A penny for a needle
That's the way the money goes
Pop -- goes the weasel!
You may try to sew and sew
And never make anything regal
So roll it up and let it go
Pop -- goes the weasel!
A painter would his lover to paint
He stood before the easel
The monkey jumped all over the paint
Pop -- goes the weasel!
When his sweetheart she did laugh
His temper got so lethal
He tore the painting up in half
Pop -- goes the weasel!
My son and I went to the fair
We saw a lot of people
We spent a lot of money there
Pop -- goes the weasel!
I got sick from all the sun
My sonny boy got the measles
Still we had a lot of fun
Pop -- goes the weasel!
I climbed up and down the coast
To find a golden eagle
I climbed the rocks and thought I was close
Pop -- goes the weasel!
But, alas, I lost my way
Saw nothing but a seagull
I tore my pants and killed the day
Pop -- goes the weasel!
I went to the grocery store
I thought a little cheese'll
Be good to catch a mouse on the floor
Pop -- goes the weasel!
But the mouse was very bright
He wasn't a mouse to wheedle
He took the cheese and said "Good night"
Pop -- goes the weasel!
Up and down the City Road
In and out the Eagle
That's the way the money goes
Pop -- goes the weasel!
Half a pound of tuppenny rice
Half a pound of treacle
Mix it up and make it nice
Pop -- goes the weasel!
Every night when I go out
The monkey's on the table
Take a stick and knock it off
Pop -- goes the weasel!
Put some pepper on its nose
And you'll make it sneeze-l
Catch it fast before it snaps --
Pop -- goes the weasel!
A penny for a cotton ball
A penny for a needle
That's the way the money goes
Pop -- goes the weasel!
If you want to buy a pig
Buy a pig with hairs on
Every hair a penny a pair
Pop -- goes the weasel!
All around the cobbler's bench
The monkey chased the weasel
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun
Pop -- goes the weasel!
I've no time to wait and sigh
I've no time to tease-l
Kiss me quick -- I'm off -- goodbye!
Pop -- goes the weasel!
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Ring a round a rosy,
Pocket full of posy,
First we all fall down and then,
Pick ourselves right up again!
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Traditional
Written By: Unknown
Copyright Unknown
The farmer in the dell
The farmer in the dell
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The farmer in the dell
The farmer takes a wife
The farmer takes a wife
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The farmer takes a wife
The wife takes a child
The wife takes a child
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The wife takes a child
The child takes a nurse
The child takes a nurse
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The child takes a nurse
The nurse takes a cow
The nurse takes a cow
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The nurse takes a cow
The cow takes a dog
The cow takes a dog
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The cow takes a dog
The dog takes a cat
The dog takes a cat
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The dog takes a cat
The cat takes a rat
The cat takes a rat
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The cat takes a rat
The rat takes the cheese
The rat takes the cheese
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The rat takes the cheese
The cheese stands alone
The cheese stands alone
Hi-ho, the derry-o
The cheese stands alone
Circle Game:
Ten children (or more) join hands and dance around the FARMER, who stands in the center of the circle as they sing. At the end of the first verse, the FARMER chooses his WIFE, who joins him inside the circle. At the end of the next verse, the WIFE takes a CHILD, and so on, until the last verse when everyone is in the circle except the CHEESE, who stands alone. Whoever ends up being the CHEESE becomes the FARMER for the next round.
