Figure 1.-- Here we see a magic lattern slide entitled 'Out for a holiday'. It is not dates, but was probanly taken in the 1890s. Outside of the city, children were unlikely to have large numbers of other children to play with. Some children lived in small villages. Others lived in isolated farms. This of course is posed photograph. Snapshots were not yet possibl. If this was not posed, it is very likely the firls would hce been wearing a pinafore.

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 the relative isolation of rural play to more concentrated urban interaction with piers. Children in rural areas had a much smaller number of children with which thy coud interact and a much wider area in which they could play, includung fields and streams. Children in urban areas were in contact with very large numbers of other children. Siblings tended to be much more important play mates. They had, however, much more restricted play areas, essentially busy streets. There were parks, but chilren wre oftn discouraged from playing in early parks. Middle-class children were less likely to be alloed to play in the streets and hd more limited interactions with other children. The expansion of state education had a substantial impact. Public education and compulsory attendance also arrived later than in urban areaa, also affecting the numbr of children which they could interact.

Created: 6:51 AM 1/30/20110
Last updated: 1:29 PM 9/21/2017