Published on February 7, 2008
Colonial Games and Toys: Colonial Games and Toys By Daniel Shapiro How They Made Toys: How They Made Toys Colonial children had to make their own toys because there were no toymakers or factories. They made their toys with things they found, such as corn husks, rags, wood, strings and hoops from barrels. Who did Colonial Children Play With: Who did Colonial Children Play With Since most families were large and had six or seven children, the children would play with their brothers and sisters, or their neighbors Colonial Toys: Colonial Toys Yo-yo’s Puzzles Kites Jump ropes Tennis Tops Marbles Rocking horses Cards Pick-up sticks Colonial Games: Colonial Games Hoops Badminton London bridge Hopscotch Jacobs ladder Leap frog Bow and arrows Blind man’s bluff See saw Cricket Bubble blowing Swinging Ice Sliding Nine Men’s Morrice: Nine Men’s Morrice Nine Men's Morrice was a board game that could be played on a board, a piece of paper, or even drawn in the dirt. Simple markers of corn, stones, or beans could be used for play. Morrice is a game for two players. Each player has nine markers. Players may select coins, beans, or whatever they would like for their markers, so long as their markers are different from their opponent's. Object of the Game: The object of the game is to make rows of three markers on a line, and to prevent the other player from doing the same. The players take turns putting down one marker at a time, always placing them at the point where the lines cross or connect to each other. This means markers can be placed horizontally, vertically, or even diagonally at one of the board's four corners. Three markers in a straight line make a row, and if they are cleverly arranged, one may form a part of two rows. When all the markers have been placed on the board, the players may begin to move. Players take turns sliding one marker at a time along the lines, from one point to the next. The object is still to make rows by sliding the markers to different points on the board, and blocking the other player. Whenever one player makes a new row of three markers, he or she chooses one of the other player's markers, picks it up off the board, and lays it aside. If a player is reduced to only two markers left, he or she may give up the game as lost since three markers are always necessary to complete a row. Nursery Rhymes: Nursery Rhymes Jack be nimble, Jack be quick Jack jump over the candlestick Lucy Lockett lost her pocket, Sally Fisher found it, Not a penny was there in it Just a ribbon 'round it. Tongue Twisters: Tongue Twisters Bluebirds bring bright berries. The skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk. But the stump thunk the skunk stunk. She sheered six shabby sick sheep. Riddles: Riddles 1. What flies up, but is always down? 2. When is a boy most like a bear? 3. What kind of room is not in a house? 4. What has teeth but cannot eat? 5. What has a tongue but cannot talk? 6. What has 3 feet but cannot walk? 7. What has a mouth but cannot talk? 8. What falls down but never gets hurt? 1. Goosefeathers. 2. When he is barefoot. 3. A mushroom. 4. A comb. 5. A shoe. 6. A yardstick. 7. A river. 8. Snow.