Toys - Georgian period (18th century)
Posted by Gillian Jones on 25/11/2014
Play is an important part of every child's life and they were as important in the 18th century as they are to children today. Naturally, they were nowhere near as sophisticated as the ones that can be bought now, and there was more emphasis on a child's use of his/her imagination. This is something that, somehow, we seem to have lost touch with. See more on www.antiques.co.uk today
For a long time parents made their children's toys by hand, however the 18th century saw an increase in the manufacture of toys and this meant there was plenty of choice and a better variety of toys available. Children could choose between hobby horses, miniature animals and simple wooden dolls.
There were cheaper ones for those that couldn't afford anything more expensive with simpler, but less robust materials, such as paper mache. Dolls, small houses and soldiers were also made out of paper, they could be cut up and played with by children and would offer hours of entertainment. Cut out dolls were popular for many years, as late as the sixties and early seventies, and they may well be descendants of the Georgian variety.
Toy theatres, spinning toys and skipping ropes, were popular and other simpler outdoor games such as hopscotch.