Resource Pack : Family and Leisure Time

Invitation to Children's Masonic Carnival, Reading

Poorer children living in cities in the Victorian age could not afford lots of toys so they made footballs and cricket balls out of old rags and played in the streets as there were not many cars. They also had marbles, hoops and skipping ropes. Sometimes, organ grinders came along the street with their monkeys and entertained children and adults. Middle and upper class children had more books to read and toys to play with - some even had nurseries with dolls houses and railway sets. All families continued to celebrate traditional festivals and holidays like Easter Monday and May Day and now there were public parks to enjoy as well. Seaside holidays became more common for everyone with richer people staying longer in resorts like Blackpool, Margate and Brighton. The Great Exhibition of 1851 attracted 6,000,000 visitors to look at new inventions and exhibits from around the world. Throughout the age family remained at the core of society and children would play with their brothers, sisters and cousins as well as their friends.

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