Question:
Did
kids ever have any fun back then?
Answer:
The answer is yes, but kids had to work hard too. If your father and
mother ran a New England farm, or a craftsman's shop and house, or a store,
they would have plenty for you to do -- long lists of chores that had to
be done before the fun could begin. Fun was playing games with your sisters
and brothers or kids in the neighborhood, exploring the creek or the woods,
making toys and dolls out of what was around the house. Fun was also playing
rounders, an early form of baseball, or being with your friends at the "noon
recess" at school. You might have had a copy of the Boys' or Girls' Own Book,
which would tell you how to make a kite or give you the rules for hundreds
of games and activities. What would you be missing? Organized sports, Nintendo
games, and television. On the other hand, you might have enjoyed your time
off for fun even more than you do now, because you had to work so hard to
get it!
