Pastimes
Click
on an image for a large view
|
By the time boys and girls began to play separately, the activities
in which they were encouraged to engage were different for each
gender. The photographs of children at play from the late 19th
century reflect the gender-specific pastimes of contemporary children.
Boys partook in adventurous activities, learning the use of guns
and other skills appropriate for young middle-class males. As they
spent a great majority of their time outdoors, boys are often pictured
on horseback, frozen in hunting poses, or on bicycles.
Inside, girls played together with dolls and learned basic skills in management of the home. Photos of girls at play most often depict the subjects with their favorite dolls, as this object was considered a quintessentially feminine toy. These photographs of children at play display the pastimes that society deemed acceptable at the turn of the century. |
