History · Year 2 · Changes Within Living Memory · Summer Term

Toys and Games

Discover the toys and games that children loved to play with before video games and tablets existed. We will look at toys made from wood and metal and learn some old-fashioned playground games.

TL;DR:Take your pupils on a journey into the toy boxes of the past, long before the first tablet was ever switched on. This topic provides a wonderful, hands-on opportunity for them to become historians and discover how children have always found ways to have fun.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• National Curriculum in England: History Programmes of Study: Key Stage 1

About This Topic

This topic aligns with the Key Stage 1 History curriculum in Great Britain, which focuses on developing an awareness of the past and understanding changes within living memory. By exploring toys and games from different eras, pupils can make tangible connections to the lives of their parents and grandparents, developing a foundational understanding of chronology and social history. The hands-on nature of examining historical artefacts, such as wooden spinning tops or tin cars, allows children to act as historians, using observation and questioning to draw conclusions about the past.

The study of toys provides a highly accessible entry point into historical enquiry. It encourages pupils to compare and contrast past and present, considering how materials, technology, and daily life have changed. This topic offers rich cross-curricular links, particularly with Design and Technology, where pupils can design and create their own simple toys, and with English, where they can write descriptions or instructions. It also supports Personal, Social, and Health Education (PSHE) by exploring themes of play, sharing, and creativity across generations.

Key Questions

1. Identify the materials that old toys were made from.
2. Explain how children had fun without electricity.
3. Compare a popular toy from the past with a popular toy today.

Learning Objectives

• Identify common materials used to make toys in the past, such as wood, metal, and cloth.
• Describe how a toy from the past works and compare it to a modern toy.
• Explain the rules of a traditional playground game and participate in playing it.
• Place a small selection of toys in chronological order on a simple timeline.
• Ask and answer simple questions about the past based on observing toy artefacts.

Key Vocabulary

Artefact	An object made by a person, especially one of historical interest.
Chronology	Putting events in the order that they happened in time.
Material	The substance that an object is made from, for example, wood, plastic, or metal.
Clockwork	A mechanism with gears and springs, like in a clock, that is wound up with a key to make a toy move.
Antique	An object that is old and valuable.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

All old toys were made of wood.

What to Teach Instead

While wood was a very common and cheap material, many old toys were also made from metal, cloth, porcelain, and even early forms of plastic. The materials used often depended on what was available and how wealthy the family was.

Common Misconception

Children in the past were bored because they didn't have electronic games.

What to Teach Instead

Children in the past had very active imaginations and used them to have fun with their toys. Games like playing with dolls' houses, building with wooden blocks, or playing outside required creativity and were very engaging without needing any electricity.

Common Misconception

Poor children had no toys at all.

What to Teach Instead

While children from poorer families had fewer shop-bought toys, they were often very resourceful and made their own from scraps of wood, fabric, or whatever they could find. A simple piece of wood could become a boat, and a rolled-up rag could become a ball.

Active Learning Ideas

Mystery Object

Classroom Toy Museum

Ask pupils to bring in a toy (or a photograph of one) belonging to an older family member. Each child creates a simple museum label for their artefact, explaining what it is, who owned it, and what it is made from, before presenting it to the class.

60 min·Whole Class

Mystery Object

Old vs. New Toy Sort

In small groups, provide pupils with a set of picture cards showing toys from various decades. Challenge them to sort the cards into two piles, 'old' and 'new', and to explain the reasoning behind their choices, focusing on materials and technology.

30 min·Small Groups

Mystery Object

Traditional Playground Games

Take the lesson outside and teach the class a few traditional playground games like Hopscotch, What's the Time, Mr Wolf?, or Oranges and Lemons. Afterwards, discuss as a group what equipment was needed and how these games are different from computer games.

45 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Talking to grandparents or older relatives about the toys and games they enjoyed as children.
• Visiting a local museum or heritage centre to see genuine historical toys.
• Recognising that some games like skipping, tag, and hopscotch are still played in playgrounds today.
• Understanding that the toys we have today are the result of new inventions and materials like plastic and batteries.
• Making choices about toys based on materials, considering recycling and sustainability.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

During a toy sorting activity, listen to pupils' discussions and reasoning for why a toy is 'old' or 'new'. Note their use of vocabulary related to materials and technology.

Quick Check

Pupils complete a 'Then and Now' worksheet. They draw and label a toy from the past and a modern toy, writing a simple sentence to compare them.

Quick Check

Provide pupils with a simple 'two stars and a wish' slip. They write down two things they have learned about old toys (stars) and one question they still have (wish).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why were so many old toys made of wood or metal?

Before plastic became common and cheap, wood and metal were the strongest and most readily available materials for making things that would last. Carpenters and tinsmiths could easily shape them into all sorts of fun toys.

Did children in the past have to share their toys?

Yes, just like today. Families were often larger, and children might have had fewer toys each, so sharing with brothers, sisters, and friends was very common and an important part of playing together.

Where can we see real toys from the past?

Many local museums have collections of old toys, and some even have special galleries for children. The V&A Museum of Childhood in London has one of the best collections of toys in the world.