Toys and Games of Yesteryear

Active learning works well for this topic because handling physical objects and recreating historical toys engages students' senses and builds concrete understanding. When children manipulate replicas or craft their own versions, they connect past experiences to their own play, making abstract concepts about resourcefulness and craftsmanship tangible and memorable.

• 2nd Year
• Time Travelers: Exploring Our Past and Present
• 4 activities
• 30 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze how the materials used in historical toys reflect the available resources and technology of their time.
2. Compare the durability and creative potential of toys made from natural or recycled materials versus modern plastic toys.
3. Construct a simple toy using natural or recycled materials, demonstrating an understanding of historical toy-making techniques.
4. Explain how the design of past toys relates to the daily lives and typical activities of children in previous eras.

Stations Rotation

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Toy Time Travel

Prepare four stations with replicas of past toys: wooden hoops, tin soldiers, fabric dolls, and stone marbles. Small groups rotate every 10 minutes to handle items, note materials used, and discuss what they suggest about past lives. End with a class share-out of findings.

Prepare & details

Analyze what the toys children played with in the past reveal about their daily lives and available resources.

Facilitation Tip: During Historical Games Revival, model the games yourself first so students see how to transition from instructions to active play.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Experiential Learning

⏱ 35 min·Pairs

Maker Station: Craft a Past Toy

Supply sticks, string, fabric scraps, and tins for students to build simple toys like cup-and-ball or spinners, following step-by-step guides. Pairs test their creations, tweak designs for better play, and explain choices based on historical examples.

Prepare & details

Compare old toys made of wood, tin, or fabric with modern plastic toys, considering durability and creativity.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Compare Pairs: Old and New Toys

Students bring or use class modern plastic toys alongside replicas. In pairs, they chart similarities and differences in materials, cost, and fun factors, then present to the group with photos or drawings.

Prepare & details

Construct a simple toy using natural or recycled materials, similar to those from the past.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 40 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Historical Games Revival

Teach rules for past games like skipping or tug-of-war using natural props. Play rounds, then debrief on physical skills needed and social rules compared to today.

Prepare & details

Analyze what the toys children played with in the past reveal about their daily lives and available resources.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Experienced teachers approach this topic by balancing hands-on exploration with guided reflection, ensuring students don't just play but analyze what they create. Avoid rushing through the maker station, as the process of crafting reveals more about resourcefulness than the final product alone. Research suggests tactile experiences strengthen memory, so prioritize time for students to handle and discuss each toy type.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently discussing how materials and design reveal past lifestyles, using evidence from the toys they handle or create. They should articulate differences between old and new toys while demonstrating curiosity about the creativity involved in making do with limited resources.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Toy Time Travel, watch for students assuming old toys were boring because they lack flashy features.

What to Teach Instead

Encourage students to play with the spinning tops or jumping jacks to notice how movement and skill matter more than plastic aesthetics. Ask them to compare the physical effort required to use old toys versus modern ones.

Common Misconception

During Craft a Past Toy, watch for students assuming wooden or tin toys were flimsy or unsafe.

What to Teach Instead

Have students test the durability of their own crafted toy by gently dropping it or testing its edges. Ask them to consider how careful handling and craftsmanship made these toys durable for their time.

Common Misconception

During Compare Pairs, watch for students assuming all toys evolved steadily from simple to complex.

What to Teach Instead

Guide students to arrange the paired toys on a timeline or simple grid, then ask them to explain what the materials and designs suggest about the time period and available resources.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Compare Pairs, give students images of a wooden yo-yo and a plastic yo-yo. Ask them to write one sentence comparing their materials and one sentence comparing how they might be played with in different settings.

Quick Check

During Maker Station, circulate and ask each student: 'What material did you choose and why?' and 'How is your toy similar to or different from a toy you might buy today?' Listen for connections to resourcefulness and craftsmanship.

Discussion Prompt

After Historical Games Revival, pose the question: 'What do the games children played in the past tell us about what was important to them or what they had available?' Facilitate a brief class discussion, guiding students to link game materials to daily life and community resources.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to design a toy using only natural materials and present their creation to the class, explaining its play value and durability.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: provide labeled images of historical toys with simple captions to help them connect materials to function before crafting.
• Deeper exploration: invite students to research a specific historical toy and create a short presentation linking it to a historical event or daily life challenge.

Key Vocabulary

Homemade toys	Objects created by children or their families for play, often using readily available materials like wood, fabric scraps, or natural items.
Natural materials	Items found in nature, such as wood, stones, leaves, or shells, that were commonly used to create toys before mass production.
Recycled materials	Items that would otherwise be discarded, like old cloth, tin cans, or cardboard, repurposed to make toys.
Durability	The ability of a toy to withstand wear, pressure, or damage; how long it lasts with use.
Imagination	The faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses; crucial for play with simple toys.