Fun for Pioneer Children - Laura Ashwood

Pioneer living for children was much different than anything our children will ever experience, which, for the most part, is a good thing. Life was hard for them, and often dangerous. But they also had to be imaginative and creative with finding fun things to do when they weren't in school or doing chores.

Pioneer children didn't have a lot of toys, some didn't have any, and made due with items they found around the house. Laura Ingalls had a doll made out of a corncob wrapped in a scrap of cloth, for example. A boy might have a carved toy or a ball. Homemade toys, such as tops, whirligigs, and whistles could be found in some homes. Other children made games and toys out of rocks and sticks. Paper dolls were also fun to make and play with during the long, cold winter days.

Toys may have been short on hand, but there was no shortage of games the children could play. Whether it was at home with their siblings, or in the schoolyard at recess, pioneer children made their own fun. 

Some popular games included: 

Button Button: The children sit in a circle. Whoever is "it" holds a button between their hands and goes around the circle, passing their hands between the hands of the seated players, finally leaving the button in someone's hands, but continuing the play for a bit longer so the others don't know who has it. Then he says "Button, button who has the button?" And the children have to guess who has it. The one who guesses correctly has the fun of passing the button next.

Fox and Geese: This was a popular winter game. A large circle is made in the snow with five paths going across it. The "fox" stands in the middle of the circle and the "geese" must cross the circle on one of the paths without being caught by the fox.

Hide the Thimble: The children close their eyes while one child hides a thimble. Then they must find where it's hidden. Clues like "warmer" and "colder" can be given by the hider and whoever finds it can hide it next. 

Hoop and Stick: This simple game was very popular. The object was to keep the hoop rolling as long as possible using the stick. It was often played as a competition to see who could roll the hoop the farthest.

Hopscotch: Rocks were often used as markers in this popular schoolyard game.

Jump Rope: Often chants and rhymes were said aloud while players jumped and depending on the length of the rope being used, several people could play at one time.

Kick the Can: This is a fun twist on hide and seek and a popular recess game.

Jacks and marbles were also popular games children played. 

Do you remember playing any of those games? 

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When the freak blizzard of 1878 kills most of the men in a small Nebraska town, what does it mean for the surviving women and children?

Realizing they need to find men of honor to help rebuild, the women place an advertisement in the Matrimonial Times.

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Will these Blizzard Brides find the second chance at love in a town called Last Chance?

My book, A Groom for Ruby, is now available for pre-order!