Colonial Games in the Mid-Atlantic Colonies

Games for Children

• Colonial children didn't have much free time to play games, but when they were able to take a break from all the chores, they played games like hide-and-seek, leap frog, blind man's bluff and tag. They also incorporated singing into many of the games, such as "London Bridge is Falling Down," a song still sung today. Board games were also popular among colonial children, who particularly enjoyed a game of strategy called Nine Man Morris. Even when children weren't enjoying a break from chores, they still made up games and contests to help pass the time.

Toys

• Colonial children had a variety of different toys to amuse themselves with, and they sometimes used these to engage in games with other children. For instance, many of the boys enjoyed playing marbles, as well as tossing around leather balls filled with feathers. Girls, on the other hand, tended to play with rag dolls; they practiced their sewing skills by creating outfits for dolls that were usually made of things like corn husks. Spinning tops, cup and balls, wooden hoops, puzzles, toy soldiers and kites were also popular toys among colonial children.

Games for Adults

• Like children, adults didn't have much time to spend sitting around playing games, but they enjoyed their fair share of board and card games when they had the time. Wealthier colonists enjoyed games like backgammon and billiards, while the lower classes played an early version of poker. Other popular games among adults included board games like The Royall and Most Pleasant Game of the Goose, as well as cribbage and other parlor card and dice games. Some communities that looked down on the pastimes as they frequently encouraged gambling; however, the Mid-Atlantic Colonies were much less strict than those of New England when it came to the tolerance of sporting activities.

Sports

• Horse racing was quite popular in the Mid-Atlantic Colonies, but it was a facilitator for bad gambling habits; in fact, gambling was so widespread that even women placed bets on their favorite equine contenders. Official racetracks were established in colonies like Maryland and Virginia, which were bordering neighbors of several Mid-Atlantic Colonies. Other sports enjoyed by the colonists included non-contact activities like bowling, croquet, tennis, golf and cricket.