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Colonial Life Games & Activities

Life in colonial New England was not easy for children. Most of the time they were either at school or helping their parents by doing chores like carrying wood, husking corn or leading oxen, according to Noah Webster House.org. Nevertheless, like children of any era, colonial children had to play, and large families meant there were many children to join in the games. (Reference 1)

Hunt the Slipper
- In this game for 6 to 18 players, they sit in a circle while one player, the hunter, leaves while the others hide a slipper (or another object). The hunter returns and the other players pass the object around in secret whenever she is not looking. The hunter can ask three questions and gets three chances to guess where the object is. When the hunter finds the object she exchanges places with the player who has it, says the Teacher Vision website. (Reference 2)
Blind Man's Bluff
- This colonial children's game is still familiar to children today. One player is blindfolded and the rest form a confined circle around him. A player turns the "blind man" around three times and then takes her place in the circle. The blindfolded player tries to catch one of the players, who are not allowed to move. When he succeeds he exchanges places with the person he caught. The game can be played by four to 12 players, according to the Teacher Vision website. (Reference 2)
Blow-Out
- You may know this colonial children's game too. According to the Teacher Vision website, Blow-Out is one of the oldest marble games known in which two players try to win marbles from each other. The first player tosses a marble on a smooth surface and the second player tries to hit the marble by tossing another one at it. If she succeeds, she wins the marble. If not, the first player can try to hit her marble. (Reference 2)
Ring Taw
- Ring taw is another marbles game. It can be played by four to six players. Draw a circle about two feet in diameter. Each player places four to six marbles in the inner circle. Next, draw the outer circle or "taw" about 7 feet in diameter. Each player take turns to try to touch one of the marbles in the inner circle by rolling a marble from the taw. The successful player wins the marble and gets a chance to win another one, but may not hit the same player's marble twice in a row. If the player does not hit the marble, the turn goes to the next player, explains Teacher Vision. (Reference 2)
Nine Men's Morris
- Nine Men's Morris is a board game that colonial children played using beans or stones for markers. The board could be drawn on paper or even in the dirt. Each of two players takes turns placing one of nine markers down, one at a time, where the lines of the board connect or intersect. The object is to make rows of three markers on a line while preventing the other player from doing the same. The player's markers must be different from each other. After all markers are on the board, players begin to move, sliding markers along the lines from point to point. Each time a player makes a row she gets to remove one of the other player's markers from the board, and the game ends when one player is left with only two markers. A printable version of the board is available from Noah Webster House.org to try with friends or family. (Reference 3)

Kids Games