Entertainment in Colonial America

The book describes various types of entertainment in colonial America: The Native American game of lacrosse, fox hunting, children's games, music, theater, quilting bees, and festivals. The beautiful period artwork illustrates the information. The teacher may want students to compare this book to another book read in class, such as Thomas's Fun and games in colonial America. Students may try making items for entertainment and trying out some games.

When the English colonists came to the New World, they brought their religion, their government, and their culture -- which most definitely included all kinds of games and entertainments. Many games and sports allowed the participants to practice necessary skills for life, such as horse riding and racing and fishing. For children, the games that they played would look familiar to Americans today. Leapfrog, hopscotch, flying kites and card games were all played back then. Of course, if you wanted to hear music, you probably should be able to play it, yourself! Fiddles, banjos and flutes were all popular. Just like today, colonists loved plays, and sometimes put them on in their own home for fun with family and friends. In 1717, the first real theater in America opened in Williamsburg, Virginia! Because life was so hard in colonial times, work dominated your time. So large tasks were frequently shared as a social event, such as a quilting bee. Festivals were usually linked to events like religious days, marking the passage of the year, or observing particular events. Book shops began to flourish, selling volumes of poems, stories, plays and often ideas that led to the American Revolution. Recommended for young readers, who might be surprised to realize that people of the past were as interested in having fun as we are today! This book is an excellent addition to any student's exploration of colonial history.