What Did People Do for Fun in the 1800s?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 10, 2023

People in the 1800s played games, such as rocking, guessing games, word games, horses, trains, marbles and balls. Some of these games were played by adults at work parties.

In the 1800s, homes were not as close to each other as they are today, so children relied on family members or visiting neighbors to play these games. People who had large homes had a parlor room where children played games, such as word games and guessing games. Table games, such as Dominoes, were popular in the 1800s and are still played today. Backgammon, checkers and chess were popular with both adults and children. In the 1840s, baseball, an outdoor game, started gaining popularity and was commonly played by children and soldiers.