TIME TO PLAY – Library Pop-Up

Time to Play

A Journey Through Childhood

Early 1800's
Across Canada...

rural children's lives centre mostly around farm and shop work. Their material world is sparse, limited to handmade toys. Children's books are rare luxuries.

Mid-1800's
During the Industrial Revolution...

children are seen as a raw material to mould into the ideal adult.

Toys and games are educational, focusing on learning, virtue, and intellectual development.

Late 1800's
Advances in Paper...

production and printing technologies allow literature to flourish.

The expanding middle class and rising childhood literacy create a large market for children's books.

Early 1900's
Children in Rural Mission...

craft their own toys from everyday items, but mass-produced toys and books become widely available.

Play often mimics adult roles and responsibilities.

continued...
The Playground Movement...

emerges, advocating for safe play spaces for children in growing urban centers.

Children in rural Mission play on their families’ properties, using features like fences in their games.

Mid-1900's
Recreation Programs...

begin to emphasize accessibility and community building, and are viewed as essential for good physical and moral development in children.

Recreation is seen as a vital public good.

continued...
Television Now Features...

children’s programs, and ads for toys and games target them.

The 1960's sees girls’ participation in sports grow dramatically, a crucial victory for gender equality.

Late 1900's
Advances in Computer Technology...

introduce a range of computer games to the growing market for electronics.

The 1980's are a pivotal moment in history as girls are given the legal right to play on boys’ sports teams.

continued...
Children Spend Significant...

time playing outside, but now also enjoy electronic toys and video games.

Analog toys and board games still feature heavily in recreation.

Today
Smartphones, Social Media...

high-definition virtual reality games and streaming platforms appear on the scene, forever changing the leisure activities of youth.

Children are now connected all across the globe.