What games did 9-year-old girls play in the 1800s?

1. Outdoor Games

Hopscotch – A chalked grid game where children hopped on one foot through numbered squares.

Jump Rope / Skipping – Simple or rhyming jump-rope games were popular.

Blind Man’s Bluff – One child was blindfolded and tried to catch others.

Marbles – Girls sometimes played marbles, though it was more common for boys.

Tag / Chase Games – Simple chasing games were common in yards or streets.

2. Parlor and Indoor Games

Button, Bean, or Coin Games – Games using small objects for counting, tossing, or dexterity.

Dominoes and Card Games – Simple card games like “Old Maid” or domino matching were popular.

Board Games – Early versions of checkers, lotto, and “The Mansion of Happiness” (a morality-based board game) were played.

3. Imaginative / Role-Playing Games

Doll Play – Playing with dolls, dollhouses, or miniature furniture.

Tea Parties – Pretend social gatherings, often with dolls or other children.

Play Acting / Skits – Children would act out stories, Fairy Tales, or family roles.

4. Crafts and Skill-Based Activities

Needlework and Sewing – Girls often practiced embroidery or simple sewing games as a mix of play and skill development.

Drawing or Coloring – Simple art activities were popular, often guided by books or teachers.

Summary:

Girls in the 1800s balanced physical play outdoors with creative and social games indoors. Their games often reflected both the available resources and the social expectations of the time, like practicing domestic skills or polite social interaction.