What is a game that kids played 100 years ago?

A hundred years ago—around the 1920s—children didn’t have video games, of course, but they played a variety of classic outdoor and indoor games that were popular at the time. These games focused on physical activity, creativity, and social interaction.

Here’s a blog-style explanation:

🕰️ Games Kids Played 100 Years Ago

While today’s kids have video games and mobile apps, children in the 1920s entertained themselves with simple yet fun games. These games often required little to no equipment and encouraged social play, imagination, and skill.

1. Marbles

  • Description: Players used small glass marbles to hit opponents’ marbles out of a designated area.

  • Why it was popular: Easy to carry, fun outdoors, and encouraged skill and strategy.

  • Learn More: Marbles – Wikipedia

2. Hopscotch

  • Description: Players threw a small object into numbered squares drawn on the ground and hopped through them.

  • Why it was popular: Encouraged balance, coordination, and outdoor play.

  • Learn More: Hopscotch – Wikipedia

3. Jacks (or Knucklebones)

  • Description: Players tossed a small rubber ball and picked up metal or wooden “jacks” before catching the ball.

  • Why it was popular: Developed hand-eye coordination and could be played alone or with friends.

  • Learn More: Jacks – Wikipedia

4. Tag

  • Description: One child is “it” and tries to tag others, who then become “it.”

  • Why it was popular: Encouraged running, agility, and social interaction.

  • Learn More: Tag – Wikipedia

5. Kick the Can

  • Description: A variation of hide-and-seek combined with tag; players hide while “it” guards a can, trying to tag them.

  • Why it was popular: Combined strategy, hiding, and running, making it fun for groups.

  • Learn More: Kick the Can – Wikipedia

6. Board Games and Card Games

  • Popular games included Checkers, Chess, and Monopoly (Monopoly was first sold in 1935 but card and money games existed earlier).

  • Why it was popular: Indoor entertainment that encouraged thinking, counting, and strategy.

  • Learn More: History of Board Games

🧠 Why These Games Mattered

  • Encouraged physical activity and outdoor play

  • Built social skills and teamwork

  • Stimulated strategic thinking and coordination

  • Required minimal resources, making them accessible to most children

✅ Takeaway

Children 100 years ago played games that were simple, social, and imaginative. From marbles and hopscotch to tag and board games, these classics still inspire modern play and show that fun doesn’t always require technology.