How did kids in the 1850 have fun?How did they live?
99094
They had toys and played games.
61644
You can do simple things like potato sack races, pin the tail on the donkey, bingo, stuff like that.  Since the kids are so young, they don't need a lot to be entertained and you want to do something that doesn't require a lot of rules/directions.  Besides, you also want stuff they can't cheat easily with!
263364
Peer pressure, active kids, puberty, rebellion, growing up. 20 years old I think.
751607
By early Americans are you referring to colonists or native Americans?\nEither way,the child could research living shelters ( cabins/ wigwams, teepees, cliff dwellings etc.).  Also, how about checking out games and toys of the kids of those times?  What did they eat?  How did they learn? What did they wear? What were 8/9 year olds like in those days? That might appeal to a third grader.\nCheck out the library for interesting, age appropriate books.  Elizabeth Levy has written some interesting and humorous books about that time period.( My favorite is Our Awesome Ancient Ancestors ) . Another good book is  If You Lived in Colonial Times  by Ann  McGovern.  The Cobblestone History magazines have lots of information  about a lot of topics. If your student is a girl, she could learn how to do simple embroidery for a sampler.  Good luck.
536226
check with the historical society. if it is 100 years old ,or older they should have info.,or library pictures .of you town when a family lived in it...
670778
Other than having "atomic bomb" drills when I was in school---like sitting in the hallway with my head between my knees and my hands over my head was really going to stop an atomic blast or protect me from radioactive fallout LOL-it was absolutely wonderful for me. We had the birth of "Rock-N-Roll", employment and secure jobs for all, and our depression-era raised parents made sure that we had things they had only dreamed about. A new car was $1000.00 and $10,000 bought a NEW 3 bedroom brick home in a nice neighborhood.\n\nBUT....I was a white child in the South...My Black friends of today experienced a totally different reality. Unemployment or employment at or below minimum wage.  Black women were lucky to find housekeeping jobs within a 2 hr bus ride for $5.00 per day.  They could not shop in white owned stores, eat in white owned restaurants, drink from the same water fountains as whites, go to school with whites, swim in city owned swimming pools with whites, go to most theaters (although some of the more "liberal" theaters would allow them to sit in the balcony), vote or run for public office, and stood the chance of being hung if they were so "uppity" as to try any of these things.\n\nHow was life in the 50's.....as with all things it was, and is, a matter of perspective.
143703
Actually, there WAS a lot of industry.  The civil war had ended, slaves were emancipated (but still very poor and discriminated against).  Most states in the West weren't states yet, just territories with no proper government.  Things were pretty busy in large cities and in Industrial New England and New York and Pennsylvania, but if there wasn't a railroad nearby, you had to take a horse or boat or just walk, so people didn't move very far away if they could help it.  I don't think there were labor usions in those times, so work conditions were pretty bad, and since medical science was pretty scarce compared to today, people died fairly young of diseases like smallpox, typhoid, cholera, etc.
322628
I got up earlier than that with my son. We both actually enjoyed it. We had time together, and I did something for him that he hasn't forgotten since. He was a tyke then, now he's in his second year of law school, but remembers those times. You brought back some good memories. Thank you.
701366
i'd love to live in the late 1800's ... some modern some rustic and the beautiful dresses and the furniture!  thanks for asking this question!  = )
233613
This article is about the "Fugitive Slave Act" of 1850:\n\nhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2951.html\n\nHope it helps.
65793
Well, the early colonies didn't have techonoly, cars, music like today, movies, clothes, food, the knowledge, and the books that we have today. There are PLENTY of changes from today and the colonies. It's pretty simple if you sit down and think about it.
77351
Good person to write about!!  I agree with everyone else's answers; Mark Twain captured life in the 1800s, the human spirit, and he did it with a brilliant sense of humor.  He used a lot of sarcasm, which most people your age can relate to!  Although his books are fictional, they are a great resource for learning about American history- people's accents, slang, and what they did for fun.\n\nGood luck w/ your paper, I'm sure it'll be great!
628093
i dont know how i did it.  Children at this age are soooo mean.  Just stick by your friends they will take you along way. Good luck
890310
Probably as soon as we started the rites for people that died.  Life back then probably seemed rather random and capricious.  There wasn't much that was known about the world, so people clung to things like ancestor worship and sun worship to try to gain some control over the randomness of life.
1147891
There were no birth control pills in the 1800s folks, just thought I would mention that.  Another person was probably on the right track when they mentioned poor nutrition and other health concerns as a reason why they didn't get pregnant much.  If they did, I'm sure some of them used unsafe methods of abortion.  Childbirth also wasn't as safe as it was today.
822764
agree with you as the best times I remember were family orientated. seems as though modern society in having to make a living has taken over
1131565
Free activities:  take them to the library, they have all sorts of free programs for kids.  They can also borrow books, fairly new released dvds, and cds.  Park, school playground.  Water balloon toss.  Pool, or sprinkler would be cool.  Make their own snack, like trail mix.  Pizza bagels.  Usually AMC or Regal Cinemas offer free movie for kids and parents at 10 am once a week.  Check out their website for more info.  Bike riding, play follow the leader on bikes.  Volunteer you and the child's time at local retirement homes, etc. to set a good example.  Free local museums, zoo.  Crafts:  make a summer scrapbook together, Make pinuatas. You'll need newpaper, balloon for shape, and plaster of paris, paints.  Blow balloon up. Make a paste of plaster of paris, tear newspaper into strips, and adhere, let dry overnight. Leave a opening to fill with candy, and to pop balloon.  When dry, paint. When dry, decorate and add candy!  Grab a branch and have fun! Make placemats out of construction paper, and laminate.  You can cut pics out of magazines, or add beads/sequins, pics of family and friends.  Make colored sand.  Use salt or granulated sugar, baby food jar/ or other small jar.  Colored chalk.  On newspaper or paper bag, dump salt/sugar on table take a colored chalk stick and glide over sugar until desired colored is achieved. Place in jar, do the next color.  Until jar is full.  Cute.  Also, check out stores like Home Depot, Lowes, or A.C. Moore(craft store) they offer free make it and take it classes for kids.  Barnes and Nobles also should have free programs available also.  Have fun! I hope this helped you.