History · Colouring and short-answer worksheet
Victorian Children and Toys: Free KS2 History Worksheet
This free printable worksheet introduces children to the lives of Victorian boys and girls through the toys and games they played with. While the picture is being coloured in, your child can begin thinking about how very different childhood was between 1837 and 1901, and how a child's experience depended enormously on whether their family was rich or poor.
Designed for Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6), it pairs a calming colouring activity with short-answer questions that encourage comparison, reasoning and historical reflection rather than simple fact-recall. It prints cleanly onto a single A4 page for use at home or in the classroom.
Victorian Children and Toys
Free History worksheet · Ages 9 to 11
Activity 1
Colour in the Victorian toys and the two children. Look closely as you colour: which toys look expensive and finely made, and which look simple or homemade?
- Colour the rocking horse a rich brown, with a flowing mane and tail
- Colour the hoop and stick, the spinning top and the kite in bright, cheerful colours
- Colour the peg doll and the jack-in-the-box, then dress the two children in Victorian clothes
Activity 2
Use what you have learned about the Victorians to answer these questions in your own words.
Name two toys a poor Victorian child was likely to play with.
Name one toy a rich Victorian child was more likely to own.
Why did many poor Victorian children have very little time to play?
Write one way your own childhood is different from a Victorian child's childhood.
Victorian Children and Toysowee.worldAnswer key
- Name two toys a poor Victorian child was likely to play with. — Any two of: hoop and stick, spinning top, marbles, rag or peg doll, cup-and-ball.
- Name one toy a rich Victorian child was more likely to own. — Any of: rocking horse, porcelain or wax doll, dolls' house, clockwork train, jigsaw puzzle.
- Why did many poor Victorian children have very little time to play? — Because they had to work long hours in factories, mines or homes, or help look after their families, instead of playing.
- Write one way your own childhood is different from a Victorian child's childhood. — Open answer, for example: today children must go to school and are not allowed to work, or we have electronic toys and games.
Why the Victorians are a popular KS2 topic
The Victorian era is one of the most widely taught themes in upper Key Stage 2 history because it sits comfortably within the National Curriculum requirement for a study of an aspect of British history that extends beyond 1066. It is also rich in evidence: photographs, museum collections, census records, school logbooks and surviving toys all survive in abundance, giving children plenty of primary sources to examine. Toys and games are an especially friendly way into the period because they connect directly to a child's own experience of play, making the historical comparison feel immediate and meaningful rather than abstract.
How rich and poor children played differently
A child's toys in Victorian Britain revealed a great deal about their family's wealth. Children from well-off families might own beautifully made rocking horses, porcelain or wax dolls, dolls' houses, clockwork trains, jigsaw puzzles and elaborate jack-in-the-boxes, often bought from shops or made by skilled craftsmen. Children from poor families usually had homemade or very simple toys: a hoop and stick rolled along the street, a spinning top, marbles, a rag or peg doll, or a cup-and-ball. Many poor children had little time to play at all, because they were expected to work or to help at home. Comparing these two worlds helps children understand that childhood itself was shaped by social class.
School, work and the shape of childhood
Education changed dramatically across the Victorian period. The Elementary Education Act of 1870 began the move towards schooling for all children, and by 1880 attendance became compulsory for younger children, though many still left school early to earn money. Before these reforms, large numbers of children worked long hours in factories, mines, mills and as chimney sweeps or domestic servants. A series of Factory Acts gradually limited child labour and working hours. This wider context is important: the games on this worksheet were squeezed into whatever free time a child had, and for many poorer children that time was very short indeed.
Using this worksheet at home or in class
Begin with the colouring activity, which gives children time to look closely at each toy before they write. Encourage them to notice which toys look expensive and which look simple and homemade. The written questions ask children to compare, explain and reflect rather than recall single facts, which supports the KS2 emphasis on historical enquiry and second-order concepts such as similarity, difference and change. To extend the learning, pair the sheet with a visit to a local museum, a look at photographs from the period, or a discussion about how the child's own toys and free time compare with those of a Victorian child.
Frequently asked questions
What toys did Victorian children play with?
Victorian children played with rocking horses, dolls (peg, rag, wax or porcelain), spinning tops, hoops and sticks, marbles, cup-and-ball, kites, jack-in-the-boxes, jigsaw puzzles and clockwork trains. Wealthier children tended to own shop-bought, finely made toys, while poorer children usually had simple homemade ones.
How was Victorian childhood different for rich and poor children?
Rich Victorian children often had nurseries, expensive toys, private tutors or schools and plenty of leisure time. Poor children frequently worked long hours in factories, mines or homes, had little time to play and made do with cheap or homemade toys. A child's experience depended heavily on their family's wealth and social class.
Is this worksheet suitable for Key Stage 2?
Yes. It is aimed at children aged 9 to 11 in Years 5 and 6 and supports the National Curriculum requirement for a study of an aspect of British history beyond 1066. The questions focus on comparison and reflection, which suits the KS2 emphasis on historical enquiry.
When did Victorian children start going to school?
School became more widely available after the Elementary Education Act of 1870, and attendance was made compulsory for younger children in 1880. Before this, many children worked instead of attending school, and even afterwards some left early to earn money for their families.
Is this Victorians worksheet free to print?
Yes. This worksheet is completely free to download and print. It is designed to fit onto a single A4 page, making it easy to use at home or photocopy for a classroom.
Curriculum links
- KS2 History: a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils' chronological knowledge beyond 1066 (the Victorians being a popular choice)
- KS2 History: understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections and frame historically valid questions
- KS2 History: note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms
- KS2 History: construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information
- KS2 History: understand that our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources, such as photographs, objects and written records
Made by The Owee education team. Updated 02/06/2026. Free to print and share.
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