Take a Closer Look
Look at this toy set. What do you think it is made of?
Do you think it would have been easy or difficult to make?
Who do you think would have played with it? Would they have been rich or poor? Why?
You can see another example of a Noah's Ark toy set in the window of the Toy Shop in Lark Hill Place!
A Toy for Sundays
According to the Bible, God sent a flood to wash the world clean. He told Noah to build an ark to save 2 of every animal.
Christianity was very common in Victorian England and children grew up hearing the story of Noah’s Ark and toy sets, like this one, were popular. In Victorian times, the Church said that Sunday should be a day of rest, so children weren’t allowed to play all day! The only toy children were allowed to play with on Sundays were Noah’s Ark toy sets, because of their connection the Bible.
Noah’s Ark toy sets were popular with wealthy Victorian families, but they were too expensive for many poorer children. They cost a lot to make because they had so many different parts.
Discussion
Do you have toys that you only use for special occasions?
Would it be boring to play with one toy all day?
Activity 1
Creative Writing: Diary Entry
Imagine you are a wealthy child in Victorian England, write a diary entry describing what it is like to play with the Noah’s Ark toy set. Consider: what day is it? What animals are there? Is it fun to play with?
Animals and Habitats
There are different habitats all over the world. The animals that live there need to have special traits in order to survive.
Discussion
What habitats can you think of?
What animals live there?
What makes them suited for their habitat?