Last Updated on June 6, 2021 by ellen
Wondering about entertainment in Victorian times? Learn what adults and children did in Victorian times for fun and what I learned at Wilson Castle.
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Entertainment in Victorian times isn’t anything like entertainment today. When I relax at home, I play video games on my computer, watch television or DVDs or read a book (generally on my iPhone). Even the kids generally entertain themselves with technology at their ages (16 & 21).
I recently visited the Wilson Castle in Proctor, Vermont, and got a chance to learn a bit more about entertainment in Victorian Times.
Table of Contents
Entertainment in Victorian Times
How you entertained yourself depended on your social class. The lower classes spent long hours working and taking care of their families and there was little time for entertainment at the end of the day.
Someone who was more well off, like those that lived in Wilson Castle, would not have worked or if they did would have worked far fewer hours than someone who farmed or had a factory job.
They would have also had servants to take care of the housework, cooking, children, and grounds maintenance.
If you chose to go out for the evening, you may have gone to a party or to the theater. The Wilson Castle has a gorgeous Grand Reception Hall where they would have entertained guests.
The leaded glass window depicts armor and the room is complete with an Italian Fireplace. Men may have belonged to sporting clubs and women may have joined sewing circles.
What were Victorian hobbies?
Entertainment in Victorian times at home would have most definitely included reading and a number of what we consider classics today were written in that time period. Emily Dickinson is one of my favorites from that time period.
They may have also enjoyed making hair jewelry, having picnics in the cemetery, and scrapbooking with seaweed.
What did Victorian children do to entertain themselves?
The children definitely wouldn’t have come along when the adults went out and would have stayed at home with a nanny instead. Entertainment was clearly defined by gender at that point in our history.
Girls would have played with china dolls, tea sets, and rocking horses. Little boys would have played with trains, toy soldiers, and marbles.
I saw no evidence of toys that would have been played with by boys at Wilson Castle so I am assuming that during the time period, the children were little girls.
For a look at the rest of Wilson Castle and to find out more about entertainment in Victorian times, please visit Confessions of an Overworked Mom. For a look at fashions and the Wilson Castle, please visit The Socialite’s Closet.
Open Daily – Including Sundays
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Late May through October
Ellen is a mom of a 25-year-old son and 30-year-old daughter. She is Grandma to one adorable toddler. In what little spare time she has, she loves to read, watch movies, and check out the latest toys and games.
The stained glass is beautiful! I love this little peek into the past.
I really loved looking at all the stained glass. It was so pretty.
I love this kind of stuff. This is the type of trip my children and I take all the time.
I bet they would really enjoy it!
What a cute collection! The dolls are gorgeous!
I know! I would have loved to have played with them when I was little.
I love visiting old homes and especially those with such interesting histories. I’m bookmarking Wilson Castle to check out more pictures. Thanks for the article!
It’s a fascinating place to visit!
I love Victorian designs and clothes. I would do just fine in that era. I grew up in Amish country and sometimes miss that simple way of life. It’s awesome to look back at how we progressed and lived.
I totally understand, Deb. Some days I long for the simple days again too.
Awe yes, simpler times indeed! It’s fascinating how different and yet how similar our lives are when compared to those from those who came before us. The Victorian era is particularly interesting and appealing to me.
Me too, Ashley. It would have been fun to visit!