Victorian children played skittles using wooden pins and balls on streets, alleys, or parlor floors. The game emphasized aim, strength, and strategy, with local variations of rules and scoring. Matches encouraged competition, fair play, and neighborhood rivalry. Skittles introduced teamwork when played in small teams. Crafting and maintaining pins and balls also taught responsibility and resourcefulness. Some competitions were organized during holidays or festivals, reinforcing social interaction. Skittles was both entertainment and a subtle lesson in physics and geometry.
Skittles enhanced accuracy, strategy, and teamwork.
It demonstrates how Victorian children repurposed simple materials for games with skill and social elements.
Did you know some Victorian children decorated skittle pins with paint or carvings to make them more distinctive?
[History Extra, historyextra.com]