Homes, Trades and Games of Long Ago · Drawing 34 of 40
The rocking horse
Around 1910
More than a hundred years ago, children were already rocking on a wooden horse like this one. Its curved rockers swing it back and forth without ever moving ahead!
Look together
Where would you go with this horse?
An idea to try
Your child invents a destination for the horse and draws what they would discover there. Share an imaginary game you enjoyed as a child.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
The McCord Museum has presented a rocking horse dated 1910 among its historical toys. The object brings history close to play: collections preserve more than adult tools and major events. They can also offer clues about objects that accompanied childhood moments.
This colouring-page horse is an original, imaginary toy. Its curved runners suggest movement in place, while pretend play can travel far. Ask where your child’s invented horse would take them. The date is based on a preserved toy, not the invention year of all rocking horses or a description of every child’s experience at the time.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
An original toy design; the museum’s rocking horse dated 1910 is not copied.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Musée McCord — Jouets, communiqué d’expositionJouets historiques du milieu du 19e au 20e siècle, notamment un cheval à bascule daté de 1910.
Source review: 2026-09-15. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.
