Fun in Peckles-Wood Shire.
Simple Games. Lasting Memories.
Long before televisions, computers, and video games, children discovered that the greatest adventures didn’t come from a store—they came from imagination, friendship, and the world around them. Join the Whitaker children on their Northumberland farm in 1885 and discover how simple games became lasting memories.
“Don’t step on the line!” Clarabelle called with a laugh.
“I didn’t!” James answered as he balanced on one foot.
That morning, the Whitaker children had scratched a hopscotch board into the packed earth beside the barn. Using a stick, Will carefully drew eight numbered squares. Then James searched the lane until he found a smooth, flat piece of slate to use as the marker.
“Who goes first?” Stacy asked.
“It’s your turn, Stacy,” Rance said with a smile.
Stacy picked up the smooth piece of slate and tossed it. It landed neatly in the first square.
The object of hopscotch was simple. Toss the marker into the next square, then hop through the course on one foot, skipping the square with the marker. At the end, turn around, hop back, pick up the marker without losing your balance, and finish the course. Then toss the marker into the next square and try again. If the marker landed on a line, or if a foot touched one, your turn was over.
Stacy hopped carefully from square to square.
“Nicely done!” Will cheered.
James stepped up next.
His marker landed perfectly.
He hopped through the first few squares, but just before reaching the end—
Tap!
His boot touched a line.
“Oh, no!” he laughed.
“My turn!” Clarabelle said, already picking up the slate.
Soon all eight Whitaker children were taking turns. Some balanced with ease, while others wobbled and laughed before stepping out of the course. Every round brought cheerful teasing, applause, and another chance to try again.
By the end of the afternoon, the hopscotch board was covered with footprints, but no one seemed to mind. Tomorrow they could simply smooth the dirt and draw it all over again.
Did You Know?
Hopscotch has been played by children for hundreds of years. In 1885, many British children scratched the game into dirt with a stick and used a small stone or piece of slate as their marker. All it took was a little space and a steady balance.
Would you like to play?
Hopscotch has been enjoyed by children for hundreds of years. In 1885, the Whitaker children might have scratched a court into the dirt with a stick or drawn one with a piece of chalk on a smooth stone path.
What You’ll Need
- A hopscotch court
- A small stone or other marker
- Two or more players
How to Play
- The first player tosses their marker into square 1. The marker must land inside the square without touching a line.
- Hop through the course on one foot, skipping the square with the marker.
- Where two squares are side by side, place one foot in each square.
- At the end of the course, turn around and hop back.
- Stop before the marker, pick it up while balancing on one foot, then hop out of the court.
- On the next turn, toss the marker into the next numbered square.
- Continue until someone has completed every square.
If You Miss…
Your turn ends if you:
- Toss the marker outside the correct square.
- Step on a line.
- Lose your balance.
- Forget to skip the square with your marker.
The next player takes a turn, and you’ll try again when your turn comes around.
Winning the Game
The winner is the first player to complete every square without making a mistake.
A Whitaker Family Memory
For the Whitaker children, hopscotch was more than a game. It was a chance to laugh together between chores, challenge one another, and enjoy the simple pleasures of a crisp autumn afternoon in 1885. Sometimes the best playground was nothing more than a patch of smooth earth and a small stone picked up along the lane.
Welcome to Peckles-Wood Shire
Thank you for visiting Peckles-Wood Shire. We hope your journey through 1885 brings wonder to every road you travel.
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