Victorian childhood
I can describe some of the jobs Victorian children had to do and what this was like for them
Victorian childhood
I can describe some of the jobs Victorian children had to do and what this was like for them
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Victorian childhood was very different to childhood today.
- Many Victorian children needed to work, both in towns and in the countryside.
- In a Victorian illustration, a child can be seen fainting in the fields due to the hard work.
- Children worked in factories and mines, and as chimney sweeps; these jobs were often very dangerous.
- Historical sources show many children died or were injured doing these dangerous jobs.
Keywords
Mines - mines are deep holes dug in the ground to find precious materials like coal or metal
Chimney sweep - someone who sweeps the soot out of chimneys is called a chimney sweep
Sources - sources are things from the past that historians look at to try and find out what life was like at that time
Common misconception
Pupils may believe that all Victorian children worked, or that no Victorian children had an education.
Children from wealthy families were educated at home or sent to schools that were paid for. Some children went to small local schools on some days of the week and worked on other days. Some of the least fortunate children did not go to school at all.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
deep holes dug in the ground to find precious materials like coal
someone who sweeps the soot out of chimneys