ABSTRACT
Many children did certainly take to heart racialized structures through the medium of White and Black toys, although interestingly, children were frequently influenced by what they read. Children were aware of the deep gender divide in Victorian society, especially for what was considered acceptable play behavior for boys and girls. Toys and children are prominent components of the archaeological and historical records, and toys must be viewed as more than idle amusements, and instead as a dialogue and often locus of conflict between parents and children, and between children and their peers. Period photographs of children also show them holding dolls, carts, toy boats, and other objects, but the researcher is hard-pressed to find any period photograph or even advertising image of children playing with a clockwork figure or mechanical bank, racialized or not. Informal toys and games were most popular with children.
