This History video introduces teachers to the ways children’s leisure activities have changed from the Tudor period to the present day. It compares the limited opportunities for play and recreation in the past, such as simple outdoor games and community fairs, with the more varied and technology-driven activities enjoyed by children today. The video highlights how leisure was once shaped by religious calendars, social class, and limited travel, while modern leisure is influenced by compulsory education, regulated working hours, and advances in transport and technology.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s History scheme – Children. It supports teachers in helping pupils identify changes and continuities over time, using children’s leisure as a relatable lens for understanding broader social developments.

History, Lower key stage 2, Year 4, How have children’s lives changed? Lesson 5: How and why has children’s leisure time changed?