Europe, 1900 to 1940

Playing is important part of growing up, but at the beginning of the 20th century, childhood lasted far shorter than it is believed to today. Children were compelled to grow up and mature far more quickly. That was largely because of the fact that children in the villages and poorer children in the towns had to start work at a very early age and had little free time. That is why children entered the adult world at a very early age, and the nonexistence of a clear border between the world of children and the world of adults was also reflected in the games they played. In large families where several generations lived together, children's rights were not as respected as today, and parents did not believe that children had a need to play. On the contrary, they considered play as a waste of time, being of the opinion that it was far more useful for children to perform one of the many household tasks.

In infancy and early childhood, play was the activity through which children learned to recognize colors and shapes, tastes and sounds. It was not until the second half of the 20th century that it was considered that the right to play was a child's basic right. The beginning of the century, with its dark overtones of war, shortages, and social upheaval, also contained the seeds of change, which would bloom in later years.

Changes with regards to the nature and needs of children became visible, and a child's environment was considered to be important for healthy development and their right for self-expression. Data on European children's play include descriptions of toy collections, games, and orally transmitted folklore and has been gathered mostly by folklorists, ethnologists, or art historians. Literature on adult play appeared much later in the second half of 20th century and mainly included descriptions of gambling games, card games, and the like.