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Story: Children’s play

Boys playing marbles, around 1900

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Boys playing marbles, around 1900

These boys are playing a game of marbles, around 1900. Marbles has been played since ancient times and was a common children's game in the 19th and 20th centuries. The game continues to go through phases of popularity in the schoolyard.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/1-010529-G

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Peter Clayworth, Children’s play – The playground and the path to school, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/40846/boys-playing-marbles-around-1900 (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Peter Clayworth, published 13 February 2013.