Editing Lost Generation (section)

====Leisure and play====
[[File:StateLibQld 2 201815 Three children playing with their toys in the backyard, 1890-1900.jpg|thumb|Children playing with toys (c. 1890s)]]

By the 1890s, children's toys entered into mass production.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Toy Timeline |url=https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/discover/2012/05/21/toy-timeline/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520183853/https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/discover/2012/05/21/toy-timeline/ |archive-date=20 May 2021 |access-date=20 May 2021 |website=Brighton museums |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 1893, the British toy company [[W. Britain|William Britain]] revolutionized the production of toy soldiers by devising the method of [[hollow casting]], making soldiers that were cheaper and lighter than their competitors.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 June 2007 |title=Hampshire Museums Service |url=http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/toys/history/toy_soldiers.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614232918/http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/toys/history/toy_soldiers.html |access-date=25 August 2008|archive-date=14 June 2007}}</ref> This led to metal toy soldiers, which had previously been the preserve of boys from wealthier families, gaining mass appeal during the late [[Victorian era|Victorian]] and [[Edwardian era|Edwardian period]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bedford |first=Gavin |title=Toy Soldiers ... Just child's play? |url=https://eghammuseum.org/toy-soldiers-just-childs-play/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520183852/https://eghammuseum.org/toy-soldiers-just-childs-play/ |archive-date=20 May 2021 |access-date=20 May 2021 |website=Egham Museum |language=en-GB}}</ref> Dolls often sold by street vendors at a low price were popular with girls. [[Teddy bear]]s appeared for the first time in the early 1900s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 December 2014 |title=Popular Toys in History: What Your Ancestors Played With |url=https://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/popular-toys-in-history-what-your-ancestors-played-with/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520183853/https://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/popular-toys-in-history-what-your-ancestors-played-with/ |archive-date=20 May 2021 |access-date=20 May 2021 |website=Ancestry Blog |language=en-US}}</ref> Tin plated [[penny toy]]s were also sold by street sellers for a single penny.<ref>{{Cite web |title=An Edwardian Christmas |url=https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/discover/penny-toys-and-poverty-edwardian-christmas |access-date=2021-12-30 |website=Museum of London |language=en |archive-date=30 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211230224237/https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/discover/penny-toys-and-poverty-edwardian-christmas |url-status=live}}</ref>

The turn of the 20th century saw a surge in public park building in parts of the west to provide public space in rapidly growing industrial towns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=America's Most Visited City Parks |url=http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/citypark_facts/ccpe_Most_Visited_Parks_09.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015111753/http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/citypark_facts/ccpe_Most_Visited_Parks_09.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 October 2009 |access-date=13 December 2009}}</ref> They provided a means for children from different backgrounds to play and interact together,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Research reveals rowdy past of UK's parks |url=https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/research-reveals-rowdy-past-of-uks-parks/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814221034/https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/research-reveals-rowdy-past-of-uks-parks/ |archive-date=14 August 2021 |access-date=20 May 2021 |website=manchester |language=en}}</ref> sometimes in specially designed facilities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Urban Parks of the Past and Future |url=https://www.pps.org/article/futureparks |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520184858/https://www.pps.org/article/futureparks |archive-date=20 May 2021 |access-date=20 May 2021 |website=www.pps.org}}</ref> They held frequent concerts and performances.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 February 2016 |title=Parks and Recreation: the Victorian way |url=https://www.marshalls.co.uk/commercial/blog/parks-and-recreation-the-victorian-way |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520184859/https://www.marshalls.co.uk/commercial/blog/parks-and-recreation-the-victorian-way |archive-date=20 May 2021 |access-date=20 May 2021 |website=www.marshalls.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>