The Playful Spirit of Amish Childhood

Warm greetings from our Amish community here in the Heartland. The gentle rains of early Summer have continued to bless the gardens and fields this week, leaving the families grateful for every soft shower that settles the dust and strengthens the crops. The hayfields look promising, and many are already talking about a good stock for the Winter ahead. The gardens are filling out with that deep green that only June can bring, hinting at the bountiful harvest that will come later this Summer and Fall. It is a peaceful time of year, full of steady work and small joys.

This week, the families shared memories of their childhood playtime and the homemade toys that filled their days. These stories always offer a glimpse into the simple pleasures that shaped their early years. One woman remembered the rope swing her Dad made for her. It hung from a sturdy branch behind the house, and she said she could still recall the feeling of her bare feet brushing the grass as she swung higher and higher. Many Amish children grow up with swings like that, made from leftover rope and a smooth wooden seat, and they become gathering places for siblings and cousins on warm afternoons.

Softball and darebase were the outdoor games played most often. Softball, especially, brought out the competitive spirit in the children, and it was the game that caused the most arguments. Yet it was also the game that brought the most laughter, especially when someone was tagged “out” and the others playfully whacked them with a rolled up newspaper. Darebase, a lively running game, filled the yards with shouts and quick footsteps as the children tried to outsmart one another.

When the cousins gathered, they often played ring games or drop the handkerchief, and while they did not invent many games, they made the most of the ones they knew. One game that seemed unique to their community was the slapping game, where it looked as though the children were slapping each other, though they never actually made contact. It was all in good fun and always ended with giggles.

Rainy days brought a different kind of play. Upset the fruit basket was a favorite, a lively game that kept the children moving indoors when the weather kept them from the fields. Long Winter evenings were filled with games like Jacks and Aggravation, played by lamplight while the wind pressed against the windows.

Homemade toys were treasured, and the children took pride in the things they created. One remembered making a bow and arrow from a wooden clothes hanger and elastic, spending hours perfecting it. Another recalled marble head dolls made from newspapers, a creative toy she admired in a neighbor’s home. There were also memories of toys lost along the way, like the new toy trailer that slipped into the cistern and was found later, rusty but still remembered.

Many Amish adults look back and realize they never needed store‑bought toys to have fun. Early childhood days spent teasing bumble bees or going on mousehunts with the farm cats taught them that imagination and companionship were more valuable than anything that came from a store. Most toys were shared, passed from older siblings to younger ones, and the children learned early to care for what they had.

Stories from Our Amish Basket Weavers

Here are a few of the most notable moments from the families who weave the beautiful baskets featured on AmishBaskets.com, shared with us this week.

The Yoder Family

The Yoder family spent much of this past week remembering Rebecca’s uncle, who passed away a few days earlier. The funeral was held in a community nearly eighteen miles away, which meant a long journey by horse and buggy. They planned the day carefully so their horse could rest along the way, stopping at a familiar Amish farm halfway through the trip. The friends who lived there happened to have a young horse that needed more time in the harness, and they gladly offered it for the remainder of the trip. Their own horse stayed behind to rest, and they picked it up on the return. The exchange felt like something from earlier times when livery barns were common along country roads, and neighbors helped one another without a second thought.

The Mast Family

The Mast family is still talking about their annual community Picnic Day at the local park, a gathering they look forward to each Summer. The children fished along the bank in the morning and later walked the wooded trails, where their youngest daughter nearly stepped on a snake she thought was a fallen stick. Lunch was a generous potluck with casseroles, salads, grilled hot dogs, and desserts that included ice cream, cookies, brownies, and pecan pies. Coffee, iced coffee, punch, grape juice, and other drinks were shared throughout the afternoon. The younger folks played volleyball and other ball games while the older ones enjoyed board games like Blokus. A few brought hand sewing to work on, and others visited on the benches or pushed the little ones on the swings. It was the kind of day that lingers in memory long after the picnic baskets are packed away.

"One good thing about being wrong is the joy that it brings to others."

- Amish Wisdom Overheard in the Community.