Student Article

Growing up in the Middle Ages was both challenging and interesting. Children often had responsibilities from a young age. They helped around the house, took care of animals, and did age-appropriate farm work. By the time they were around 12, many children became apprentices, training in trades like tailoring or baking while living with a master’s family.

Gender roles and childhood play

Boys and girls played together when they were young, and gender roles didn’t matter as much until puberty. Later, girls were expected to behave modestly and were often watched more closely than boys. Some girls became apprentices too, especially in jobs related to household skills.

Storytelling in medieval life

Stories played an important part in medieval life. While bedtime stories weren’t common like today, exciting tales and poems were often told aloud at gatherings. Children loved these performances, which included knights, quests, and magical adventures.

Schooling and literacy

Schooling varied by gender and class. Wealthy boys might attend grammar schools or even university. Girls were taught at home or in religious institutions. Literacy was more common than we often think, and children were expected to memorize stories and prayers.

Discipline and mortality

Discipline was harsh by modern standards. Beatings were normal at home and in school, though some thinkers at the time believed kindness worked better. Death was sadly a common part of childhood. Many children didn’t live past infancy due to disease, accidents, or lack of medical care.

Medieval childhood and creativity

Despite the hardships, medieval children learned, worked, and sometimes even doodled, as seen in birch-bark drawings left by a boy named Onfim in 13th-Century Russia. These glimpses help us understand how medieval kids saw their world.

© Dr Emily Joan Ward / www.historyextra.com