Childhood Pleasures: Dutch Children in the Seventeenth Century

Seventeenth-century Netherlands is a time and place that inspires our imagination. The enormous legacy of this period of the Dutch republic has enriched all our lives. As historians search for a fuller understanding of its unique character, they continually return to the central role of the family. Children are an essential part of the story. Through words and images, we learn that while some pleasures enjoyed by Dutch youngsters 400 years ago have changed, some have remained the same and are sources of fun and excitement for children today.