The Future Homemaker

Today we thought we'd share with you a little known gem in our collections.  Playing House: Homemaking for Children is a collection of manuals used to educate young girls on how to be a good housewife.

American domestic advice or homemaking manuals emerged in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and served to advise the housewife in the care and upkeep of the home and its contents and occupants. While most of these manuals were written to assist the “woman of the house”, others aimed at educating young girls, the homemakers of the future. 


These books provide instruction on a wide range of topics including cooking, cleaning, laundry, household management and occupational training for young maids. Through them, young girls could learn among other things, the proper way to make a bed, polish the silver, decorate a table, and prepare and serve a nice meal.


This book is interesting to look at.  Whether you are a modern day working woman or a homemaker, this book is cute and a tad comical. Enjoy!