Kids Pattern
For most of human history, children were treated as small adults. Though there were exceptions, it wasn't until the Middle Ages that furnishings were designed specifically for kids. In terms of clothing, all children—regardless of gender—wore similar styles until they were old enough to fit into small adult-sized dresses or trousers.
Toys were simple: wooden horses, balls made from animal intestines, and rag dolls. Playtime was often a luxury, as children were expected to help with household or farm work.
In the 18th century, attitudes toward childhood shifted, leading to the creation of child-sized furnishings and objects that encouraged learning and play. The 19th-century Industrial Revolution transformed the toy market, making mass-produced children's goods widely available. Interestingly, until World War II, pink was considered a boy’s color and blue was for girls. The color-coded separation of boys' and girls' products is a post-war marketing invention aimed at boosting profits.
