In the Game of Graces, opponents send light wooden hoops whirling towards each other to be caught on the tips of slender wands. Judging by children's books and store advertisements, this exciting outdoor game was enormously popular from the early 1800's throughout the 19th century, and it remains so in various forms today.

We bend our hoops here at our Vermont shop in the traditional way, steaming green lumber from local trees to form bent wood parts for our musical instruments as well as our toys and games. Our Game of Graces includes 2 10" diameter solid bent wood hoops; our 4 wands are 18" long solid birch. Also included are 8 lengths of colored ribbons - in early forms of the game, young women would elegantly play by wrapping the hoops in ribbons with trailing ends, which served to slow the hoops' travel as well as cushion contact with the fingers. All is packaged in a zipper poly bag with a history and instruction poster.

We craft the Game of Graces from log to finished game here at our Vermont shop. There can sometimes be delays in shipping this item, so please contact us by email to let us know if you have any scheduling concerns.

Not for children under 3. Recommended for adults and children aged 8 years and above.

To see more on this Game of Graces and all our other toys and games, including discounts for a variety of educational programs and full-carton orders, follow this link to visit our HistoryLives retail outlet store, Cowings Mill.

FOR OUR MUSEUM STORE CLIENTS: Click here for the listing at our HistoryLives to-the-trade web store. There is also a link there to apply for a wholesale account if you don't already have one with us.