Toys

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Toys
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How They Made Toys

• Colonial children had to make their own toys
  because there were no toy makers or factories.
  They made their toys with things they found, such
  as corn husks, rags, wood, strings and hoops from
  barrels.
• Colonial Children played more games and had fewer
  toys then modern children.
• Children often made up new games on the spot.

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Who did Early American Children Play with

• Since most families were large and had six or
  seven children, the children would play with
  their brothers and sisters, or their neighbors

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Blocks

• Blocks were educational as well as fun. Young
  children practiced working with their hands when
  they played with blocks. The sides of some
  blocks were decorated with letters of the
  alphabet, numbers, or pictures of animals.
  Sometimes blocks had part of a picture on one
  side, forming a simple puzzle. When the blocks
  were arranged properly, they were transformed
  into a colorful picture. Children also used
  block for constructing buildings.

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Animated Toys

• Limberjack
• Flap jack
• Pecking Chickens
• Climbing Bear
• Jacobs Ladder

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Limberjack

• An authentic Appalachian Mountain rhythm
  instrument made and played in America since
  colonial days. Sometimes called a clogger man,
  jigger, or shuffling Sam because of its dancing
  action.
• To Operate - Sit on dancing board--let as much of
  the board as possible hang out beyond the edge of
  the stool or chair. Hold Jack by the end of the
  stick so that his feet rest on the dancing board
  near the far end. With your free hand, bounce the
  board in time with the music.

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Flap Jack

            

• In the old days, family often created fascinating
  toys for the youngsters. The Flap Jack was one of
  these wooden favorites. This flippin' floppin'
  Flap Jack is an absolutely amazing performer!
  Indeed, if any normal person were to try Jack's
  brand of acrobatics he would soon be tied up in
  knots. Nobody could match his energetic, wild,
  gymnastics!

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Pecking Chickens

• Pecking Chickens are one of the earliest
  mechanical toys. Pendulum-operated toys have been
  recorded as early as 3000 BC. This particular
  form, with moveable birds, was present in and
  around Greece and Persia from 500 BC. until the
  middle ages.To Use Hold paddle by the handle.
  Cause the pendulum to swing by moving the paddle
  in a circular motion.

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Climbing Bear

• This energetic little bear loves to scurry up his
  ropes and then slide back down again for anyone
  who is willing to put him into action. One
  "udder" thing This toy was used to teach
  children the art of milking cows.To operate,
  attach the loop on the crossbar to a hook on a
  door, wall, ceiling, or clothes rod. Grasp the
  round handles (one in each hand) and pull down in
  a alternating pattern first one handle then the
  other. The bear will pull himself up paw by paw
  until he reaches the top. When you release the
  tension on the ropes he'll slide back down and be
  ready to climb again!

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Jacobs Ladder

• The Jacob's Ladder toy dates back to Pilgrim
  times in the New World and was allowed as a
  Sunday toy for Puritan children because of its
  biblical reference (Genesis 2812). Jacob was on
  a journey and had a dream about angels moving up
  and down a ladder between heaven and earth. Other
  Sunday toys included the Handkerchief Doll
  (church doll), Noah's Ark, Whirlygig, Pillars of
  Solomon, Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, and the Buzz
  Saw. The Jacob's Ladder toy is still enjoyed
  today by both children and adults (as a "nice
  quiet toy").

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Indian Pump Drill

• Perhaps one of man's earliest manufacturing
  methods was the drilling of holes. Primitive
  objects of bone (fish and mammal), ivory, wood,
  stone, and pottery have been discovered in Native
  American mounds (and other burial sites), caves,
  and shell heaps. The diameter of drilled holes
  range from less than 1/32 of an inch to more than
  half an inch. The depth of drilled holes also
  varied -- from less than a quarter of an inch to
  more than six inches! Drilled objects have been
  recovered throughout the world and date from all
  periods of man's existence.

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• Besides "finger drills," there were also "shaft
  drills." These basic drills were simply straight
  shafts of wood or bone. The thickness of the
  shaft could be as little as a quarter of an inch
  to over 3/4 of an inch. Drill lengths ranged from
  less than 10 inches to more than two feet!
• Shaft drills were rotated back and forth between
  the driller's hands. A shaft drill could also be
  used horizontally. This was accomplished by
  rolling the shaft drill up and down the thigh
  with one hand and holding the object against the
  drill point with the other hand.

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• Yet another technique was to "hold" the object
  between the feet and use both hands to rotate the
  drill shaft back and forth. This type of drill
  was seen used by members of Columbus' expeditions
  and mentioned in "Antiquity of Mexico." Along
  with the "strap drill," this is the only drill
  mentioned by Early American explorers.
• The successor to the shaft drill is the strap
  drill. This tool is used not only for drilling
  holes but also for starting fires. Hence, the
  strap drill is also known by the name "fire
  drill." The shaft drill is an improvement because
  it increases the number of revolutions and allows
  for greater pressure to be exerted on the top of
  the shaft. The drill shaft is kept in position
  using a piece of wood (headpiece) and held in
  between the person's teeth.

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• The shaft is rotated by wrapping a leather strap
  once around it and holding the ends by the hands.
  By pulling in one direction and then the other,
  the shaft spun and drilled into an object. To get
  a better grip, pieces of wood or bone would be
  attached to the ends of the strap. The strap
  drill was used by cave dwellers in France as well
  as the early Egyptian, Greek and Indian (Asia)
  civilizations. The Aleut and Greenlanders of long
  ago are also known to have used the strap drill.
• The improvement to the strap drill came with the
  invention of the "bow drill." This tool allowed
  the shaft to be rotated at a much greater speed
  and the head piece is held by a hand instead of
  the mouth. The strap is tied to a bowed stick
  (or, possibly, a curved piece of bone) and
  wrapped once around the shaft. The bow is then
  moved backward and forward with the other hand to
  make the shaft revolve.

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• Yet another improvement led to the invention of
  the "pump drill." This type of drill has a shaft
  which passes through a disc of stone, wood or
  pottery and a crosspiece through which the shaft
  runs. To the ends of the crosspiece is attached a
  leather string or thong, There is enough "play"
  in the string or thong to allow it to cross the
  top of the shaft and permit the crosspiece to
  reach close to the disc. The disc is turned to
  wind the string about the shaft thus raising the
  crosspiece. By pressing down on the crosspiece
  several time the shaft is made to turn. The
  disc's purpose is to make the shaft rewind the
  string. This method allows the pump drill to have
  even greater speeds than the strap drill or bow
  drill. Also, one hand is left free to hold the
  object being drilled.

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Fun Fact

• The pump drill was used by the Iroquois and
  Pueblo Indians. It is still used today in the
  process of creating works of art!

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Action and Skill

• Yo Yo
• Mountain Bolo
• Spool Tractor
• Puddle Jumper
• Rocking Horse
• Top
• Cup and ball
• Fish toss game
• Kite
• juggling

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YoYo

• The yo-yo dates back to ancient Greece and was
  used in England, France, and other European
  countries. It was also known as a "Bandelure" or
  winding toy and, in England, a "Prince of Wales"
  toy, in France Bandelure.
• About the beginning of the 19th Century, the
  bandilor as it was called in England, became a
  fashionable toy under the name of Quiz, and
  scarcely any person of fashion was without one of
  these toys.
• Today, most yo-yos are made from either wood or
  plastic, but they have also been made from gold,
  silver, and animal horn.
• Fun Fact The Yo-yo fromed a part of the early
  history of Filipino weaponry. Attackers would
  hide among tree branches, waiting patiently for
  the enemy to pass below, and then skillfully
  release their yo-yos, hitting the victims on the
  head.

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Mountain Bolo

• This skill toy contains two small balls at the
  end of the string.  The string has a small loop
  near the center, but the lengths of string are
  unequal to avoid a clash of the weights. 
  Grasping the center loop, the object is to make
  the two weights orbit in opposite directions
  (counter rotate) by moving the hand up and down
  or back and forth.  This looks quite easy, but it
  isn't until the straight line movement is
  mastered. The weights often are nuts (such as
  buckeyes and even machine nuts), while in the
  eskimo yo-yo version of the polar regions small
  sealskin balls are filled with sand for weight.

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Spool Tractor

• Before children's toys became mass-produced, many
  parents made toys for their little ones from
  whatever they had at hand. This toy evolved from
  the wooden spools of thread normally found in the
  sewing baskets of mothers. Other spool toys were
  made but the spool tractor became a classic toy.
  Wind up the long dowel, put the toy down on a
  hard surface and watch it go!

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Puddle Jumper (Flying Machine)

• This toy is possibly the world's oldest flying
  toy! Over 2,000 years ago, the Chinese invented a
  toy of this type called the "Chinese Top," which
  consisted of a propeller attached to a stick. A
  helicopter-type flying toy of this kind was given
  to the Wright brothers by their father, and they
  became fascinated with the idea of flying. Now
  known as a hand propeller or helicopter, kids
  love to play with this simple toy at family
  gatherings and birthday parties. Spin it between
  your hands and watch it soar! Adult supervision
  is suggested for young children.

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Rocking Horse

• Rocking horses are more than a great toy for a
  child they are a distinguished piece of history!
  In fact private collectors and museums currently
  own and/or display some dating back to the 17th
  century, including one once owned by King Charles
  the First of England when he was a child.
• Although rocking horses became prominent during
  the Georgian and Victorian periods of England
  (where it subsequently became popular in
  America), it is believed that crude toy horses
  placed upon wheels were made for children as far
  back as ancient Greece and Egypt.

• A 17th-century rocking horse which could have
  been commissioned as a gift for Charles I is to
  be unveiled as the VA Museum of Childhoods
  latest acquisition. Purchased from a private
  collector, it will go on public display in the
  Museums new mezzanine galleries when the Museum
  reopens to the public on 9 December.

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Tops

• Spinning tops have been used by cultures
  throughout history and around the world. Tops
  were introduced in Japan during the 8th century
  from China by way of Koma in the Korean
  Peninsula. Japanese tops are known as "koma" and
  were originally a game for court people and
  nobility. Playing with tops is also part of our
  Early American history. They were known as "peg
  tops" in the early 1800s and played with by boys.

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Top Nursery Rhyme

• Spinning Twirly Tops
• No Strings or spring or ring or wing.
• It spins on its pedestal true.
• Just give it a twirl, then its off with a whirl.
• And the effect will surely surprise you too.

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Circle Toss (Top Game)

• Circle Toss Twirly tops can be even more fun
  when used in top games. The simplest of all top
  games involves trying to land the twirly top in a
  designated area. First, make a ring on the floor
  or outside in the dirt. Stand back about a foot
  behind the circle and throw the twirly top in the
  circle. Make sure it lands spinning! The player
  whose top lands in the circle the most times out
  of ten attempts wins!

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Plugging (Top Game)

• Plugging the first player begins by spinning a
  top in the circle. The next player attempts to
  knock it out of the circle while keeping his/her
  twirly top spinning

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Numbers (Top Game)

• Divide a circle into sections and assign a
  numerical value to each section. Players
  alternate turns in the game. The first player
  places his/her twirly top directly in the middle
  of the circle and then begins spinning the top.
  Score points according to where the top stops
  spinning. The player with the most points in ten
  attempts wins!

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Counqueror

• Conqueror was an exciting game! Two players spun
  their tops so that the tops so that the tops
  bounced against each other. The top that knocked
  the other over, but stayed upright itself, was
  the winner.

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Peg in the Ring

• To play this game children drew a circle on the
  ground about 3 feet (1m) wide. Players threw
  their tops into the ring one at a time, trying to
  peg, or hit the other tops in the ring. The
  object of the game was to split an opponents top
  and keep the iron peg as a trophy.

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Cup and Ball

• Toss toys date back to ancient Greece. The Cup
  and Ball Toss Toy was played with in Colonial
  America and is mentioned in an 1834 publication
  for girls. It is similar to, but much easier than
  the Bilboquet, which has the ball landing on a
  pointed stick instead of inside a cup. See if you
  can catch the ball with the cup. Play with others
  and see who can score the majority of points by
  catching the ball the most. Do not let this toy
  fool you it takes good hand dexterity to score.
• Cup and Ball is a game that tests the hand-eye
  coordination of the player. Played indoors or
  outdoors, the game consists of a cup made of
  wood. A wooden ball is connected to the cup by a
  string and the cup is attached to the handle.
• The object of the game is to swing the ball into
  the cup.

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Fish Toss Game

• American Folk toy. They say The Indian Ring Toss
  game was created by the Indians to teach the
  children how to spear fish. When all the rings
  line up just so, the fish appears through the
  holes and thats the moment to spear him.

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Stilts

• Walking on stilts is practiced by the shepherds
  of the Landes, or desert, in the south of
  France. Stilts are easily constructed two poles
  are procured, and at some distance from their
  ends, a loop of leather or rope is securely
  fastened in these the feet are placed, the poles
  are kept in a proper position by the hands, and
  put forward by the action of the legs. A superior
  mode of making stilts is by substituting a piece
  of wood, flat on the upper surface, for the
  leather loop the foot rests on and is fastened
  by a strap to it a piece of leather or rope is
  also nailed to the stilt, and passed round the
  leg just below the knee stilts made in this
  manner do not reach to the hands, but are managed
  entirely by the feet and legs. In many parts of
  England, boys and youth frequently amuse
  themselves by walking on stilts. (Clarke, 73-4)
• Take two long poles of equal length. At the same
  height, nail a flat piece of wood perpendicular
  to each pole sot that it forms a small step. Hold
  poles at angle so that the end of the pole
  closest to the step is facing down. Wrap an arm
  around each pole so that your shoulder is in
  front of the pole, but your elbow is behind the
  pole. Place one foot on the step, and as you
  place your second foot up, pull the poles so that
  they are perpendicular with the ground. Pull up
  with the stilt at the same time you take a step.
  Take small steps to begin.

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Kite

• Kite-flying has been a favorite pastime of
  American Children for generations. Perhaps the
  most famous kite-flyer of all time was Benjamin
  Franklin.
• In one original test, kite-flying was described
  as fine fun, especially if you had a good kite,
  plenty of string and a day neither too windy or
  too calm.
• The object of kite-flying was always to see whose
  kite could sour higher than anyone elses or
  whose kite could remain airborne the largest.

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Bilboquette (Bilbo Catcher)

• A popular toy regarded today as an Appalachian
  toy, the Bilbo Catcher is a ball with a hole
  drilled into it which has a string running
  through the ball, and the other end of the string
  is attached to a turned handle with a small
  curved surface onto which the ball, being swung,
  is to be caught and balanced. Much like the Cup
  and Ball game, this is more difficult than Cup
  and Ball. The chief differences between the two
  are that the Bilbo Catcher has a much smaller
  area with which to capture the ball, and the
  ball, once caught, is not bounded by walls, and
  so can easily fall off rather than being trapped
  in a cup.

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Juggling

• The oldest reference of juggling appears in an
  Egyptian tomb of an unknown prince from the
  Middle Kingdom period circa 1994-1781 B.C. A
  drawing depicts three women juggling by
  themselves and two pairs of women with partners
  on their backs who are juggling with each other.
  Balls used for play during this time period would
  probably have been made from leather stuffed with
  shredded leaves, three to nine centimeters in
  diameter. We know of other balls made of wood,
  clay faience, or plaited palm leaves because they
  were found in children's graves. In ancient
  Greece, competition was a part of life. Greek
  girls did not compete as much in physical
  activities as the boys, but they did play games.
  A vase shows a Greek girl juggling, but she is
  not considered an entertainer or an acrobat,
  rather just an ordinary girl. The word juggling
  derives from the Middle English jogelen to
  entertain by performing tricks, in turn from the
  French jongleur and the Old French jogler. There
  is also the Late Latin form joculare of Latin
  joculari, meaning to jest.
• Juggling became highly popular in America during
  the days of traveling circuses and was closely
  associated with clowns. Today, there are juggling
  associations, magazines devoted to juggling and
  open competitions. Jugglers use other props to
  juggle such as beanbags, rings, clubs, knives,
  and lit torches.
• Juggling is a physical human skill involving the
  movement of objects, usually through the air, for
  entertainment (see object manipulation). The most
  recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling,
  where the juggler throws objects through the air.
  Jugglers often refer to the objects they juggle
  as props. The most common props are balls,
  beanbags, rings, clubs, and bouncing balls.

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Optical Toys

• Thaumatrope
• Kaleidoscope
• Zoetrope

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Thaumatrope (Wonder Turner)

• The Thaumatrope, also known as the Wonder
  Turner was invented in 1826 by the English
  physician J.A. Paris. The Thaumatrope consisted
  of a piece of cardboard with a picture or image
  drawn on each side and two pieces of string
  attached to the cardboard with which to spin it.
  When the Thaumatrope was rapidly twisted back and
  forth, the pictures on either side merged into
  one.

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Kaleidoscope

• The kaleidoscope was invented in 1818. It looks
  like a telescope, but you can see a wonderful
  design inside the tube. This effect is created
  by several mirrors at the end of the tube. The
  mirrors reflect the pattern made by many chips of
  colored glass. The design can be changed by
  turning the section containing the bits of glass.

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Zoetrope

• This toy makes pictures appear as if they are
  moving. The toy is a drum like cylinder lined
  with a series of pictures. Between each picture
  was a small slot. To use the zoetrope, a child
  spun the cylinder and peered through a slot. The
  pictures inside appeared to move creating a short
  cartoon.

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Puzzle Toys

• Button and string
• Ox and yoke
• Nail puzzle

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Button String Puzzles

• The Button and String Puzzle is also known as the
  Cinch Puzzle because it resembles cinch blocks
  used to tighten tent ropes during the American
  Civil War. The object of the puzzle is to remove
  the wood button and string from the block of wood
  without untying the string. A similar but much
  more complicated toy called The Puzzling Rings is
  described in great detail in "The Boys Own Book,"
  published in 1829. These kinds of puzzles are a
  great amusement for anyone traveling long
  distances. Keep this toy in your car or give it
  to a child who has everything, especially time on
  his or her hands!

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Ox yoke Puzzle

• Puzzles have been a source of amusement and
  entertainment since the 3rd century B.C. If there
  were a "golden age of puzzles," it was probably
  around the end of the 1800s and early part of the
  20th century. It was during this period that the
  first patents for puzzles were granted.
• The Ox-Yoke Puzzle belongs to a group of string
  puzzles that were popular during the mid-1800s
  and early 1900s. In fact, these puzzles are still
  mind bogglers for all ages today.
• The object of the Ox-Yoke Puzzle is to move one
  wooden ring from the string loop on one side of
  the puzzle to the string loop on the other side
  of the puzzle without untying knots or cutting
  the string.
• Fun Fact The Ox-Yoke Puzzle is also known as the
  "Lover's Yoke Puzzle."

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Nail Puzzle

• The Nail Puzzle is a good example of olde-time
  ingenuity and resourcefulness. It looks simple,
  but is guaranteed to drive many bonkers! Just
  when you're ready to pound out the nails and use
  'em in your fence, they fall apart. But then try
  to show somebody how it's done -- wrong-o! Just
  remember, if at first you don't succeed, try, try
  again. Getting them back together is fully 50 of
  the puzzle fun.

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Metal Puzzles
45
Noise Making Toys

• Buzz Saw
• Bull Roarer

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Buzz Saw

• The Buzz Saw is one of the most popular
  noisemakers of all times! Native Americans made
  "buzzers" from a circular piece of bone or antler
  and used sinew instead of string. Colonial
  children played with buzz saws. This type of
  noisemaker was also known as "button on a string"
  during the Victorian Period and later. A very
  large button from a mother's sewing basket could
  be strung for this toy. Coins, bamboo, stones,
  and seashells have also been used to make this
  toy. Tin was even used, and teeth were cut around
  the circumference so that the disc would shred a
  piece of paper when the two came in contact. Made
  this way, it resembles a circular saw blade, and
  this is where it got the name Buzz Saw. Other
  names for the Buzz Saw are Whizzer, Whiligig,
  Whirligig, Moonwinder, and Skyewinder.

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Bull Roarer

• The bull roarer is a primitive wind instrument
  and one of the first musical instruments Man
  invented. It has been used by primitive cultures
  in Africa, Australia, New Guinea, Europe, the
  Americas, and the Arctic polar region. Its
  origins can be traced to 24,000 years ago! It has
  been a symbol of fertility, and evidence of them
  has been found in several Paleolithic sites.
• The bull roarer was an important acoustical part
  of various spiritual rituals and certain rites of
  passage in some areas of the world. When spun
  overhead in a circular motion, it produces a
  pleasing "whirr, whirr" hypnotic droning sound.
  This sound was incorporated into primitive
  rituals to produce a "voice" of an ancestor, a
  spirit, or deity. To others, its sound
  represented various insects and animals.
• The bull roarer has been used for several
  purposes. It has been used to call out to the
  spirit world and to gain the attention of
  spiritual beings who were thought to be able to
  influence the natural elements, such as wind and
  rain. Hence, bull roarers are usually painted
  with various symbols representing clouds,
  raindrops, lightning, and other depictions. The
  Apaches in North America used bull roarers to
  call forth rain.
• This ancient wind instrument was made with a flat
  wooden board (called a "rhomboid") and pierced
  with a small hole at one of the ends for
  attaching a length of cord or rope. The rhomboid
  was sometimes carved, painted, or both. Sometimes
  animal bone or stone was substituted for the flat
  wood board. Oftentimes, a thong handle was tied
  to the other end of the cord for a better grip to
  control speed and direction.

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Bull Rorer Continued

• The bull roarer's sound is produced by vibrations
  of the flat wood as it rotates in the air.
  Changing in the speed and angle to the ground
  changes the sonority and allows an individual to
  make the sounds of a whimper, moan, roar, or
  scream.
• There is not a typical range for bull roarers as
  each one is a one-of-a-kind instrument. Change
  the velocity of the spin, however, and the size
  of the instrument affects the relative pitch. The
  smaller the bull roarer, the faster it can be
  spun for a higher pitch. Conversely, a larger
  instrument spinning at a slower speed results in
  a lower pitch.
• The bull roarer has been used by Native American
  cultures such as the Athabaskan, Nootka, Yokuts,
  Pomo, Hopi, and Aztecs. The Navajo call their
  bull roarers "Tsin di'ni" (groaning stick) and
  used them to drive away evil spirits. It is
  called several different names, including
  "Burliwarni," "Ngurrarngay," and "Muypak."
  Sometimes a bull roarer was used to send animals
  into ambush or to alert a tribe of another's
  presence in their area.
• To the Maori, the bull roarer is called
  "Purererhua" (butterfly), and a smaller version
  (called a "Porotiti") was used for healing by
  spinning over areas of rheumatism or arthritis.
  (The sound's vibrations massaged joints in a
  similar way to modern ultrasound therapy!)
• The main academics that have studied ancient bull
  roarers have been ethnomusicologists and
  anthropologists. This is because of the
  instrument's use in ritual and magic ceremonies.
• Fun Fact The bull roarer is also called a
  Rhombus and is still used today as the "voice of
  God" by Aborigine tribes in Australia!
• Fun Fact The bull roarer is an "aerophone" and,
  along with the flute, one of the oldest musical
  instruments of its kind!