Toys from the Past Box 2


Toys through history

The world's oldest toy



The oldest toy in the world is a stick! Before people started making toys they played with things they found. There are lots of sticks around and it is easy to make a game using them.

Can you think of a game you could play using a stick?



Playing outside



When people started making toys they were made by a toy maker. This made them very expensive and most families could not afford them. For many years, children in Elmbridge played outside and created their own toys and games.

Can you think of a game you can play without any toys at all?



The Victorian Period



In the Victorian period people started making toys in factories. Factories were able to make lots of toys very quickly. This meant that more children were able to have them!



Victorian toys



In the Victorian period people also started inventing lots of different types of toy. Children now had more options to choose from.

This is a picture of a family from Elmbridge. Can you recognise any of the toys in the picture? Do they remind you of any toys you have at home?



The invention of plastic!



For a long time toys were made out of materials like metal, wood and cloth. Then scientists discovered an exciting new material - plastic! Lots of toys started to be made in this new material.

How many of your toys at home are made of plastic? Why do you think this material is good for making toys?



Video games



Recently there has been another big change in the toys we play with. Computer games have only recently been invented, but are very popular!

Do you play video games? How are video games different from other toys?



Guessing game!

Can you guess what materials these toys are made out of? Look closely at the pictures and see if you can work it out! Hover over the pictures to find out the answer, as well as learning a bit more about the toy!

This yo-yo is made out of wood and string The yo-yo is a very old toy and has been around for thousands of years. Hold the wooden yo-yo in your hand with your finger through the loop in the string. Let the yo-yo drop and see if you can get it to climb back up the string!

This Shirley Temple doll is made out of paper Paper dolls have been popular for a long time because they are so easy to make! They come with lots of outfits that wrap around the doll. When you find the doll in the discovery box, see if you can count how many outfits she has! The little girl in this set is Shirley Temple, who was a famous film star! Which famous person or character would paper dolls be designed around today?

This rubik's cube is made of plastic The rubik's cube was invented in the 1970s. It is a puzzle and you have to try and make all the colours match up on each of the faces like in the picture. It is very hard to do! Why not have a go when you find it in the discovery box!

These marbles are made of glass Marbles are a very old toy that have been around for thousands of years. They come in lots of different colours! These marbles are made of glass, but they can also be made out of clay.

This spinning top is made from metal The spinning top was a popular Victorian toy. Pushing down on the handle on the top makes it spin really fast!

This flick book is made from card and paper A flick book makes pictures look like they are moving. Hold the book in one hand and use your other hand to flick through the pages as fast as you can! What story is in the flick book in the discovery box?

This 5 stones game is made from wood, leather and string This game was popular during the Tudor period and has been played for hundreds of years. There are lots of different way to play this game, but to start lay all the stones on a table. Throw one stone in the air and see if you can pick up a stone from the table and catch it again. See how many stones you can pick up each time!

This teddy is made out of fabric, fur, stuffing and thread Modern teddies are very soft and cuddly, but older teddies were a bit different. When you find the bear in the discovery box take a look! How would you describe how the bear feels?

This jacob's ladder toys is made out of wood and ribbon To play with this toy, hold it up by one of the blocks at the end so the other blocks are hanging underneath. Tip the block you are holding over and watch as all the other blocks tip over too!

This Sindy doll is made out of plastic and fabric Sindy dolls were very popular in the 1960s. They are made out of lots of different types of material. Can you think of another doll that looks similar to this one? What types of doll are popular now?

Teacher's Area

Toys from the Past Discovery Box 2 Inventory


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