Toys and Play: With Everyday Materials

Gr 2–6—This guide to homemade toys features instructions for how to make 23 different items using basic materials like paper, clay, sticks, and glue. Each project description includes step-by-step instructions accompanied by colorful drawings, along with an explanation of the scientific principles behind the toy, and ideas for extending or experimenting with different ways of making it. Some examples are the "Clap-Trap," constructed from two pieces of cardboard held together by a rubber band, which snap together loudly when thrown; the "Retpocileh," a paper copter that spins around rapidly when thrown or dropped; and the "Stitch-in-Time," a toy made with sticks, a leaf, and a potato arranged in such a way that the sticks actually make a stitch down the length of the leaf. The work concludes with a section, primarily for adults, that addresses the value of homemade toys, which, even though they are often dismissed by kids (and even adults) as not being "real" toys, actually offer greater benefits in terms of creativity and open-ended play. The only possible downside to this book for U.S. children is that the paper measurements are all given in centimeters, and some of the materials, such as peepal leaves and thread reels (small cardboard cylinders), may be hard to find. But, as the authors point out, part of the challenge in making toys is figuring out how to use the materials you have on hand.