Can You Name These Ancient Toys and Games?
What is this spherical toy?
- The first soccer balls and footballs were made from inflated pig's bladders.
What is this board game of ancient Egyptian origins called?
- With throwing sticks and hieroglyphics on the board, you can still find the game of Senet to play today.
Can you identify this popular game among Nordic and Celtic peoples, including the Vikings?
- This ancient board game was played by Vikings throughout modern Norway to Iceland, and Denmark to Ireland.
This Victorian toy spins quickly and generates an illusion? what is it?
- By twirling the string that the central double-sided image is attached to, you can create the illusion of both images combining into one.
If you were playing with this animal-on-a-stick, what would you say you were having fun with?
- Occasionally fitted with wheels at the end of the stick, children used to enjoy riding this "horse" around early England.
For ancient Greek children, this was a fun game to play with friends; but do you recognize it?
- Knucklebones were originally made of sheep or goat bones, but could also be created with glass or stone for children to play with.
Drop the items on a flat surface and use skill to play this game, called...?
- Pick up sticks take skill as you wiggle each item out of the pile without disturbing the rest of them.
Do you know what this intriguing toy is called, that provides a visual illusion when you pick it up in a certain way?
- A Jacob's ladder is a fun folk toy that uses physics to create a visual or kinetic illusion.
Originating in Africa, this game uses tokens and a pattern of holes in the board for playing. What is its name?
- The earliest Mancala boards are traced back to East Africa in 700 AD and the game is still played by people across the continent today.
This toy comes from an original Chinese design but was very popular in the West during the Regency era, complete with string, poles, and axle. Do you know what it's called?
- A toy requiring skill, it uses gravity and timing on the user's part to launch the center axle and do tricks.
