Da Zhi Senior High SchoolTaipei, Taiwan

Momoko Tu

Traditional Child Toys & Games

Project Team Members

Teacher: Momoko Students: Min-Wen Chen, Yvette Liu,

Janelle Cheng , Ying Lin

Introduction

Today, we feel honored to introduce our ancient toys to you. These toys were mostly played in our parents’ childhood, but some were still played when we were young. Because of the poor country lives, our ancient toys were made of handy materials, such as wood, bamboo, and earth. They are easy to make, so you can even make them by yourself. Later, we will show you with some ancient toys, including ocarina, shuttlecock, bamboo gun, bamboo dragonfly, Chinese yoyo, and whipping top.

Stilts (Kao Chiau)

Introduction Stilts are poles, posts or pillars used to allow a person or structure to stand at a

certain distance above the ground. Walking stilts are poles equipped with steps for the feet to stand on, or straps to attach them to the legs, for the purpose of walking while elevated above a normal height. In flood plains, and on beaches or unstable ground, buildings are often constructed on stilts to protect them from damage by water, waves or shifting soil or sand. Stilts have been used for many hundred years.

Stilts

Origin According to a folktale, there was a drought long time ago in Chinese. Thousands of people

died of a shortage of grain. The Emperor commanded those who had granary help the victims of a natural calamity. But there was a county magistrate not obeyed, he was forcing up prices.

There was a young man, called Kao Chiau. He was a man with dignity and honor. He saw the county magistrate was so cruel, he decided to steal grain for those suffering form starvations. However, there was a high wall around the granary. One day, Kao Chiau went up the mountain and cut firewood. He saw some useful herbs in the tree. The tree was very tall, and Kao Chiau didn’t know how to get them. Suddenly, he came up with an idea. He climbs branches to get up and got herbs. He used this idea to make a pair of stilts with two branches. From then on, he got into granary from day to day. Finally, he was caught by the county magistrate and decided to kill him.

The news delivered to the village, everyone was very nervous. They tried to figure out an idea to save him. An old man came up and let every young man learn how to use the stilts. At the day county magistrate would kill the Kao Chiau, there wearing a lot of people wore stilts and made a circle around Kao Chiau. They fought with the executor of the death penalty and took Kao Chiau away. The county magistrate was very angry but had nothing to do.

After that, people wore stilts in memory of Kao Chiau.

Hopscotch (tiao fang tzu)

introduction Hopscotch is a simple children's game which can be played with several players or alone.

Hopscotch is often played on playgrounds by children.

Origin Hopscotch was invented by the Romans, probably in Britain during the early Empire. It

was initially designed as a training regimen for Roman foot soldiers who ran the course in full armor and field packs, as it was thought this would improve their footwork.

How to play- Each check has a number or a word, only the ”Heaven” and some special checks can rest.

Each number means the advance’s subsequence. Competitors can be divided into groups or individual. Playing hopscotch must have an enough place to play. Nowadays in Taiwan, children seldom have chances to play this game.

In the competition, you have to throw the little stone (or something else) in to the first check. You use one foot to jump in and kick the little stone in to the second checks. Who kicks the stone to the last check is the winner.

During the competition, if the stone is not kicked into the next check or gets across over the check or on the line, you must stop jumping and pass to the next person. The next time when it’s your turn, you have to start from the check you didn’t pass the last time.

Hopscotch (tiao fang tzu)

Shuttlecock ( chien tzu)

*Introduction Jiànzi (ti jian zi, ti jian or jiànqiú) is a traditional Asain game in which players aim to keep a

heavily weighted shuttlecock in the air using their feet and other parts of the body (but not hands.). The game, which goes by many different names.In Vietnam, it is known as da cau and is the national sport, played especially in Hanoi.In recent years, the game has gained a formal following inEurope, the United States and elsewhere.InEnglish, both the sport and the object with which it is played are referred to as "shuttlecock" or "featherball". No racquets are used.

*Origin The first known version of jianzi was in the 5th century BC in China. The name ti jian zi, means

simply 'kick shuttlecock' ('ti' = kick, 'jian zi' = little shuttlecock). The game is believed to have evolved from cuju, a game similar to football that was used as military training. Over the next 1000 years, this shuttlecock game spread throughout Asia, acquiring a variety names along the way.

Shuttlecock ( chien tzu)

*How to play shuttlecock?

First, Put the shuttlecock between your index finger and middle finger.

Drop it down and try to kick it up before it touch the ground. Use your tiptoe or instep to

Kick it.

*Videos

normal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfXiYhr3HCE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ6rxnlO_QQ

Spinning Top (tuo luo)

*Introduction A top, or spinning top, is a toy that can be spun on an axis, balancing on a point. This motion is

produced by holding the axis firmly while pulling a string. An internal weight then rotates, producing an overall circular motion. *Original The top is one of the oldest recognizable toys found on archaeological sites. Spinning tops originated

independently in cultures all over the world. Besides toys, tops have also historically been used for gambling and prophecy. Some role-playing gamers still use tops to augment dice in generating randomized results; it is in this case referred to as a spinner. A thumbtack may also be made to spin on the same principles.

Spinning Top (tuo luo)

*How to play a spinning top

First, wind the rope around the spinning top. Remember to tie a small knot at the

end of the rope in order to hold it later.

Then, hold it with your fingers like this.

Hold the knot and swing your arm to the direction of your desti nation. Estimate the distance by the length of the rope plus yo ur arm. The skill of controlling the strength depends on practicing.

Spinning Top (tuo luo)

*Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQoApCT985o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdKOObUYhwM&feature=PlayList&p=A68C3F6D1EA0B40B&index=0&playnext=1

Kendama (jih yueh chiu)

Origin 　　

The Kendama is a traditional Japanese game which itself is based upon the French game 'Bilboquet' meaning 'cup and ball'.

Bilboquet was one of the first real toy crazes in the early 1700s (the word bilboquet itself dates back to around the 11th century). 　　　　　 Originally a cup and ball, bilboquet soon evolved into a ball with a hole in it and a spike to catch it on.

　　

Kendama (jih yueh chiu)

Bilboquet was introduced to Japan during the Edo period (early 17th century) and was a popular after dinner amusement at banquets. It was in 1918 during the Taisho period, however, that extra cups were added onto the design to give what is today known as the kendama (“sword ball”), but was then called Nichi Getsu Ball (“sun moon ball”).

Until recently it was rare to see a kendama in the UK but with the recent launch of Team KD and the support of the British Kendama Association the scene is set for kendama to take the UK by storm!

Parts of a kendama:

1. Ken2. Ball3. Big cup4. Small cup5. Base cup6. Spike7. Cross piece8. Hole9. String10. Slip-stop grip11. Cup edge12. String hole (ken)13. String hole (ball)14. JKA seal15. Cup rim

Kendama (jih yueh chiu)

Kendama (jih yueh chiu)

Kendama (jih yueh chiu)

How to Play it?

First, hold it like this

Video

Pose When playing kendama you should stand with your knees slightly bent and your feet about shoulder width

apart. Your dominant foot should be placed a little forward of the other. It's important when playing kendama to use your entire body to make the pull up to catch, and because of this a proper stance can really improve your kendama play

Kendama (jih yueh chiu)

Benefits Well, in case you need another reason apart from "it's fun!", you'll be amazed at how much

exercise you'll get from playing with a kendama. When using the correct stance, just 10 minutes will get your heart pumping, and a half hour session of serious practise will leave you in need of a sit down.

Aside from giving the cardio-vascular system a work-out, you'll get the brain in on things too. The Japanese say kendama play promotes "shinen" & "kokoro no nebari" (concentration & persistence): important qualities in all aspects of life, not just when you're learning a new trick.

What’s more http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m53Sgc4mRxk&feature=related

Bamboo-copter (chu ching ting)

The 'bamboo dragonfly' is a Chinese children's toy invented around 400 BC. It essentially consists of a propeller on a stick, and rolling the stick in the right direction spins the propeller, causing the toy to "take off" when it is let go of. This toy made its way to Europe and is depicted in a 1463 European painting.

"Bao Pu Zi “ was a 4th century book in China that described some of the ideas in a rotary wing aircraft . In the USA, these are sometimes sold as Wooden Puddle Jumpers.

How to play?

The appliance of bamboo copter

Helicopter

/

Picture from:www.flickr.com/photos/dominoes/518990814

Rice Bags (sha pao)

Origin

　 　　 If shooting toys belong to boys, then what kind

of toys belongs to girls? It should be Rice Bags. Actually there is a similar game for boys, except it is called Collecting Pebbles. However, sewing discarded cloth scraps into Rice Bags seems to be a specialty for girls.

　　　　　

How to make it

　　　 Girls usually utilize the cloth scraps discarded by their mothers to make toys. They use their ingenuity to convert scrap cloth into toys. By sewing a scrap cloth into small bags, then after filling the open end with rice or beans, or even sands, sew the open to make a tight seal. Voila, Rice Bags are made! Usually several Rice Bags are made into a set of say, three, four or five.

How to play 1

　　 Collecting Rice Bags is a popular game among girls. It can be played by one girl, two girls, or many girls. The rules of the game are many, and can vary. Usually a set of Rice Bags consists of three to five bags. The game is played usually with a song, such as: “One and First, release the chicken, /Second, release the duck,/Third, open your pocketknife,/Fourth, close it./Fifth, clap your hands./Six, cross your hands on your breast,/Seventh, turn your hands around,/Eighth, touch your nose./Ninth, touch your ear,/Tenth, pick up.”

How to play 2

　　 In any case, whichever way the game is played, just like the Western saying: “If you chop your own wood, you will be warm twice,” (The first time one becomes warm during chopping, the second time when the chopped wood is burnt in a heathen.), children derived double pleasure from this game, the first time, making it, and the second time, playing it with a sense of accomplishment.

DO IT YOURSELF

1. Prepare five pieces of cloth, thread, needle and some of rice.

2. Sew on the sandbags.

3. Turn the sandbag inside out using the leaving of one centimeter.

4. Turn over to the front sandbag.

5. Pour the rice into the sandbags.

6. Sew up the hole.

7. The sandbags are done.

Pinwheel (feng che)

Origin

　　 Since antiquity man had learned how to use windmills to harness wind power. Children also discovered, by putting a pair of square shaped paper on the tip of one of a leg of a three legged caldron used for incense burning, a miniature windmill, or pinwheel, as it is called for children’s version, resulted. This is the most common type of wind powered toy. Do not underestimate this simple toy. Since Song Dynasty (960-1278 AD) it had been popular as a simple toy over the entire China.　

How to make it 1

　　　 To make a more elaborate pinwheel , cut half way along the two diagonals of a square piece of paper, and bend alternate sections toward the center to form four blades, and then puncture the center of the paper as well as the edge of the bent blades with a toothpick or a wire. You have a simple but effective pinwheel. It will turn swiftly towards a wind. This is a favorite homemade toy among children.　　

How to make it 2

　　　 To make a more durable pinwheel, one can use wood or bamboo to make pinwheels. Whether a pinwheel is made from a piece of paper, or from wood or bamboo plates, they offer the same joy to children. Pinwheel toy will never go out of fashion.

DO IT YOURSELF

1. Draw the lines on the white paper.

2. Cut the paper into segments with a knife.

3. Complete the cutting.

4. Pass through a hole on the center point of paper.

5. Use screwdriver to drill four holes on each corner at the bottom of Styrofoam.

6. Prepare one 40 centimeter length wooden shaft, one 10 centimeter length bamboo stick, and tie with a rubber band.

7. Out on a string of plastic pearls.

8. Insert the bamboo stick into the center hole.

9. Bend four sides of paper to the center point.

10. Cover with another string of plastic pearls.

11. It‘s done ！

Reference

Stilts http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stilts Hopscotch http://tw.knowledge.yahoo.com/question/question?qid=1206112601041 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopscotch http://blog.ueplay.com/?cat=7 Shuttlecock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jianzi SPINNING TOP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinning_top Kendama http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m53Sgc4mRxk&feature=related http://www.kendamakyokai.com/index_english.html http://kendama.tlmb.net/index.html

Reference

Bamboo-copter

www.flickr.com/photos/dominoes/518990814 Rice bags and Pinwheel http://edu.ocac.gov.tw/local/taiwan_toy/c_menu.htm