About the Book
Ingenious, Fun, Resourceful, These are words that perhaps best describe folk toys. And here Is a book that captures their spirit. Simple Wonder: Toy stories to make and tell draws from the vast storehouse of traditional Indian folk toys and shows children how to make Imaginative playthings out of everyday materials that often go to waste. The emphasis Is more on the fun of creation rather than a perfectly finished toy. The easy-read instructions and clear pictures have been designed so children can work on their own, though younger ones may need a little help from an older child or adult.
And there Is more to make the Imagination truly take wing. For along with each toy Is a small story - a folktale or an original - to stimulate a multi-dimensional approach to craft activities. Folk riddles. sayings and bits of playful verse keep children In touch with traditional earthy wit from different parts of the country. All of this makes the book as much for adults as for children; a precious resource for teachers to use In a classroom. A handy book, too for long hours of creative play at home. For 8 years and above.
Well-known sculptor S. Paramasivam has always been fascinated by the magic of creative hands. As a Child, he loved the folk toys that would suddenly appear at festivals or In the market. When he found himself In the United States years later, married to Cathy Spagnoll and entertaining their son, he recalled those play-filled memories. He made his own adaptations of several toys and was soon sharing these through workshops In schools libraries and museums.
Cathy Spagnoll tells tales In a computer age and her listeners love It. A professional storyteller/Writer for after 20 years. Cathy has given numerous programmes In the US. Canada. South Asia. Korea and Japan. Her tales are also shared through her books on Asian folktales and storytelling techniques. her story telling cassettes. and articles published In Asia and the US. She has published two books with Tulika before this: Priya’s Day, a bilingual activity book, and Telling Tales from Asia, a resource book on storytelling.
Paramasivam and Cathy live In the Artists' Village, Cholamandal, near Chennai.
Introduction
For younger readers
For thousands of years, children all over the world have created and played with folk toys. Many of these wonderful toys are made from common materials freely available. Such folk toys can also be made from any kind of recycleable materials found around your homes, so that you can have fun while you help the earth!
India is a particularly rich source of folk toys. The traditional toymaker is very resourceful. Nothing is wasted: a piece of old oil can is suddenly a painted mask, tyres turn into sandals and skipping ropes, threads from old saree borders are reused. And India is a very diverse country. So the possibilities for folk toys are endless.
Many craftsmen make their living by producing small handmade items. As you make your own toys, you will appreciate the patience, energy and creativity shown by these artisans. When you see crafts at festivals, fairs, markets, try to support these talented workers. For even though we now have wonderful, fast technology, we must still value crafts made by creative human hands.
Folk toys encourage us to imagine and invent (and so do stories, that's why we included a few of those, too). As you make the toys in the book and then go on to create your own, remember that invention comes slowly. A first step to creating anything is to locate the raw materials. Keep an eye out for usable junk and natural items. Experiment with the materials, have your hands help your brain think. One thing leads to another. Let your imagination soar as you experiment. That is more exciting and more important than making a perfect toy.
Learn as you play and have fun!
For parents and teachers
Folk toys are wonderful in the class and home, for they promote a kind of hands-on learning. All young minds don't work in the same way; each has different strengths. Some children are more at home using their hands and minds to create, to experiment, to invent. For these children who may not always shine in a school setting, making folk toys is an exciting challenge. For some the visual drawings may be enough, but there are also clear and easy directions for those who like step-by-step written instructions.
Generally, the toys progress from the easier to the more difficult. A list of required materials is given for each folk toy. To help give you an overview, the items needed for all the toys are listed on the next page. Many of these tools and materials are often available in classrooms and homes. Others can be obtained and the tools can be shared. It is very useful to always have a wooden board handy while working on such things.
After the toy is made, it can be used in various ways. Since toys often stimulate dramatic play, we added a few stories, both traditional and original, that children can use with or after their folk toy play.
At the end of each story there is a riddle or saying or rhyme, connected in some way to the toy or the story. This is just for fun, and to acquaint children with snippets of folklore from different parts of the country. Younger ones may need help in making some of the toys, but otherwise children should be encouraged to create on their own. That is what this book is about.
Contents
Things to keep handy
General hints
Toy stories to make and tell
Scre-e-e-echer
Marching Elephant
Peck- Pecking Birds
Spinwheel
Twirling Bird
Ssssnako
Dum - Dum Drum
Flip, Flap, Flying Bird
Hide-and-Seek Picture
About the toy maker
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