TOYS AND GAMES

PRE- OR POST-TRIP ACTIVITY

The Thaumatrope (The Homeplace)

Materials:

Note cards
Two pieces of string for each card
A hole punch
Markers/colored pencils
Patterns

This was a very popular toy for children in the mid-nineteenth century. It is also simple to make, easy to play, and fascinating to watch.

Have the students pick which drawing they like best, cut the two sides out and color them. Then glue one side of the thaumatrope pattern to the note card (with the picture facing out). Next, have them cut along the out side of the circle of the pattern. Then, glue the other side of the pattern to the opposite side of the note card, making sure that the picture is in the opposite direction of the first picture. Then punch holes where the two squares are. (The squares should line up on both sides of the card.) Finally attach a piece of string to each side of the card where they punched the holes.

To play with your thaumatrope simply hold one string in each hand and spin. Both halves of your picture should be joined into one.