The Ancient Origins of Children’s Toys
A playful TED-Ed lesson by Totem Creative explored the ancient history of children’s toys, noting that while many were specific to their time and cultural context, several have remained timeless and universal. This includes dolls, whistles, and board games.
Archaeologists have found material, visual, and written evidence for toys across the ancient world. In 3000 BCE Anatolia, miniature toy carriages raced through the dirt. In the Indus Valley a thousand years later, a toddler giggled at the sound of their terracotta whistle.
The most historically popular toy, however, is the humble ball.
Thousands of years ago, children in ancient Egypt, China, Greece, and Mesoamerica kicked and threw balls made of everything from leather and linen to papyrus and palm fiber. The rules for most of their games have been lost to time, however some kids may have imitated adult games we know more about.
