Toys for children: origins and roots

It's no secret that toys for children have appeared for a long time, although no one will tell you the exact date of the first such thing. The main function of toys is entertaining, nevertheless, educational and training functions are very important, thanks to which the child develops intelligence, thinking, logic, imagination, becomes sociable. It is difficult to say exactly which was the first toy, however, most likely it was something of a doll or rattle.

The origin of the doll, as many guess, has a religious background. Primitive people created so-called idols or idols, symbolizing the material embodiment of some god, demon or spirit. Idols gave an opportunity to pray not to something abstract, but quite specific. Some idols were large and installed in sacred groves or on natural elevations. Others were made miniature, performing the function of amulets or amulets.

The man reflected like this: if I carry a god (spirit) with me, he will patronize me. For the same reason, small idols were laid to sleep with the children, especially since they were not at all against it. So there were toys for children of anthropomorphic (anthropoid) or zoomorphic (animal-like) species. The fact is that different peoples at different times imagined the gods differently, not only in the form of people, but also animals - the so-called totemic ancestors.

The first rattles also appeared a very long time and are also associated with religion. The fact is that the priests and shamans used noise as a method of scaring out evil spirits in the process of carrying out various rituals. To do this, they made the simplest rattles: they took vegetables like pumpkins or cucumbers, removed flesh, dried, and inside threw dried seeds, pebbles, pebbles, shells. Adults quickly noticed that young children like these rattles, entertain them and distract them.

It should be noted that educational toys were the first that people invented. Dolls, for example, from the very beginning fell in love with girls, developing in them a maternal instinct. Well, rattles are both an ancestor of a musical instrument, they develop a sense of rhythm and hearing in children. The same applies to percussion instruments - tamtams, drums, etc. Curiously, the ancient Greeks believed: rattles and ratchets drive away evil spirits, which can harm children.

The ancient Greek rattle was made in such a way: they took a handle, attached a disk to it, and bells on it. Still known were the so-called sisters: they took two transverse rods and fastened metal plates to each of them. As for the first dolls, they, as mentioned above, carried the function of an amulet or could help in something. For example, traditional Russian grain dolls were made for a harvest festival to produce wheat or rye.

Toys for children were made of natural materials: wood, clay, later from metal. In addition, various kinds of fabrics, ropes, fibers of dry grasses and other improvised materials were used. The dolls with their feet and arms moving have been known since the time of Ancient Egypt: body parts were connected by means of strong ropes or wire. Apparently, thanks to this, the first puppet theater appeared, where doll puppets moved by pulling on one of the ropes.