Summary

Alternative Name(s): Whirligig
Made: 1988
Made at the Children's Museum's 'You're IT!' exhibition, 1988.
The Australian Children's Folklore Collection is unique in Australia, documenting contemporary children's folklore across Australia and in other countries reaching back to the 1870s. The Collection has a strong component of research material relating to Victoria.
This paper windmill is a variation on the genre of children's toys that use wind to create noise (such as wirling, humming or percussion toys) or movement (such as kites, paper aeroplanes or paper windmills). Part of the appeal of these toys is in using the imagination to create a design that will make the best use of natural energy sources. This paper windmill is also handmade. Throughout the world, children play with toys and other playthings which have been handmade by themselves or adults, for their amusement. These types of toys are often created from readily obtained materials like pieces of wood, wire, cloth, paper or other recycled packaging materials. Windmills have been popular children's toys at least since medieval times.

Physical Description

Paper windmill, traditional pattern with four arms, using a wooden chopstick as the handle. The arms are coloured burgundy and yellow and secured to the chopstick with a pin and two plastic beads, one green and one purple. Wind, or the action of blowing on the windmill, causes the arms to spin around. Acknowledgement: Australian Children's Folklore Collection, Museum Victoria.

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