Summary

Home-made sheep, made from everyday household materials - body is an orange kitchen sponge, head is a steel wool pad, eyes are two unused matches, legs are two white pegs, and tail is a white pipe cleaner. There is a yellow ribbon tied around the body of the sheep. Made by a child, and donated to the ACFC in 1991.

This object is part of the Australian Children's Folklore Collection. The ACFC 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.

The use of recycled or found materials to make playthings is common to children all over the world. In many instances, the process of making the object is as important to the child as the end result. The use of ordinary household materials gave rise to playthings such as matchbox furniture, button spinners, cotton-reel 'tractors' and peg dolls, which were familiar objects to children earlier this century and until approx. the 1960s. Children today make their playthings from contemporary materials, but the common ingredient is imagination. This object was made by a child, from ordinary materials found in the kitchen or the laundry.

Physical Description

Home-made sheep, made from everyday household materials - body is an orange kitchen sponge, head is a steel wool pad, eyes are two unused matches, legs are two white pegs, and tail is a white pipe cleaner. There is a yellow ribbon tied around the body of the sheep. Acknowledgement: Australian Children's Folklore Collection, Museum Victoria.

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