Home-made Toys for Girls and Boys: Wooden and Cardboard Toys, Mechanical and Electric Toys

"Home-made Toys for Girls and Boys" by A. Neely Hall is a practical craft book written in the early 20th century. The publication focuses on guiding children in creating their own toys, using commonly available materials like wood and cardboard. It presents a range of projects, from simple pinwheels and kites to more complex structures like dollhouses and toy motorboats, encouraging creativity and resourcefulness. The opening of the book introduces its purpose and highlights the benefits of making toys at home, such as fostering creativity, prolonging engagement with playthings, and instilling a sense of accomplishment. Hall provides a motivational framework, asserting that the joy in toy-making lies as much in the creation process as in the resulting item. He aims to inspire children and their guardians to recognize that high-value toys can be handmade from inexpensive materials found around the home, setting the stage for the detailed, step-by-step instructions that follow.