Hello Friends!

We’re the Ostmo family, and we love learning about countries and people. Our oldest daughter, Melaya, has tons of friends all around the world!

Melaya has been playing with toys since she was a baby and we continue to play together every day but not only that. Some traditional toys have been there for almost centuries and have proven to be a great way for kids to learn about the world around them. You don’t believe us? Well, why we don’t ask Oscar? One of Melaya’s friends.

Traditional toys are more valuable than new ones

He’s from Spain and did you know that Spain is one of the main toy manufacturers in Europe? Oscar’s uncle has been a major player in the toy industry since the 1960s when most of them were wind-up toys, to use them you needed to move a lever on the side, and then the toy would start moving.

Maybe for the now more sophisticated toys than those from many years ago you could have seen them as unflattering and boring, but many people still like them so much that sometimes are sold at high prices. Oscar told Melaya that he has a massive collection of traditional toys, and his favorite one is called “El Alegre Vagabundo” (The Happy Vagabond), which looks a lot like the actor Charlie Chaplin. Have you seen any of his movies?

This happy little toy has a lever that you had to move back and forth in order to make the doll start walking on its own!

Have you ever had a wind-up toy?

Why André’s South African plushie is so special to him

André thought that sophisticated toys were better than traditional ones until his big sister decided to give him a surprise. André is from South Africa, more than 8,000 miles from London. Sometimes André doesn’t have enough money to buy the newest toys since his hometown is far away from the city. It’s hard to see so many kids with the ultimate toys and not be able to purchase them. So his big sister decided to gift him something more than a toy, and she decided to make one herself. She was very proud of her work and wanted André to be proud too. This was a South African doll that was made to look like André, down to his dark skin color and hair. The doll had a South African flag on its back and was wearing traditional clothes from the country. André’s big sister wanted him to have something that he could play with in his free time, but also something that would help him remember his homeland.

South African dolls are top-rated among children in South Africa, and they are usually made to represent a child’s parents or grandparents. The dolls are usually dressed in traditional costumes and have their own little stories that can be shared with other children.

André was very excited when he saw it and decided to call Melaya and show her his newest doll. She liked it very much and asked André how she can make this traditional toy from his country, André explained that all you need is a small piece of cloth, some wool, and a needle. Melaya thought that it was awesome how some toys can tell u a lot about a country’s culture and traditions. 

She remembered her friend Melissa, who is from Germany.

Melaya’s gift to Melissa

Melissa lives in Germany and she is very used to radio-controlled toys like Airplanes, Motor Boats, and even animals for the interactive stories she makes up when she plays with their Barbie dolls. 

Melissa’s birthday is coming and Melaya wants to get her a Puffbohne. The puffbohne is a traditional German plushie that has the shape of a bean and has a happy face. It’s kinda cute, don’t you think?

Melaya likes this toy because it has no batteries and can be played with anyone. 

This traditional toy was used for self-defense before!

True friends always support each other and it’s always a good idea to teach them about new countries and people. Like Mario! Mario is from a small town located in Mexico.

Mexico is a very interesting country because it’s a mix of European and Native American cultures. The best part about Mexico is all the different regions, each one has its traditions and they are all amazing! One example it’s their most traditional toy: El Trompo or “spinning top” in English. The trompo is a wooden top that spins on where you throw it and has been used by the Aztecs, Mayans, and other pre-Hispanic cultures for various purposes. 

Mario has a personal collection of Trompos that he uses to practice his juggling skills. He usually adds more to his collection because in Mexico it’s pretty usual to make professional competitions where people can show off their skills and other tricks. So, it’s no surprise that Mario has a lot of trompos at home. 

Emma’s Matryoshka dolls take a big part in her culture

We have seen many traditional toys from Melaya’s friends, let’s see one more with her Polish friend Emma! Emma is 900 miles from Melaya but it’s not a problem for them, they like to keep in touch often and the last time she and Melaya spoke Emma was talking about toys. Emma says that nowadays kids like to have more advanced ones since their traditional toys were mainly to decorate houses.

She showed Melaya one of them, Polish people like to call them “Matryoshka Russian Dolls“. They are a series of wooden dolls, painted and lacquered. The first doll is the biggest one, representing the mother, then comes her children and grandchildren until you get to the smallest doll which represents an infant (it’s called “babushka“). Matryoshka Russian Doll is a symbol of love, care, and strong relations between people. The tradition of making matryoshka dolls started in Russia, but it is not just a Russian thing. It spread around the world and nowadays you can find many different kinds.

Melaya wants to have a part in this tradition, so she said that it would be nice to have a Matryoshka doll collection. And you? Would you like to be a part of a culture with traditional toys? 

Tell us in the comments something interesting about your favorite traditional toy! And If you want to learn more about them, make sure to download the activity pack. We have flashcards, a learning guide, handwriting sheets, and drawings pages all dedicated to various traditional toys around the world!

Melaya loves chatting with kids from all over the world! If you want to teach Melaya about where you live or your favorite activities, please tell your mom or dad to use @learningtail on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to get in touch with us.