+ Paper Toys From around The World By Sarah Woon and Paris Braim
+ What are paper toys? Paper toys are, as the name suggests, made out of paper. There are many different styles ranging in difficulty. They can be created by folding, cutting, decorating or gluing pieces of paper together. Popular examples of paper toys: Air planes Paper dolls Paper cranes Paper fortune tellers
+ History In the past, the use and creation of paper toys were only for the rich or of high status, as the paper was precious and expensive. The creation of paper toys were for the entertainment of the rich and their children. At that time, paper was expensive, so only rich people could afford it. The earliest form of paper toys dates back to just before the 6 th century. During that time, China were the first to have the basic form of Origami. This soon travelled to Japan, where it is now more widely known.
+ Origami Origami is a Japanese method of paper toy making. The word ‘Origami’ originates from the Japanese words ‘Ori’ meaning ‘to fold’ and ‘Kami’ meaning ‘paper’. The first forms of Origami were found in China. They first started making paper toys when they first started making paper. Paper folding and paper toys was at first primarily for the rich, however when the method for printing paper was upgraded the folding of paper toys became more open to the public. The secret of paper folding stayed in China for the first few hundred years, however it became particularly popular in Japan, when a monk brought the secret of origami over to the Japanese people.
+ Origami (continued) Origami is still very popular in Japan, the most popular toy being the crane. The myth regarding paper cranes is that if you make 1000 then you get to make one wish/ your hearts true desire. The crane also symbolizes peace, the legend being that a girl named Sadako Sasaki was exposed to radiation of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima as an infant, and hearing that 1000 paper cranes would grant her a wish she started making them. However, when she realised that like the many other patients, she was going to die of leukaemia too, her dying wish that the world would be at peace. A statue now stands in Hiroshima Peace Park in honour of her. Origami has now expanded so that most of the world knows of it and objects such ad flowers and boxes can also be made using origmai, origami is considered one of the worlds most recognisd form of paper toys.
+ Paper Dolls Paper dolls is widely used in France. They are 2D, flat, thin figures of a person, with separate clothing to put on for the doll. The first sign of paper dolls dates back to the 18 th century. Back then, the dolls were called pantins, meaning jumping jack puppets. The dolls were hand-painted and often drawn to look like a celebrity.
+ Wayang Kulit Wayang Kulit, meaning shadow puppets, are a Balinese tradition. The Balinese people live on the island of Bali, Thailand. Very often, the children will gather together to watch the performance of the Wayang Kulit as entertainment. The Wayang Kulit are mainly made of paper and leather. The time to create one shadow puppet takes several weeks and great skill.
+ Fortune Tellers Paper Fortune Tellers, still very widely used today, are toys where questions are asked, and the toy is manipulated and moved to see your fortune. The earliest form of paper fortune tellers in the West known are from England in At that time, they were also known as salt cellars, cootie catchers, chatter box etc.
+ Paper airplane Paper airplanes are purely made of paper, which is folded to have a streamline shape to glide in the air. The very first paper airplane is recorded in 500 BC, in China/Japan, with other designs and models written by Da Vinci. Paper airplanes are one of the most popular forms of paper toys, as they are easy to fold from young ages, and there is not right or wrong way of folding.
+ Paper Toys Today Websites such as papercritters.com offer a basic template to which the user can create their own paper critter. With a wide range of symbols and colours to choose from paper critters is an easy program for making online paper toys today. When printed, the paper toy is flat on paper as a model, which can then be folded in to shape. Although the web offers a whole new perspective on paper toys, the majority of paper toys are still made by hand. Today, most paper toys are done on computer. Many websites offer digital decorations to design a 3D paper toy, like a bobble head, which can then be printed and stuck.
+ Bibliography "History of Origami." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 11 Dec "Sadako Sasaki." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 May Web. 11 Dec "Paper Toys." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Apr Web. 11 Dec "Paper Doll." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Sept Web. 13 Dec "Wayang." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Sept Web. 13 Dec