Fig. 200
Fig. 198 shows a very simple merry-go-round made by a large class, and more suited to the work of a large form than the first one described. Two square pieces of cardboard (3½-inch sides) form the top and bottom. Small reels are glued on as in the first merry-go-round. Four pieces of stout cane are pushed into holes in the top piece of cardboard, and the bottom of each piece of cane is split so that it holds a horse cut out of paper.
The children themselves will think of various ways of altering and improving this toy. Fig. 200 shows how match-boxes may be hung round for cars; match-boxes and horses may also be hung alternately. The children delight in decorating the top of their merry-go-round and the stick with coloured paper.
Fig. 201
Older children (nine to twelve) like to make the bottom and top of wood; in this case the top may be octagonal in shape. The central pillar, instead of being supported by a reel, can then be fastened as in Fig. 201, by four triangular supports (of which only two are shown).
Swinging Boats (Plate VI). This is another simple and effective toy that little ones can make and play with. The wooden stand can only be made by children of eight and older; a simpler stand can have a cardboard bottom, the supports being reels, the posts stripwood (¼" × ¼"), sand-papered to fit reels, and the cross-beam a strip of cardboard with holes in it.
The boats are match-boxes. Four strips of thick paper, all equal in length (a little longer than the match-box), are cut out and gummed inside the box, as A B, C D, etc., in Fig. 202. A match stick, H, passes through these strips of paper where they cross and projects on each side. Pieces of thread are tied to each end of the projecting ends. These threads fasten the car to the cross-beam.
Plate V A MERRY-GO-ROUND