Older than Barbie…
It might look a bit grubby but this doll used to be someone’s favourite toy. We think it’s a girl because there’s a glass bead on its head, like a hair clip. What do you think?
Roman linen rag doll, 1st-5th century AD
The good luck doll
This is a doll from Ghana in Africa. It is a hundred years old. Fathers sometimes give dolls like this to their daughters, to help them have lots of babies when they grow up.
Asante fertility doll, early 20th century
Find out more about this object
3,2,1 Blast off!
This rocket kite is ready to blast off into the sky! It’s from a kite festival in Bali in Indonesia. Every year there are wonderful kites shaped like dragons, ships, butterflies and fish.
Rocket kite by Pak Timtim, 1998
A tattooed kite
Can you see the tattooed face and shell eyes on this bird kite? It was made by the Maori people of New Zealand and it’s so big that it needs two people to fly it.
Maori bird kite, possibly early 19th century AD
The longest puppet show?
Which of these bright puppets do you like best? They’re from Indonesia, where puppet shows can last all night! People eat, drink and go to sleep during the show.
Wooden puppets from Java, Indonesia
Skin but no bones
Imagine a puppet made of skin! It sounds weird... but this stork puppet is made of camel skin. The colours shine brightly when it’s held up to a light.
Stork puppet, moved by rods, 20th century
The lion’s roar
We’re not sure if this toy is a cat or a lion. What do you think? It’s more than three thousand years old. When the string is pulled its mouth opens and shuts so it can roar!
Wooden toy cat from Thebes, Egypt, 1550-1070 BC
