The University of North Carolina Press

The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Toys and Games

Edited By Linda Garland Page and Hilton Smith

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Part oral history and part rule book, The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Toys and Games is a joyous collection of memories of playing indoor and outdoor games; of making dolls, homemade board games, playhouses, and other toys--each with complete instructions and the flavor of southern Appalachia. Every toy and game has been tested by the Foxfire students and is devised to make or play yourself, without major expense, complicated parts, or electricity.

Originally published in 1985, the book includes familiar games like marbles, hopscotch, and horseshoes, as well as more obscure entertainments such as stealing the pines, crows and cranes, and thimble. Here, too, are instructions for constructing playhouses, noisemakers, puzzles, and whimmy diddles. The book also provides information on special games traditionally played on Sundays and holidays.

For those who are tired of worn-out batteries and electronic toys and for anyone curious about the playtimes of an earlier generation, The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Toys and Games is a welcome and entertaining guide.

About the Author

Linda Garland Page, an early Foxfire student and former director of the Foxfire Press, is an elementary school art teacher. Hilton Smith, formerly an editor at Foxfire Press, is director of Foxfire Teacher Outreach.