The waddling cockatoos toy

[ecar3483]

The waddling cockatoos are a very straightforward toy - push the left hand stick forward, push the right hand stick forward, push the left hand stick forward, repeat as necessary.... The little figures turn from side to side, "waddling" as they go.

This style of toy was popular in the early part of the 20th Century, but is probably older than that.

The things people amused themselves with before computers...

[twyngwyn]

[imastawka]

I had a dippy drinking bird for my daughter when she was little in the 70's

[ecar3483]

They are So cool. Nostalgia, nostalgia (now I'm starting to show my age)

[lurker172602]

I still have a wooden toy my grandad made for me.  When you squeeze the sticks together at the bottom the little man on the trapeze swings round and around.  My kids played with it sometimes and I expect my grand children will as well.  It's been re-strung a couple of times but he's still going strong.

[lloydslights]

Remember String Art and Copper Art?

[lloydslights]

I recall the joy of getting a buzz sound with the Spinning Button on String.

DEB 

[viewmont1071]

I recall people singing in a pub

unknown local Tassie pub May 2015

https://www.facebook.com/startsatsixty/videos/992658177434871/?fref=nf

[lloydslights]

....and stories and poems ....Lawson, Banjo, Wordsworth, Keats, Burns,.....

...or watching Nana slamming down her gold banded hand on the laminex table playing Euchre.....