ABSTRACT
Children, when left to their own devices, can create elaborate thingsobjects, indeed environments, suited to the spirit and imagination of youth. Yet often such creativity eludes the watchful eye of the parent, no less the curator or ethnographer. The child commonly keeps the creation private. Why? Children may feel embarrassed about making playthings themselves when toys supplied by Mom and Dad sit idly by, or they may be discouraged from strange (by adult standards, anyway) flights of fancy. Many parents take the attitude that the child's world springs from adult hands and tastes. Many folk toys, songs, and games for children, in fact, are really crafted by adults. But children do think for themselves, and thought sparks creativity-a small world of their own making.
