Category: Make
The 1913 “Toy” That Let Children Shock Their Friends
In the early 1900s, homemade toys often came with a spark of danger, sometimes literally. Long before modern safety warnings and store-bought science kits, young…
Curious Homemade Tops of the Early 1900s
Long before televisions hummed in living rooms or smartphones glowed in children’s hands, amusement was often built at the kitchen table with scraps of wood,…
Old Instructions on How to Make Whip Bow and Crossbow
American newspapers were filled with projects meant to keep boys busy outdoors, and many of them involved homemade weapons. Long before video games and television,…
Forgotten Icebox Trick from the Early 1900s
Before electric refrigeration became common in American homes, keeping food cold during the sweltering summer months was a constant struggle. Families depended on ice deliveries,…
How Boys Built Electric Batteries at Home in 1913
In 1913, electricity still felt like magic to much of the world. Homes were only beginning to glow with electric light. Radios were rare curiosities….
A 1909 Hen House Alarm You Can Still Make Today
In the summer of 1909, a Pennsylvania newspaper offered its readers a simple but clever solution to a very real problem: how to protect a…
How to Make Wooden Stilts Instructions From 1906
Here are instructions published in 1906 on how to make wooden stilts. After covering the Landes stilts, I felt that it was only appropriate to…
How to Make a Wrapping Paper Wagon Instructions From 1902
The following instructions are for making an old-fashioned pull wagon out of cardboard. The instructions for children were originally published in a newspaper in 1902,…
Little house cutout from 1910
As a child, I loved the cutouts found in newspapers and children’s magazines. The cutout below is from a 1910 newspaper. I thought I’d share…
Free Pine Tree Stencil Pattern
This free pine tree stencil pattern comes from a pre-1922 newspaper and is copyright expired. I have been enjoying working with stenciling in my free…
