Traditional Kids’ Toys in Pakistan

Pakistan traditions and cultural plays are interesting and depict its values and lifestyle. Handmade toys designed for the leisure time of the kids are the part of rich traditions of the country. It is the beauty of rural area where kids play with those handheld toys with their friends near fields, in the streets and open places. There are a few handmade toys for kids that are part of the culture and heritage. Forefathers used to play with those toys and love to introduce them to the kids telling about their childhood and remembering memories.

The most famous traditional toys for kids are Pambheeri, Damroo, Rehri, Latoo (top), Guddi (Dolls), Gogu Ghora (Hand made clay toys) and other wooden and clay toys. Kids in the rural area continued to play with them today. Traditional exhibitions, hawkers and roadside shops still offer those toys to the kids in the cities so they also get in touch with their traditions and culture.

Those toys are specifically handmade for the fun time of the kids and providing them play time that they enjoy. Playing with the Gudda, Guddi  kids mock the weddings and make their imaginative play with their friends. The modern Barbie dolls have replaced the handmade Gudda Guddi of the rural toys and now girls have more detailed and modern doll play sets, their houses, dresses and more that are available easily. The classic dolls use to wear local dresses sewed by the girls with dupatta and traditional dress.

Rehri and Damroo are made with bamboo sticks and designed for producing melodies and sounds that attract the kids. Rehri is the old form of the vehicle that is two wheels toy and dragged to move with the thread tied to it at the front. As the kids pull it and move it produce a sound. The modern RC car toys and vehicles are the replacement of the Rehri. 

Damroo is the drum like toy that has a hollow drum attached with the bamboo stick and play the beat with the threads as kids move it in circular motion.

Pambhari looks like a small wind mill that has the paper flower at the top of the bamboo stick and it moves like fan . Wooden top of the ancient times is called Latoo that is still famous and played by the kids. Having the most advanced form of the top as Beyblade did not reduce the worth of Latoo. A rope is spiraled over the top and released with a specific hand motion that makes the top move and spin for longer. It is the favorite kids’ play to have a match and see who can spin for longer. The battle is won by the one whose Latoo spins for longest.

Traditional toys for kids are being the source of enjoyment and happiness for the kids since long and it is the part of the culture of Sub-continent. The charm of the old toys cannot be neglected while introducing the kids to the life of their elders, parents and grandparents. Despite of the modern toys in replacement of the traditional; the handmade toys for the kids are still being played in the rural areas.