Toy Rattle
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A baby rattle is a rattle produced specifically for the amusement of an
infant In common terminology, a baby is the very young offspring of adult human beings, while infant (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'baby' or 'child') is a formal or specialised synonym. The terms may also be used to refer to juveniles of ...
. Rattles have been used for this purpose since antiquity, and experts in child development believe they help the infant improve hand-eye coordination by stimulating their senses.


History

Baby rattles go back at least 2500 years. A rattle made of clay was found in Poland in a grave of a baby who was a member of the early Iron Age
Lusatian culture The Lusatian culture existed in the later Bronze Age and early Iron Age (1300–500 ) in most of what is now Poland and parts of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, eastern Germany and western Ukraine. It covers the Periods Montelius III (e ...
, and was documented by archaeologists. That hollow clay rattle was shaped like a pillow and was filled with little balls. It was found next to a tiny urn containing the cremated remains of the baby. Many similar examples of baby rattles have been recovered from Greco-Roman archaeological sites. Often, these rattles were in the shape of a pig or a boar, and sometimes a figure of a baby was riding the animal. Pigs were associated with the Greek goddess
Demeter In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Demeter (; Attic Greek, Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric Greek, Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Twelve Olympians, Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over cro ...
, who was invoked in rituals intended to protect babies in life and death. Greek philosopher
Aristotle Aristotle (; 384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, a ...
says in his ''
Politics Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...
'' that young children should be given a rattle (particularly one designed by
Archytas Archytas (; ; 435/410–360/350 BC) was an Ancient Greek mathematician, music theorist, statesman, and strategist from the ancient city of Taras (Tarentum) in Southern Italy. He was a scientist and philosopher affiliated with the Pythagorean ...
) to keep them quiet and "stop them from breaking things in the house". In Celtic cultures, it was common practice to produce toys out of rushes, much like how
Brigid's cross Brigid's cross or Brigit's cross (, ''Crosóg Bhríde'' or ''Bogha Bhríde'') is a small variant of the Christian cross often woven from straw or Juncus, rushes. It appears in many different shapes; the earliest designs were simple Christian Ch ...
are made in
Irish culture The culture of Ireland includes the Irish art, art, Music of Ireland, music, Irish dance, dance, Irish mythology, folklore, Irish clothing, traditional clothing, Irish language, language, Irish literature, literature, Irish cuisine, cuisine ...
, Morthwyl sinc (or 'Rygarug') are produced by the Welsh, they are woven by hand and teeth into a cocoon shaped encasing, inside there would be pebbles or possibly dried seeds to produce the rattling sound. In colonial America, artisans made elaborate gold and silver baby rattles incorporating bells and whistles and teething devices made of coral. In 1777, in the early days of the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
,
John Hancock John Hancock ( – October 8, 1793) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father, merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot of the American Revolution. He was the longest-serving Presi ...
wrote to his wife,
Dorothy Quincy Hancock Dorothy Quincy Hancock Scott (; May 21 (May 10 O.S.) 1747 – February 3, 1830) was an American hostess, daughter of Justice Edmund Quincy of Braintree and Boston, and the wife of Founding Father John Hancock. Her aunt, also Dorothy Quincy, w ...
saying, "I have sent everywhere to get a gold or silver rattle for the child, with a coral to send, but cannot get one." Their daughter Lydia later died at ten months of age.
Edith Wharton Edith Newbold Wharton (; ; January 24, 1862 – August 11, 1937) was an American writer and designer. Wharton drew upon her insider's knowledge of the upper-class New York "aristocracy" to portray, realistically, the lives and morals of the Gil ...
, who was born during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, received a similar elaborate silver baby rattle as an infant, which was engraved with her name and had a coral teething extension.


Modern rattles

Rattles can be made of wood, plastic or cloth. Many of the rattles are brightly colored, have animal or flower shapes, and typically make sounds when shaken. These sounds can range from the dull sounds typical of wooden rattles to the jingling or bell type sounds that metal rattles make. Rattles provide a source of stimulation. Babies like the sounds they produce and follow the path of the rattle with their eyes, as well as giving them a sense of discovery as they try to grab and hold the rattle. Many rattles have a dual function, doubling as
teether A teether, teething toy, or chew toy is a device given to teething infants. It has the effect of reducing the pain of irritable wisdom teeth. Most modern teethers are silicone, but can also be made of wood or rubber. Some teethers are filled w ...
s as babies grow. They have textured surfaces which are easy on the gums and provide the stimulation that babies need.


References

{{Authority control Hand percussion Orchestral percussion instruments Shaken idiophones or rattles Traditional toys Toy instruments and noisemakers