Cat’s Cradle

The names of these string game figures reveal much about the people who invented them-the tools they used, the food they cultivated, their view of the world, and the spirits they may have believed in.  To introduce the fascinating world of string games, we have included: Cat’s Cradle, Cup and Saucer, Witch’s Broom, Cat’s Whiskers, and Jacobs Ladder. The game of Cat’s Cradle has a rich and varied history. In Colonial America, Cat’s Cradle, (or “cratch-cradle” as it was sometimes known) was among the earliest and most popular of all known string games. Cat’s Cradle is actually only one of many hundreds of string games or figures.