From Early Stories to Today · Drawing 33
The cup-and-ball game
In the 18th century
With this cup-and-ball toy, you try to catch the ball in the little cup. A string connects the ball to the handle.
Look together
Where does the ball need to land?
An idea to try
Follow the string in the drawing with a finger. Then pretend to move the ball into the cup, without using an object.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
In its “Grandir à Ville-Marie en Nouvelle-France” activity, Pointe-à-Callière includes spinning tops and cup-and-ball toys among games connected with children’s lives in the 18th century. The toy drawn here has a cup for catching the ball attached by a string.
Compare the two games in the book. A top spins on its point, while this game involves aiming the ball into the cup. The child can follow its path with a finger and talk about the patience needed to try again. The drawing is an interpretation, not a copy of a particular museum toy.
Sources and context
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
Source review: 2026-09-14. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.