Cat's Cradle & Other String Tricks

Cat's Cradle

• Cat's cradle is probably the most well-known string figure. It was developed in Asia. It is a string game for two people. The first person loops the string around his two hands so that the string goes between his thumb and forefingers and around the back of his hand. Then he turns his palms toward the second person who grasps the string near one of the first person's hands using all of his fingers. This creates two strings across the second person's palms and hand backs. This shape when pulled taut appears like a cradle, which is where the figure derives its name.

Man Climbs the Tree

• "Man climbs the tree" is a string trick that originated in Australia. In this trick, the string holder begins by holding the string loop with his thumbs and pinkie fingers, then loops his middle fingers through the length of string that covers the adjacent palm. He then moves his pinkie fingers up and down the string on both sides. Using a heavy object to keep the bottom portion of the string weighted, such as a book or his foot, he then extends both hands upward and lets his forefingers move up and down so that it appears that there is a man climbing a tree.

Hut Framework

• "Hut Framework" is a string figure which originated in Africa. In this trick, the string holder holds the loop of string with his pinkies and thumbs and spreads his hands apart, pulling the string taut. He then slowly uses his right hand to gather the string and release, while still holding onto the ends, so that it is only attached to his left hand. He then loops the string to all of his left-hand fingers and pulls upward with his right hand to create the shape of a hut.

Batoka Gorge

• "Batoka Gorge" is another string figure that originated in Africa. In this trick, the string holder drapes the string over his right hand and wrist. He then moves his left hand under the string on the right hand and extends his hands so they are apart. This continues until a criss-cross figure is formed within the string that is pulled taut between the string-holders hands. The string figure derives its name from the zig-zag pattern which is said to appear like the river beneath the Batoka Gorge in Africa.