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How to Turn a Spinning Top

The simple pleasure of perfecting the art of spinning a top can be a welcome break from the electronic world of computer and video games. Spinning tops have a rich history that covers most of the world. It is suspected that the earliest tops could have been acorns or nuts. Today's tops come in a variety of types, including wooden, metal, and plastic. Finger tops are spun by using the forefinger and thumb, while a peg top is spun by unwinding a string.

Things You'll Need

Top
Piece of string

Instructions

Turning a Finger Top
- 1
  Grab hold of the neck of the top between the forefinger and thumb of your dominant hand.
- 2
  Snap the forefinger and thumb together to start the spin of the top.
- 3
  Drop the top onto a flat surface and watch it spin.
Turning a Peg Top
- 4
  Create a loop on one end of the string large enough to fit your finger.
- 5
  Tie a knot on the other end of the string.
- 6
  Hold the knot on the neck of the top in place using your finger and begin to wrap the string around the neck so it holds the knot in place.
- 7
  Wrap the length of the string around the neck tightly.
- 8
  Hold the top at chest height and throw the top out in front of you at an even height. As you throw the top, the string will set the spinning top in motion.

Wooden Toys