My 8 year-old son had just won a third prize for participating in his school’s story telling competition. I felt so proud of him and wanted to reward him a simple gift for his effort…

Last Sunday, I happened passing by The Christ Church, a famous tourist landmark in Malacca. I found an interesting classic toy there. It was a Spinning Top! Nowadays, most toys being sold in our marketplace are battery operated. Our new generations rarely have the opportunity to play this kind of traditional toy. Why not I just get one for him!

Spinning top has been a child’s favorite all over the world for literally thousands of years. It is usually made of wood or hard fruit, iron and lead. In fact, both adults and children can play the game.

There are basically two types of matches in playing spinning top as a friendly game in my country. First, the one who spins his top for the longest time wins. Second, the contestant must try to hit his opponent’s top so that the already spinning top will topple and lose its balance and speed. Obviously, the second match is far more exciting than the first. At least we won’t need to wait long time watching a top spin and spin and spin….

Lastly, spinning top is a little fun in our pocket that is so convenient to bring along and play at anywhere. The cheap price is certainly a great feature of this toy, but the fun is priceless.