Did you know?
In 1825, a toy called the thaumatrope (THAW-muh-trope) went on sale in London. A famous design had a bird on one side and a cage on the other. Spin it fast, and the bird seems to sit inside the cage!
The flip book was patented (officially registered as an invention) in 1868 by John Barnes Linnett. He called it a 'kineograph', which means 'moving picture'.
In 1908, the French artist Émile Cohl made 'Fantasmagorie'. Film historians call it the first animated cartoon. He used about 700 drawings for a film that lasts under two minutes!
Try this: Make a Thaumatrope
Do this with an adult
With an adult, cut a circle about the size of a cup from thin card. Draw a bird in the middle of one side. On the other side, draw an empty cage, the right way up. Tape a pencil to the back so the circle sits on top like a lollipop. Now roll the pencil quickly between your palms. Can you see the bird inside the cage?
Go further: From Paper to Screen
In 1974, India's Films Division made 'Ek Anek Aur Ekta', a seven-minute hand-drawn cartoon. In it, a group of birds and mice help each other escape from a bird catcher. Its message was 'unity in diversity', and it won a National Film Award. It was shown on Doordarshan and became a favourite with children. Ask your parents or grandparents if they remember watching it! Then think: what story would you animate about friends working together?