Manually Controlled
Manual control is instinctive and the beginning of all forms of control. For example: by using hands to pull, we can make wooden puppets open their hands; and by using hands to press toys, we can make a toy slide forward; etc.
Bamboo Copter
Put the Bamboo Copter stick between your palms and twirl it. It will take off and fly upwards!
Marionettes
The doll moves as you pull the string.
Natural Forces
When people play outdoors, they can receive assistance from natural forces and understand natural phenomena and scientific principles. For instance, wind can make a kite fly high, flowing water can move a paper ship, etc.
This kite takes advantage of wind power to fly. Flying kites is one of the most ancient folk arts and leisure activities.
Elasticity of Materials
Some materials can store their potential energy to produce the motive power of toys and the widely used ones would be bamboos and rubber bands.
Slingshot
The typical toy for turning elastic power into motive power is the Slingshot.
Spools Car
The Reel is pushed forward by twisting the rubber band. The motive power comes from turning potential power into elastic power.
Springs / Electricity
Most toys in this period were operated manually and were usually made from natural materials. These later evolved into mass-produced metal toys which used springs as their main source of power. The industrial revolution made possible new kinds of power such as electricity.
Toy soldiers
Wind up the spring and make the gears turn by themselves, then the toy soldiers will walk, overturn and move in other ways.
Airplane
Twist the spring, and then the plane would move.
Palm Game Box
The industrial revolution resulted in a change of power sources. Just press the button, and the toys move.