Children's Toys. The Greeks were a competitive people and loved to play games. Children had more time for play than adults did, and many of their toys were similar to ones used today: for small children, rattles, animal figurines, dolls, miniature houses, and pull toys such as chariots and carts. As they grew older they played with tops, hoops, balls, and knucklebones (the equivalent of dice). Marbles was a popular game, although the marbles would have been made of stone, bone, or some other material instead of glass. (One story claims that the suitors of Penelope played the game as a way of deciding who would have first claim on marrying her.) There were also other small games of skill, such as trying to throw nuts into a circle or bowl (a juvenile version of kottabos). Surprising, perhaps, is the fact that...