Trompo
Played in: Mexico & Latin America
What it's made of
Hard carved wood with a small metal tip
How to play
Wrap the string tightly around the body, throw it low and fast, then catch it spinning in your palm. Kids compete to keep theirs spinning longest, or "steal" a spin from a friend's top.
A little history
Spinning tops existed across the Americas long before Europeans arrived. When Spanish colonizers brought their own wooden tops in the 1500s, the two traditions blended into the trompo we know today — still hand-carved by local artisans in many towns.