Bobbleheads are a great way to show your support for a favorite team or player. These quirky figurines are often handed out at sporting events, but they can also be found on display shelves and in cars around the country. They’re even used to decorate cakes for special occasions. Whether you’re an avid collector or just looking for a unique gift, a bobblehead is sure to bring a smile to your face.
The first bobbleheads originated centuries ago in China, where figures with nodding heads were used to represent deities. They later migrated to Europe in the 1700’s, where they were crafted in the likeness of religious icons. The nodding feature was expanded to the mouths, arms, and tails of the toys, which reached a zenith in popularity and craftsmanship in the 1920’s before World War Two put a stop to all things fun. Nodding dolls eventually reemerged as bobbleheads in the 1990’s, with popular sports figures and celebrity personalities leading the resurgence.
A bobblehead’s motion is based on Newton’s law of inertia, which states that an object in motion will continue to move in the same direction if the forces that are acting on it are balanced. This principle applies whether the bobblehead is resting or vibrating, which explains why a bobblehead can be seen bobbing along your dashboard when you drive!
To help celebrate National Bobblehead Day, we’ve created a fun trivia quiz to test your knowledge of bobbleheads. The answers may surprise you, as we’ve included a few interesting tidbits about the history of these whimsical collectibles that are sure to tickle your fancy.