The History of the Yoyo
Updated 22 Oct 2026The yoyo (also spelled yo-yo) is a timeless toy that has been enjoyed by people of all ages and cultures for centuries. The history of yoyo can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was used as a weapon in battle. Read more about history of yoyo in the article below.
History of yoyo
The yoyo is a timeless toy that has been enjoyed by people of all ages and cultures for centuries. The history of the yoyo can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was used as a weapon in battle. In France yoyo has become a part of fashion and even Napoleon Bonaparte played yoyo by himself. He used yoyo as a tool to calm down during stressful battles.
However, it was not until the 20th century that the yoyo became a popular toy in its own right. The manufacturer made the toy with two round discs and tied a string around the center. The user would hold one disc and throw the other disc down by the string, causing it to spin. By pulling the string back up, the user could make the yoyo return to their hand.
Pedro Flores, the yoyo father
The yoyo became popular in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s, thanks to the efforts of a Filipino immigrant named Pedro Flores. Flores started a yoyo manufacturing company in California and began to promote the toy by holding demonstrations and contests. The popularity of the yoyo grew quickly, and soon there were yoyo competitions all over the United States.
In 1928, the Duncan Toy Company bought the rights to manufacture the Flores yoyo and began mass-producing the toy. The company marketed the yoyo as a way to improve hand-eye coordination and promote physical fitness. The Duncan Yoyo became a household name and remains one of the most popular yoyo brands to this day.
Yoyo during the war
During World War II, the production of yoyos slowed down due to the shortage of materials. However, the popularity of the toy continued to grow after the war. In the 1950s, the yoyo went through a major design change with the introduction of the "sleeping" yoyo. This new design allowed the yoyo to spin at the end of the string for longer periods of time, enabling users to perform more complex tricks.
Yoyo as the rage in the sixties: Rude boys doing "Around the World"
The 1960s saw the yoyo's popularity decline, as new toys and forms of entertainment began to emerge. However, the yoyo experienced a resurgence in the 1980s with the introduction of the "modern" yoyo. This new yoyo was made of plastic and had a ball-bearing axle that allowed for even longer spin times and more complex tricks.
Yoyos today - modern freestyle yoyo sport
Today, history of the yoyo continues and the yoyo remains a popular toy and hobby for people of all ages. But yoyoing has also created its own sport - modern yoyoing. It is a freestyle sport with yoyo competitions being held all over the world. Competitive yoyos spin up to 8000 rpm, they are made out of aluminum, steel or titanium. Their production is done extremely precise CNC machining to reach the best performance.
Where to buy good yoyo?
Now you know history of yoyo. If you are looking for great overall yoyo to start your yoyo journey and learning modern yoyo tricks we recommend the Starter Yoyo Set by SkillAddicts.
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