Gee-haw whammy diddle facts for kids

A gee-haw whammy diddle is a fun toy made from two wooden sticks. One stick has small cuts, called notches, along its side. A smaller stick or a propeller is attached to one end of this notched stick with a nail or pin.

To play with it, you hold the notched stick still in one hand. Then, you rub the other stick quickly back and forth across the notches. This rubbing makes the propeller spin!

This toy has a few other names too, like a ouija windmill, a hoodoo stick, or a VooDoo stick. Sometimes, people say whimmy instead of whammy, or doodle instead of diddle. You might even hear it called just a "whammy diddle" without the "gee-haw" part.

The name Gee-haw comes from a cool trick. While you are rubbing the sticks, you can gently touch the notched stick with your finger. This small touch can make the propeller change the direction it's spinning! Players often yell "gee" or "haw" to make it seem like the toy is listening to their commands. If you call it a hooey stick, you would yell "hooey" to change its direction.

How the Gee-Haw Whammy Diddle Works

The secret to how the gee-haw whammy diddle spins and changes direction is in how the propeller is attached and how you rub the sticks.

The Propeller's Attachment

The nail holding the propeller doesn't fit perfectly tight. It goes through a hole that's a bit bigger than the nail itself. This allows the propeller to wiggle a little. Also, the propeller isn't usually balanced perfectly. One side might be slightly heavier or longer. This slight imbalance is important! When the stick is still, the heavier side will naturally drop to the lowest point.

Making the Propeller Spin

When you rub the second stick across the notches, it makes the notched stick vibrate. These vibrations cause the propeller to jump or jerk slightly. Because the propeller isn't perfectly balanced and has a bit of wiggle room, each small jerk makes it pivot or turn a tiny bit in one direction. When you keep rubbing, these tiny turns add up, making the propeller spin quickly.

Changing Direction with a Finger

The really clever part is changing the direction of the spin. When you rub your finger against the side of the notched stick while you're rubbing with the other stick, you add another small force. This extra push or pull from your finger changes how the propeller wiggles and pivots. It shifts the way the jerking motion affects the propeller, causing it to start spinning the other way. It's a bit like pushing a swing from a different angle to make it move differently.

By changing which side of the notched stick you touch with your finger (for example, using your thumb instead of your pointer finger), you can control the direction of the spin. It's a fun trick that makes the toy seem almost magical!