Posts filed under 'Toys and Games'
My son has a funny thing going on with witches and wolves. He can’t get enough of the story of Little Red Riding Hood, and also the Three Little Pigs is another favourite. Especially if you make it a little more exciting with well implemented sounds and pauses, he’s completely enchanted. Never mind that he hears the same story for the gazillionth time!
This cuddly wolf from Ebulobo has therefore stolen his heart. It’s a bit of a crazy wolf, because besides Pigs and Little Red Riding Hoods he eats saucepans, mobile phones and chickens. And even though my son should have outgrown this toy a little, he and even his big sister are still majorly entertained by it!
I found it amongst many other treasures in the new online shop Peanut & Pip, which is definitely worth a visit to discover some new, cool products.
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
March 11th, 2010
While I would really love for my kids to play with handcrafted, eco-friendly and artistically stunning toys, I also know full well that I might as well just set a pile of money on fire. The beautiful wooden farm house with hand painted animals is coated in a layer of dust. The hand-sewn finger puppet theater has yet to be touched by a human hand. That being said, I don’t want a house full of flashing plastic junk but I do like to find items that my kids will actually play with.
Kidding Around is a toy store in Chelsea that I really love as it does a great job stocking toys which are both parent savvy and ones that your kids will love. The website is in dire need of a makeover but if you visit the store in person you will be extremely pleased with what you find inside. Not only is it huge but it has everything that a child could want from birth through the teen years — all of which is thoughtfully edited and categorized. It is my go-to place for amazing birthday gifts and I always stumble upon something new when I go.
I have my sights set on this little red accordian to buy as a gift for someone who bought my girls two recorders last month. Payback time!
-Dina
Dina in New York
March 5th, 2010
It has seriously been freakishly cold here in Paris. We have seen snow, snow, snow and more snow. First it was fun, then it was plain cold, and now it is just fustrating. It means that children have to play indoors most of the time and it is really hard to keep them from going completely stir crazy…
So we have been building forts, castles, caves and jungles — it is amazing how much you can do with some chairs and a couple of blankets… and some dress-up items.
One of the big hits of this winter has been a lion mask we got from the gorgeous Shak Shuka online eco-boutique. It looks great and it is amazing how much one mask can stimulate a game that is starting to go stale. I am really glad there is no one living under us right now, as I am not sure what they would think of the lioness and her cubs roaming around in the flat above them…
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
March 1st, 2010
Whippet Grey began as a story-book, one full of enchanting objects … and that’s just the feeling you get when stepping onto the web pages of this online store. Whippet Grey is a family-run business selling various curiosities for the home, garden, you & the kids. With the departments sounding like chapter-headings; “Secret Garden” or “Curious Objects“, Whippet Grey is a lovely cyber-space to spend a coffee break.
I particularly like the “Children’s Den” split into 3 sub-chapters; Animal Kingdom, Budding Artist and Discovery Trail — there are some beautiful and different gifts for children of all ages. I love this shaggy black sheep rocker (if only there was justification for another rocker!) and have just ordered these ‘play-shapes‘ for my son’s 3rd birthday — we are very into any good rainy-day activities and these not only fit the bill but are beautiful to boot!
Oh and also their sale just started — temptation just got a bit more tempting!
- Mo. x
Mo in London
March 1st, 2010
It takes something special for me to want to buy it in the way of kids’ toys. Don’t get me wrong. Little C doesn’t live a deprived existence — it’s more a matter that he plays with the washing basket and items in the utensil drawer more than his actual toys.
However, at Christmas he got two tricycles (mad, I know) — one from my mum and one from an aunt. And he LOVES them. So as he will be turning two in June I’d love to get him one of these Kiddimoto. Yes, they’re not cheap but I figure he’s going to get many years’ use. And I’ve got quite a few months to start saving. They’ve just become available in Australia, and here’s the UK website.
- Natalie
Natalie in Sydney
February 16th, 2010
Just our luck — we’ve driven into a cyclone storm here on the eastern coast of Queensland! It has rained every day for the past five days… which is seriously NO fun when you’re living in a tiny campervan and you have three kids with pent-up energy!
Thankfully we brought loads of colouring books, cards and travel games with us, which we have now played about 100 times! Our favourite is this travel bingo game by Djeco because it’s so easy even the 2-year-old can play!
The concept is easy — everyone takes a puzzle board, empties out the six pieces (6 different animals), and then takes turns spinning the wheel to try to fill their puzzle back up! The first one with a completed puzzle wins! Fun!
-Courtney
Courtney in London
February 5th, 2010
I love traditional toys that allow my children to use their imaginations — toys that inspire their creative play. I also love toys that look great in my home. (Hey, I haven’t earned the title ‘toy snob’ from my friends for nothing!) Enter Dobbin and Drum’s hobby horses. Just gorgeous. They are made from 100% natural fabrics — Australian hardwood dowel, leather trim and are filled with the highest quality 100% lightweight pure Australian merino wool. Now these hobby horses are no ordinary run of the mill horses, they are of heirloom quality and completely and lovingly hand-made. In a world of electronic toys and high tech gadgets, I am proud to say my children love their hobby horses and they regularly feature in their creative play. To be honest, they also make the odd appearance when they are fighting….
Dobbin and Drum are a small Australian company that produce a select range of natural fibre quality crafted toys — toys with ’soul and substance”. For the full range of hobby horses (including the fabulous unicorns and dragons) and for stockist information, refer to their website. Despite being a little tricky to wrap (I always end up resorting to just a ribbon) they make the perfect gift for a young child.
P.S. I can also recommend Dobbin and Drum’s teepee’s and drums — the very best I have seen.
- Sara
Sara in Melbourne
February 4th, 2010
I found this beautiful wooden stacking ring in a cute little interiors shop near my parents’ house in the Midlands (called Bagel & Griff in Market Harborough, for any readers up that way). Not only is it beautiful to look at, but totally natural, safe and soothing for babies to play with (and chew on). It is made by Little Sapling Toys and I just found out they have an Etsy shop.
I love their teething rings — my favourites being the little bird and the hedgehog — a perfect ‘new baby’ present!
Mo. x
Mo in London
February 1st, 2010
Most parents discover fairly early on that if they want to meet in a cafe with friends and have any hope of conversation (one that spans more than 10 seconds), then a distraction for the children in the form of a book/toy is imperative. It allows at least some semblance of communication between the adults whilst in the company of young children — where you can form a full sentence… in one go!!
Many cafes in Melbourne answer this need, providing crayons and butcher paper to occupy the kids. And that certainly helps! But Family Life Home & Café in Grattan Street, Prahran goes one step further. Not only is it a divine Balinese inspired space, incorporating a cafe and boutique, but it has a gorgeous imaginative play area for the children.
So… whilst you leisurely sip your cappuccino on a comfy couch, chat to friends, read the newspaper (without being interrupted every. single. sentence) and shop for hand-made toys, eco homewares, exotic recycled furniture and some great kidswear — the children are happily playing nearby in the enchanted forest or putting on a show in the gazebo! Happiness all around!
If you are visiting, be sure to check out the kidswear. Not only do they carry some great Aussie designers like Mill&Mia, Sudo and Jellyfish but they also carry a more obscure Balinese designer called Paul Ropp. His distinctive and vibrant pieces are truly amazing!
Family Life will also throw a fantastic kids birthday party, with every little detail taken care of!
- Sara
Sara in Melbourne
February 1st, 2010
I do love new designs/books/characters that appeal to grown-ups and kids alike. My girls are going crazy for the Noodoll characters I brought home recently, and so am I.
Noodoll lives in Noodle town where everyone and everything is made out of noodles. His main arch enemy is Rice Head, who is constantly trying to stop the Noodles. The illustrations are great, very simple and funky.
The world of Noodoll and Ricehead spans from books to accessorizes and toys. And, if you have a spare second do check out the website — the noodle and rice recipes are some of the best I have ever found!
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
January 28th, 2010
I grew up in a little farming village about 100 miles north of London and only made very rare trips to the ‘big smoke’ as a child. I remember one very special trip when my Godmother (literally one of the coolest people on the planet) brought me down for a WHOLE weekend in London for my 9th birthday. We saw a show and explored the city and I vividly remember stumbling across the most magical old-fashioned toyshop, which specialised in Toy Theatres.
Recently I had a reason to re-find that store, and the magic hasn’t left the place! Benjamin Pollocks is a delightfully old fashioned place (originally established in the 1880s) in the Covent Garden Piazza. I must warn you — it isn’t buggy friendly as you have to climb a narrow staircase to reach it and the shop is small and crammed to the rafters with toys, but worth the trip indeed.
The toy theatres are beautiful gifts for slightly older children (I think my kids may be more interested in ripping and chewing their cardboard constructions!) but they also have a good selection of other ‘oldy-worldy’ toys and games. I ended up getting Hopla for my 3-year-old and these darling counting flashcards for my daughter.
If Covent Garden is too much of a trip, they do also conveniently sell some of their wares through their website.
-Mo. x
Mo in London
January 22nd, 2010
One of the best presents my son received this Christmas is a box of TomTect, a contruction game I had never heard of before.
The box contains small pine boards (from renewable resources) and plastic crowbars which join the boards together– and that’s it! It’s so simple, so ingenious and so stylish!
My son jumped to it and started building immediately — a chair, an airplane… mostly simple things, but I just discovered that from the website you can download pdf instructions on how to build more complicated objects.
This game was invented by Tom van der Bruggen, a Dutch architect who moved to France and built a castle over a ruined farm. He is also the inventor of another contruction game called Kapla, which has been hugely successful in France.
My first impression of this toy could not be more favourable; it’s one of those toys that will last for ages and the perfect thing to get the dads involved too!
-Michela
Michela in Milan
January 21st, 2010
My girls are all about playing “house” these days… so when I found this sling in a local kids store a few weeks ago I nearly passed out and died from the cuteness. I was never a “sling” person really, more of a Baby Bjorn gal myself, but the doll sling was just too cute to resist. When the girls put them on they instantly looked like two little hippie mothers on route to the local food co-op. I was almost expecting them to start swapping Quinoa recipes and stories about the joys of their home births in their apartment bathtubs (I am so going to get killed for this).
No offense to the “sling” wearers of course. I am totally kidding. I think they are cute on adults as well. I also found these adorable ones on Etsy from SnuggyBaby. So adorable!
-Dina
Dina in New York
January 18th, 2010
Every Friday my daughter is allowed to bring a toy from home to her pre-school. In the afternoon, the kids can share their special toys and games with their classmates.
Such a nice initiative, I thought, and so I’ve been suggesting that my daughter bring puzzles, simple board games and other easy-to-share and educational toys. My daughter, however, has been coming home super excited about the make-up her little friends brought from home to share. Alas! Make-up? First, is she sixteen yet? (No, only four.) Second, aren’t these make-up kits for kids filled with nasty chemicals and artificial colouring? (I’m pretty sure they are!)
Recently I came across the Whoops Bunny all-natural make-up sticks. Problem solved! The sticks come in five colours and look cute with the little bunnies on them. The colours are bright but translucent, so the whole thing looks extremely innocent when applied and doesn’t remind me of grown-up make-up at all.
My daughter was extremely pleased with them — they’re even better than the real thing!
Best of all, the make-up sticks are made from 100% natural ingredients like beeswax, coconut oil, grape-seed oil, pineapple extract, raspberry extract, etc., and all the packaging is bio-degradable. I even must admit that I’ve been stealing my daughter’s make-up… They make fantastic chapsticks!
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
January 9th, 2010
The Antoine and Lili flagship stores must be some of the cutest rows of shops I have ever seen. I was walking past them today and they were so bright and cheerful on a grey winter’s day!
They can be found along the canal St Martin, an area which, for a long time now, has been attracting lots of little shops and restaurants. If the rumours are to be believed the Antoine et Lili shops were actually the first independent shops to open up in this area, turning the area into a trendy little spot.
Anyway, if you are in Paris and like kitsch and bright colours, Antoine et Lili is a must. The kid’s store especially is a bright, bright space with great toys, presents and clothes from the world over. It is definitely not minimalist, but colourful and loud! I also love the homewares shop were you can find great Mexican waxcloths and fabulous melamine plates for the whole family.
Antoine et Lili
95 Quai de Valmy
Paris 75010
Tel:+33 1 40 37 58 15
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
January 8th, 2010
I know I probably sound like a broken record, mentioning yet another Djeco toy… but it really seems like they can’t go wrong. I recently got this Djeco Geoforme boxed set for my boys and it is a huge, huge hit (other than the fighting over the pieces!). It’s essentially a box with a magnetic inside, and it comes with 42 colorful magnetic shapes to form different objects and scenes. Your kids can create their own images, or they can use the cards to give them guidance.
My 4-year-old really gets the hang of it, and the 2-year-old really just likes sorting the shapes and colors together. Either way, it’s fun for them AND educational!
-Courtney
Courtney in London
December 31st, 2009
This morning, conveniently before we were about to leave the house, the girls decided that they were going to take out ALL of their puzzles and “build a bridge to a princess island” across the entire apartment with the pieces. While I didn’t want to interrupt their burst of ill-timed creativity I was not all that excited about who would be cleaning it all up. Anyway – while scanning down the “princess bridge”, I was reminded of one of my favorite on-line haunts for puzzles and crafts. Lakeshore Learning is my go-to source for amazing games, paper products and crafts. The website is first and foremost a resource for school teachers and most of the items that you will find are used in classrooms. A few things that I literally can not live without are the peel and stick boards and the bags of craft materials. The other items that are great are the early learning toys, like the one pictured. All in all, everything that you will find on the site is is high quality, mindful and engaging.
-Dina
Dina in New York
December 30th, 2009
I am so in love with all the lovely ornaments by Maileg this year! They could not be any cuter. Last year I picked up some of the little soldiers, which I loved because they look so British, and this year I discovered the darling birds and mushrooms!
They’re the perfect ornaments for a house full of kids because they won’t break if they fall off the tree — plus they just look so playful and fun.
Maileg is a young Danish company which also makes lovely toys and decorative objects. You can find Maileg pieces in London at Elias & Grace and Petit Aimé, or buy online at Nordinary.
Merry Christmas!
xoxo Courtney
Courtney in London
December 23rd, 2009
Here is one of the best holiday presents I have stumbled across. At least, I reckon I would love it if I was almost four and loved magnets and dolls! The Petite Marie magnet doll is the brain child of the great little Danish toy label Sebra.
I personally love the vintage ’50s design, and my daughter will hopefully spend hours deciding what to put on her little doll and taking the clothes on and off. And it all comes in a handy wooden box which stores all the little bits and pieces.
The Petite Marie Magnet Doll is available through Nordinary.
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
December 20th, 2009
I keep trying to work out a trip that might take me in the direction of Hereford (about 2.5 hours west of my house). I haven’t come up with one yet but would one day really like to visit the store of Mark and Sally Bailey, Bailey’s Home & Garden.
In the meantime I will have to continue browsing their lovely website. Mark and Sally describe their interior style as the ‘recycled home’ so they have some great vintage gems alongside some beautiful homewares from small, family run companies.
I love everything they sell but they have some particularly beautiful wooden toys for children. I bought the xylophone for my daughter because I love the simplicity of it, and I’m quite tempted by the Noah’s Ark and these cheeky chappies (pictured).
They don’t have e-commerce set up on their site so you need to browse and then give them a bell with you order and credit card details.
(Note: For more on Mark and Sally you can check out their interiors book, Recycled Home. Available through their website or from Amazon.)
-Mo
Mo in London
December 18th, 2009
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