Mini ice-cream shop… or open-topped building

We all know that, provided with nothing else, kids will play with three pebbles and a bit of string. That is the beauty of open-ended toys like this piece from Mouta. It’s sold as “a small open-topped building… or an ice cream shop?” – the question mark is theirs. I could form a theory that [...]

Janod Work Bench & Doll House

I paid a visit to Lula Sapphire a couple of days ago, to go behind the scenes and see how the store that inspired me to start this blog is preparing for Christmas and became very enamoured with Janod’s beautifully crafted and hand painted work bench and dolls house. If you’re thinking about going for [...]

Play Top

Natalie writes… The last time I checked out a free play toy, it was a Bilibo which is a design classic and a totally simple idea – take something that looks like a cross between a bowl and a botched up colander, make it from super solid recyclable plastic, and then just let your childs [...]

Haba Ship See Saw

If your toddler really wants to go to town with the whole sailor vibe or you’re on the lookout for an unusual swing, you might just like the Ship See Saw. Made from soft upholstered cordura fabric over an aluminium frame, the sail is made of nylon, and the hanging height can be adjusted. It [...]

Charlie Crow’s Costumes for Kids

My kids dread when the teachers say ¨Ask your mummy to make an outfit¨ and now we can cheat and still have our kids looking good in their school plays…. The company try and help the environment in differing ways if when your child has grown out of its costume you can send it back to them and they will distribute it to a charity and will send you a 10% discount voucher off a future order.

City in a bag from Muji

The City in a bag at £5.95 each provides some variety to your collection of wooden blocks…. Made from wood with only minimal decoration where necessary I think these are a massive success.

2 Pack of Cardboard Toddler Chairs

They’re made from recycled corrugated cardboard and arrive flatpacked and are easy to set up and just as easy to dismantle and put away making them great, little space-savers. Like all cardboard toys and furniture you can stamp your own style on them with paints, pens, crayons, or covering them with funky wrapping paper or wallpaper.

Bilibo

It’s an award winning toy which is basically a very robust shell that doesn’t impose a specific play pattern and instead, your child might rock, spin, sit, step in it, be indoors or outdoors with it, play solo or in a group with it…. It’s all about the imagination and considering that the bambino can be entertained by her dads lunch box for 45 minutes as she bounced it all over the room, I can imagine that kids could be quite enchanted by something that allows them to be silly and imaginative.

Pine Mini Kitchen with Sink & Cooker

At £105, this is one of the pricier cookers that I’ve looked at. Tell a lie, it IS the priciest cooker I’ve looked at…so far… Designed by a small family toymakers (it’s nice to know that we still have ‘toymakers’ and not just factories…), this is a pine cooker which has an enamel sink, mixer [...]

Mini Kitchen Utensils from Gluckskafer

Accessories for pretend play cookers have really gone up in the world since I was a kid! Gluckskafer are German toymakers of mini kitchenware. If you’ve got a little one that takes their culinary skills very seriously, check out the range at Cotton Tails Baby. Prices start from £7

Pintoy Combined Sink and Cooker

Last week I posted about the cooker at Lula Sapphire and this weeks one is a foxy red number from Pintoy. It doesn’t come with the bells and whistles of others where it includes accessories like food and pots but it does look like a miniature Ikea kitchen. Details about this kitchen seem to be [...]

Moulin Roty Louna Pram

I’m fast becoming a fan of Moulin Roty toys. This fab pram is from the Louna range and features a pretty pink and green solid wood frame with a a gorgeous fabric body. It will fit most sizes of dolls and teddy and your little one will look super stylish pushing this around. Measures 52 [...]

Vilac Pretend Play Cooker

I’ve been checking out lots of pretend play cookers so look out for them over the next few weeks. The bambino isn’t old enough for one yet but that hasn’t stopped me looking. Pretend or imaginative play toys encourage your little one’s life skills. They’re for both girls and boys and are a great way [...]