Imaginative play not only stimulates the senses, but also helps the creative thinking process. What better way to engage your child than with realistic props, such as the Nico & Zoe Fettucine or the sugar cookies we have featured previously.
Made of 70% wool felt and packaged in much the same way real pasta is, it will encourage your child in pretend play and may even inspire them to help out in the kitchen! Suitable for children aged 3 and up with approx. 30 strands of pasta per pack, it retails at US$14.
We all know that once you have heard your first Christmas Carol for the year, it means the insanely crazy ritual of unabashed consumerism is sure to follow!
A great idea for a stocking stuffer would be.. something stuffed – as in a cute hippo or lion from the Swobble Animal toys range. Made of vinyl and designed to withstand all the licks and nicks a child loves to subject their toys to, they will always just be able to be wiped clean at the end of the day. Soft to touch and squeeze, a great alternative to the traditional soft toy and a lot more durable. In fun colours – the blue and purple rhino is my favourite with a great cheeky smile . As there are no small fibres to worry about, it makes these toys suitable from birth – try a small size for tiny hands and large for the bigger kids.
Check out the entire range at Urban Baby, pricing starting from $14.95.
If you’re having an attack of the eco-guilts about all the plastic you seem to have accumulated since parenthood struck, then here is something you can feel good about – cardboard!
UK company Paperpod use recycled super sturdy cardboard to make toy houses and furniture. Offering 5 different style options for the playhouses, they come flat packed, are light, easily transportable, collapsible and environmentally friendly. Choose from traditional looking Playhouse and Den models, or go for the fun Rocket, Teepee or Paperpod designs.
All models come in plain beige cardboard which gives you a great opportunity to do your own decorating. A great idea for a party – just give the kids paint, brushes, crayons, felt markers and let their imagination and creativity run wild or suggest a theme they can work to – have them sign their name and you have your own customised playhouse! The real corker for parents – just collapse it down and put it away once you have finished with it, or, when they have grown out of it – either recycle it onto a friend or put it in your recycling bin.
Prices start at a very reasonable £38, you will need to email them for international shipping quotation.
Created by ex-architect Andrew Comfort and inspired by a toy made by his grandfather, the Q-BA-MAZE system is incredibly versatile. With 10 billion combinations possible from a 50-piece pack (see the calculations on the blog), the possibilities are (pretty much) endless. It's a great way to encourage your child to think creatively and much less frustrating to set up than dominoes!
The cubes (Qubes?) come in packs of 20 and 50 for $20USD and $52USD respectively. The only place I've found that will ship to Australia is Sacred Ways and they don't list a shipping price, but if anyone gets more info on this great toy, please let us know.
Baby can squish, squash, crumple, shake and twist this fascinating toy to their heart's content, and it will always retain
its original shape. The
Manhattan Skwish
is designed to appeal
to a baby's insatiable curiosity about interacting with the physical
environment - grasping and playing with objects allows them to explore
their world and form an idea of their place within it and the ways in
which they can affect it.
We have one of these in the toy box and I
must say its one of the first toys my baby goes for. The elastic
structure makes for a fluid and changeable form, without the
worry that it will be easily broken. It is adorned with brightly
coloured wooden beads and simply bounces back into shape when
manipulated. No wonder the Skwish is an award winner! It's been
delighting babies around the world for over a decade.
Local postage is free and it comes in a useful calico bag from
My Wooden Toys. The Skwish costs $26.50 and is the perfect xmas present.
