(almost) homemade toys

We're busy at work rolling beeswax sheets into candles, sewing felt dolls and ornaments, and scavenging for fallen wood with which to make our family's homemade presents* this Christmas. If you have children, and you haven't yet whittled their wooden tractors or ponies yet, don't fret. (Neither have I.) Homesteading wisely is knowing when to pay others for their skills—and when to do it yourself. 

Lately, I’m enamored with Etsy, the on-line home of artisans who sell their well-priced handmade wares directly to you (just search for what you seek). It seems like the kind of creative cooperative my family and I are trying to build for food, services, you name it. Below, though, is my tried-and-true toy team, the group whose catalogs I send to the grandparents to spark their imaginations. They’re all independently or family-run businesses that believe deeply in simple living, parenting and play. Visit them often, and tell them I sent you.

The social worker who owns Three Sisters Toys offers a fine explanation of how simple, open-ended toys foster imagination and well-rounded children. Case in point: The photos above show a couple of handmade felt puppet dolls my little ones love to pose, and then strap onto a kitten-drawn "sleigh." Magic Cabin is a perennial favorite, and it breaks down its vast offerings in an-easy-to-use gift center page, with categories like “active kids,” young artists, and by price. Look for age-appropriate suggestions, too, if you’re shopping for kids 9 and up. The Wooden Wagon may be my favorite source of all for naturally inspired wooden gear from Germany and America. Countless charming, handmade, folk-art decorations, games and puzzles, plus wonderful, wonderful toys. Palumba is the on-line home for a collective of organic, green-built, handmade toys, art supplies and musical items made from all-natural materials—down to the beeswax finishes. Their wooden play kitchen is so beautiful, it’s my favorite piece of furniture in my, um, living room. Last, but certainly not least, Nova Natural is the cool Vermont granddaddy of gorgeous wooden toys, crafts, art supplies and organic woolens for all-natural families. Their printed catalog will make the crunchy grandparents of creative kids everywhere swoon.

Happy creating ... and supporting other people who do, too.

{ * I'll write more about the projects soon. Promise. }

Comments

[x-ray fluorescence]

Hi,
I am with you, we all need to take part in saving small toy businesses.This is an awesome cause. I would be very sad to see handmade toys fade away. We have some awesome wooden toys from Amish folk...