Counting in real life
Here is a child. She holds a wooden coin in one hand and a striped candy in the other. “Two,” she says, then adds a third to the basket and...
The road to writing travels through small world play
A rustle of leaves and Lamb freezes in terror. Rabbit's eyes widen and his ears stand tall. "Quick! Fox is coming!" Owl cries from the tree! With just three friends...
Small Worlds, Big Stories- How Small World Play Develops Narrative Thinking
Introduction Here is a girl. She kneels by a wooden cottage, peering in through the windows at the story unfolding inside. A blonde doll stirs a pot while three bears...
How small world play builds spatial reasoning
Here is a child. She kneels beside a wooden house. A tree goes here, a pond there. The animals must stay near the fence. She pauses, shifts one piece, and...
The Brain-Boosting Magic of Summer Play
Do you remember going back to school after summer feeling different? You walked taller. You looked teachers in the eye. The 'big kids' didn’t seem so big anymore. What happened? Endless...
The right toy for the right child
How did you play as a child? You had favorite toys and favorite games - but do you remember why you liked them? Was it something about the toy or...
A recipe for fun: wooden play food
Let’s have some pizza! One slice for you, and you, and you - and one for me. That makes four. But there are six slices? What should we do with...
Exploring the wonders of doll's house play
Did you have a doll’s house? Do you remember what the rooms and the furniture? Maybe. But I bet you remember the games you played and the stories you told....
Imagination and empathy | The magic of wooden animal toys
Think of a word to describe wooden animal toys. What did you come up with? Simple? Unexciting? Boring? You probably didn’t say essential. But why not? If you’ve ever visited an archaeological...
Cooking up creativity with wooden toy kitchens
As a parent of a child under 5, you're always on the lookout for ways to engage and entertain your little one. Wooden toy kitchens provide an excellent opportunity for...
Laying the tracks: wooden trains and schemas
Does your child love to play with wooden trains? What is it about this type of play that children find so fascinating? This obsession is driven by psychological constructs known...
Unlock the World of Learning with Educational Toys
Wooden toys are good. There’s something wholesome about them, wouldn’t you agree? No plastic, loud noises or flashing lights. No tantrums when it’s time to stop. Wooden toys are calming. And...