2021 Toys and Recommendations
Are you ready for the holidays, or looking for some ideas? And here are some of the some of the pieces that were new to our family, or that the kids were particularly drawn to this year
Wooden Toys
Choosing a Wooden Rainbow Stacker – Part 2
Isn’t it funny–you may start out with a single Rainbow Stacker–but they just seem to multiply! Since first writing the first post about picking a rainbow stacker, a few more have joined our ranks!
Grimm’s and Bauspiel Comparison: Leonardo Sticks and Color Rods
Grimms and Bauspiel both make sets of long thin wooden slats blocks. The Bauspiel set is their “Color Rods” and, the Grimm’s is the “Leonardo Sticks”–both are beautiful sets and while similar in essence, this comparison shows how these two sets build differently.
Just Blocks: Fit with Grimm’s and Fit with Bauspiel
Have you looked at Just Blocks, and wondered how they might fit with the Grimm’s and Bauspiel blocks you have or plan to add to your collection? Here is a quick rundown of the sizing and how they fit together (the short version: very well!)
Repainting Figures
I’ve had a little bit of fun repainting figures–a tree that arrived in a color that didn’t suit us and a couple of Ostheimer friends. I’ve linked the Materials we used at the end of the post (click on the product images).
Open Ended Toys: Picks for Bigger Kids
Starting a wooden toys collection is a daunting task–and so is growing a collection as your kids get older–what to buy next? Here are some of our favorites for bigger kid.
Grimm’s: Old and New
It’s fascinating to watch how toys change over time—and at first glance easy to think that blocks surely don’t change so much. Even within Grimm’s, they evolve. Before Grimm’s was “Grimm’s Spiel und Holz Design” they were “Spiel & Holz Design” –the original logo didn’t even have a rainbow.
Bauspiel Blocks in Ball runs
The Bauspiel building block range introduces a new range of shapes for ball runs, and with it a marvelous new set of options and techniques for ball runs.
Open Ended Toys: Where To Start?
One of the most important things to look at is whether a toy allows the child to imagine, or if the toy does all the work itsef. When the toy takes over, children don’t learn and explore. A toy that is open-ended may look like one thing (a rainbow) but it can be used many ways to represent different things (a building, a bridge, a bed) and most of all, it enhances the child’s ideas and imagination, letting them build and learn in their own world.
Gluckskafer Sun House, Moon House and Star House
Wooden toys almost always come with a story–and if they don’t come with one, they’re quick to grow their own. For us, the three celestial Gluckskafer Houses are a most delightful example.