Good Morning and are you just as delighted as I am that it is Friday today?
I know that a lot of people say that the days of the week are just a name but I can tell you that a break from home school is definitely worth a mini celebration for me.
So before we all head into our well deserved weekends, I wanted to introduce you to Babai Toys. It is a Ukrainian-based company that specialises in innovative, high-quality toys. And they are made entirely from wood combining tradition with modernity!
The people behind the brand value quality very dearly and strictly follow EU standards and manufacture their toys in an environmentally safe approach. Everything comes with a natural, non-varnished and unpainted finish. As well as smooth corners, making it totally child safe, with no points or sharp edges.
Open-ended wooden toys for creative children:
The wooden houses are amazing and so inviting for creative play. They are magnetic which means they are easy to build as well as to take down. Our amazing bow and arrow set is just the job for little adventurers!
And who does not like a good balancing game? Especially one that looks as cool as this one…
The sky is the limit when it comes to imagination at Babai Toys, children and parents alike will fall in love with the innovative creations…
After two or three weeks of being mostly at home due to the C-thing I ordered a few more board games to play as a family. They are a fun way to keep every member engaged and off screens.
And it was nice to try something new too.
And board games often include lots of other, social and cognitive, skills as well. Think team work, negotiation, following rules and logic.
There are lots of classics like Monopoly and Scrabble, however, there are more amazing family board games and I want to share our favourites with you today. Because it would be a shame if you would miss out on them. Some of them are all about strategy, others come down to luck, but all of them are super fun.
But before I will go on to my list, I want to share some points on what to look for in a Family Board Game:
Number of players
As you know we are a big family so I check how many people can play.
Time
Playing time is something to consider. We have shorter games but also some that require some strategy thinking for longer. Have a look at the games you already have and see where you can add or go for a new challenge. The games I ordered just now are all rather short because I wanted something to play after lunch before we go for the last bit of school assignments. Or when we come home from the park and I do not want the kids to watch TV immediately.
Difficulty
Our youngest is currently 4 1/2 years old and very good at UNO, memory, and even manages Carcassone quite well. When I buy a new game I pay attention to the age rating to determine if the difficulty level will suit what I am looking for.
And now, our favourite board games. You will see that there are some classics, something for a little one:one time, something for everyone, for little ones (that the older siblings enjoy too!):
Carcassone
Always different, not too long, and you can make it more interesting over time by adding fun extensions.
Your fields, roads, and cities grow by placing game tiles in an attempt to build up your land. After placing a tile, you can score points by putting a “follower” piece on the items you built. Lots of options, possibilities, some strategy, and logic. A game that turns quickly! Get it here.
Scrabble
The absolute classic but so good. Great brain game moment that trains creativity, spelling, as well as maths by keeping score. And definitely very fun! Leonor is 7 and enjoys it very much. But I think it is a great game where you can team up with younger children as well.
To start the game, each player draws a certain number of tiles, and then players take turns creating words on the board, building off existing words and earning points for each letter. You can increase your points by landing on designated spaces for double or triple word or letter scores. Get it here.
OK Play
This is one of the games I ordered recently. All children can play, it is quick, we can take it anywhere, and it is strategic.
And it is so easy and simple: Choose a colour, grab your stack and start laying down tiles until someone sneaks a line of five, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Get it here.
Memory
Another classic! And you probably played it many times. My little ‘tick’ is to find really cool and quirky memory games to make it even more fun. At the moment I play it lots with Josephine when the others need to do school work and I want to keep her away from the screen. Memory games are a great way to boost memory skills and also help with strategy, thinking, and concentration. Currently I play memory a lot with Josephine whilst the others do their homework tasks.
One of my favourites is the face memory, because there is always some story telling included as well. About the outfits, hair, or somebody we know that looks very similar to the child on the card.
Another fantastic one is from Petit Collage. The Ice Pops are so cute
Chess
Only two can play here but it is great for some one:one time.
A cute game for little people is this version.
I highly recommend this book for little chess starters that explains in easy words the world of chess and gives some tips too.
Jenga
This game needs no explanation — just a space in your game closet! We love Jenga for its ease of play.
And whether you play alone or with a group, this game is always fun. Build a tower from the 54 small wooden blocks and take turns removing one block from within the tower and placing it back on the top. The tower grows taller and more unstable with every move. The last person to successfully place a block before the tower tumbles is considered the winner. Get the rainbow version here.
Dobble
This compact matching game is the perfect size to store in your purse and bring out when your family needs a distraction. It is always in our backpack when we are out and also always comes on holidays.
You will get 55 round cards and each card has a random array of symbols on it. Once the top card on the deck is flipped over, it is a race to see who can spot the matching symbol between their card and the deck card. You have to be quick and a good spotter! Get it here. (and pssst, there is a cool Harry Potter version too)
Settlers of Catan
This adventure-based game is perfect for up to four players around the age of eight (again, good game for teams), who will all battle to collect resources and build settlements on the Island of Catan. There are some rules and obstacles that make the game super fun — players can trade resource cards, sabotage each other with the robber game piece and more as they race to become the conqueror of Catan.
A board game of trading, strategy, tactical skill, and luck that is easy and fast paced. There are numerous expansion packs, including an extension for five to six players, and even a “Game of Thrones” edition. Get the original here.
Jigsaw Puzzles
From early childhood right through to adulthood we enjoy playing with puzzles. Because we like the challenge, the thinking and exercise for our minds. Puzzles are also an important educational learning tool for children. That is because they provide many skills like fine motor, problem solving, hand eye coordination, and self esteem once your hard work is done and you can see the beautiful puzzle you created.
There are many different versions out there, for all ages and tastes. I will share three that I love very much:
Everyone loves The New Yorker and we all enjoy their illustrations. Did you know that they have jigsaw puzzles with some of their covers? Have a look!
Do you, and/or your children, like animals. This cat puzzle is adorable and there is a dog version too.
Trouble Game
This race-and-chase game is so addictive and super easy to work out. It is especially fun for younger kids but really the whole family enjoys it.
Players compete to be the first to send four pieces all the way around a board. And pieces are moved according to the roll of a die which means pressing the dome of the pop-die roller, causing the die to jump and roll. Get it here.
Good Morning! We are starting the week with some wonderful wooden toys today. Toys that can be purchased in New York’s MoMA and Vitra in Germany for example. Toys that received the international BuyMeOnce Excellence Award in London for their combination of aesthetic and ecological values.
I am talking about Wooden Story. A wonderful brand run by Gosia Borowy and her husband Wieśiek in a village near Babia Góra, Poland.
The couple lives on a little farm, with animals and their design office as well as their production office. Together they will saw, plan, drum, polish, paint, oil, and pack. Also organising paperwork, managing their social media channels, and reply to customers. The reality and beauty of a small business.
A maximum of 15 people work for them, and everything is hand-made with passion and love. And you can see and feel it with every toy:
We received a package with a variety of their toys, including the very beautiful rainbow blocks that are delightful. They inspire creativity and are just lovely to look at and definitely make for great decoration when play time is over.
And the same goes for the stacking pyramid. A staple in every kids room. Squares from top to bottom and from bottom to top! You can remove them and put them on as you like, no matter the sizes. Or you can arrange a pyramid.
And everything is so soft from the beeswax and botanical oils. Which means the toys are safe and always 100% natural too. The colours are Eco-certified and free from harmful chemicals.
“We are the third generation making wooden toys and other wooden products. They took over the workshop with her husband in the 90s. Wieś learned his profession from his father when we were still kids. In short, today the product itself is still manufactured as it was decades ago. The same technology, the same craftsmanship and the same hand-made.”
Altogether, raw material is the basis and Wooden Story works with certified wood, which means that for every tree cut a new one is planted.
“Thanks to this approach, we still have the joy of life, job satisfaction and peace of mind. I could take a loan and build a factory for 500 people, have a foreign investor and do really large production. But then there is no personal contact with people anymore, the stress is greater. That is why we are developing slowly.” says Wies.
And it means that each and every one of these carefully crafted wooden toys is almost guaranteed to last for multiple generations.
Furthermore, every toy comes in a very nice box or cotton bag and right now, you get little packages of seeds that will become bee-friendly flowers!
If you are interested to see more wooden toys, I am inviting you to discover these amazing alphabet blocks or Kuum.
We received samples from Wooden Story in return for this article. All words and opinion are my own.
It is clear that the world of wooden toys really took a big step over the last years. What was once a boring part of childhood is now a must have. Mostly because brands updated their image and speak to today’s parents who are looking for safe, long lasting, and good toys for their children.
And this small creative studio based here in London is definitely part of it. Founded by lovely Iga Sielenko, she designs wooden toys, nursery decor and interior accessories for children and grown ups. All the products are non toxic and manufactured ethically using only natural and sustainable materials completely safe for the little ones.
This wooden toy brand* creates functional, ethical and sustainable wooden toys with enduring quality and minimalist design that leaves space for your child’s imagination to flourish. And it is about connecting children with natural materials, helping them discover their creativity, supporting their physical and mental development.
Let’s have a closer look at these natural and beautiful toys for little people:
Probably my favourite (and we have a birthday coming up here this month!) – the wooden birthday cake*!
Iga’s biggest inspiration was the birth of her son, Orson, back in July 2014, when she discovered a whole new world. A world of toys and children’s room decor. She was also inspired by the simplicity and aesthetics of Scandinavian and Japanese design, nature, Montessori and Waldorf education.
And Iga always loved wooden toys. They remind her of very special and happy memories from her childhood.
“My toys and decor pieces are super cute and stylish. And their minimalistic designs will fit into many different interior styles and compliment any space. I put lots of love and care to each product I make and I want my designs to be enjoyed both by the parents and their little ones. “
You love the natural look? I have the key accessories for a great natural kids room as well as this haven of a children’s room that will let your heart beat faster. Promised!
Easter is approaching and my children announced that they would like, pleeeaaaase mum, a real Easter Egg Hunt. In our garden, or even better in the park. It is cute to see that they ask for traditions.
And of course I will hide chocolate eggs and bunnies and enjoy watching them running around with little baskets…
I really like Easter. To me, it is the perfect start of the open air season. When the streets turn green, the garden needs a fresh up, you stay in the park until it is nearly diner time, and our neighbours magnolia tree is smiling at me from my office window.
Therefore, I gathered a few cute and fun things to make your Easter weekend a bit more sweet in just a couple of weeks:
15. Super cute bunny peg dolls in a choice of colours. These sweet little rabbits have hand painted details, faux leather ears and and a fluffy little pom pom tail.
