As a parent and a designer, one of the things I love most is how lately there has been such a great drive toward reclaiming a modern, well-designed life, even after you’ve had kids. You no longer have to make that descent into a brightly-coloured, jingly jangly, plastic world. It started with nursery and room design- from floor to ceiling, you can now choose from well made and thoughtfully curated goods. Neutrals, charcoal grey, and vivid colours like navy blue have replaced standard pastels, graphic patterns and prints are the order of the day, and texture is everywhere.
Toys are no different. The best part is these are often handmade by independently run small businesses, from sustainable materials, non-toxic paints & finishes, and with a special focus on style and design. Wood and metal details are perfectly at home with leather accents, tactile fabrics and colours that are inspiring, not jarring. These childhood essentials fit in perfectly with your own aesthetic, no matter if you lean towards mid century modern, traditional design, or Scandinavian minimalism.
Here are 6 must-have toys to bring home for your little hipster tot and their well-designed life.
Vilac Ride-on Metal Car in white. Lovely, perfectly styled and vintage-inspired. Photo via Petit & Small.
Gorgeous mid-century modern inspired small Miniko dollhouse by Miniio, and it comes with that darling furniture too! P.S: A certain leggy doll will fit perfectly in this house in case you were wondering. Via Design Life Kids.
Handmade, wooden, monochrome pattern and letter blocks from Babee & Me. So perfect if you love black and white Scandinavian style. These also come in a gorgeous blush and pink combination in case black and white isn’t your thing.
Magnetic Go Fish game via Little Miss Workbench. I love how simple and classic this is- no tacky plastic parts. Just good design.
Black and white modern nesting dolls by Sketch Inc. via Design Life Kids.
Gorgeous Sailing Ship kite by Emily Fischer via the MOMA store.
Until next time,
Thank you Naushin, for featuring our eco-friendly wooden toy on your blog. We appreciate it very much. We believe that play = learning, and what better way to do that than with your imagination! Be well.
Play = learning, I completely agree! Thank you for making such wonderful toys for our tots! If you have any new toys, please let me know, I would love to feature them in my next toy round-up. Cheers!