Toy Reviews

Is there something in the water? Are we creating a nation of young artists? WoodenToyShop.co.uk has recently experienced high demand for children's easels and especially for the John Crane Easel. This has reminded me of Aunty Lucy's playschool in the mid 1970s when we'd all put on one of our Daddy's old shirts, backwards, before we were let anywhere near the paintbrushes and easels. Who couldn't smile at the thought of a dozen three year olds doing their best to create a colourful masterpiece while not spilling paint on the floor or being tempted into a little impromptu face painting? Continue reading →

Betty, my four year old and I spent all of Sunday morning rehearsing a puppet show with our new, rather special wooden theatre.  Uncle Bob was coming for lunch, and we hadn't seen him for a whole year, so what better than to put on a little show for him after lunch, while he sat back and drank his cup of mint tea. Continue reading →

A week or so before Christmas last year Jon asked me to give him a hand assembling a Janod Maxi Cooker that one of the twins' grandparents had sent as a present. Not being the most practical of godfathers I feared the worst, but between us we put the kitchen together very quickly and were soon sitting back and admiring our handiwork with a nice cup of tea and a biscuit or two. Continue reading →