Top 10 Handmade Toys

"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst beautiful things." - PLATO

 Quality and care are synonymous with each of the handmade items featured in our top handmade toys list. We encourage you to read about the creation processes of each of these brilliant companies, as we know that you'll appreciate them for the same reasons that we do:  beauty, care, quality, longevity and play value.  

1. Cate & Levi

MADE IN CANADA. Each piece by Cate & Levi is handcrafted in an artist studio in Toronto, Canada. All of the reclaimed materials are sourced locally as to reduce the company’s impact on the environment. Cate & Levi take great pride in the individuality of each item that is handcrafted with care.

2. Kathe Kruse

MADE IN GERMANY. Kathe Kruse has been handcrafting dolls and baby toys in Europe since 1905. Their attention to detail through every step in the manufacturing process is what sets them apart from other companies in the market.

3. Luna Organics

MADE IN THE USA. Luna Organics face paints are handmade in New Hampshire using natural mineral pigments. They are hypoallergenic, gentle on the skin and FDA-approved.

4. Ellie Bellie Kids

MADE IN THE USA.  Ellie Bellie Kids (EBK) is a Baltimore-based company. Founded by local mother, Jennifer Cooper, EBK strives to provide the highest quality classic play items for children. Each piece in their product line is handmade in Maryland by local artisans.

5. Yellow Label Kids

HANDMADE WORLDWIDE. Each one of Yellow Label Kids’ products are made by hand by artisans worldwide who are paid living wages, in accordance with Fair Trade practices. Many of the artisans are mothers and use their work as a means to support their families.

6. Peculiar Pets

MADE IN THE USA. Peculiar Pets are handmade in North Carolina using repurposed vintage afghans. Each pet is uniquely embellished with felt cutouts to accentuate each pet’s individual personality.

7. eco-kids

MADE IN THE USA. eco-kids eco-dough and eco-paint are made using all-natural ingredients. Their products’ beautiful colors are extracted from all-natural vegetable sources such as beets, carrots and berries.

8. The Earth Friends

MADE IN THE USA. Each of the Earth Friends are handmade from either recycled or organic fabrics right here in the USA. Their eco-friendly business practices are a core value to the company, and each friend features a tree planting kit in their backpack.

9. Let's Play Mail!

MADE IN THE USA. The playful, slouchy design of Let’s Play Mail felt mailboxes make them a charming addition to any playroom. The cute letters and mailbag that accompany the mailbox feature hand screen-printed illustrations.

 10. Camden Rose

MADE IN THE USA & Peru. Each item by Camden Rose is meticulously constructed by craftspeople that specialize in their art. Their products are not mass-produced, rather they are created one-by-one, the old-fashioned way. They use all-natural materials ranging from solid wood to yarn.

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Jennifer Cooper of Ellie Bellie Kids

Hi there, I’m Jennifer Cooper and I’m positively giddy over aMuse asking me to guest post this week!

I’m the founder of Ellie Bellie Kids whose sole purpose is to provide smart, fun, sustainable, classic and imagination-exercising toys and gifts for children. We’ve been around for about five years and in that time we’ve been featured in Cookie Magazine (September 2008—oh how we miss you, Cookie!), and provided parents with alternatives to the typical birthday gift. But above all they’re classic. Though modern in design, our manufacturing techniques and materials are the same as they would have been fifty years ago.

aMuse would like me to tell you a bit about our inspirations and processes. Let’s start here...

What is our creative process?

I get this question a lot and I always struggle how answer it. There’s no simple explanation for how we come up with what we do. The inspiration comes from so many places: trips we’ve taken (Belgian castles!), experiences we’ve had (hello, preschool headdress!), studies I’ve read (I worked in the field of child psychology), childhood memories, and of course the things our kids do (robot dance!).

When I started off in this parenting gig. I was struck by how few toys I could find that didn’t come with unnecessary bells and whistles. It’s important to guide children, not do everything for them. I also learned from my years of working with kids that most adult brains have forgotten how to play. It’s now wired for things like knowing how to: write in cursive, read big words, work a computer, drive a car, iron clothes and use the vacuum cleaner.*

When we started Ellie Bellie Kids, we thought back to the classic toys or other items from our childhoods—the simple things that gave us the most joy—and built on them to create our line.

We’ve added several products to our line since our foray into the marketplace. Every time we come up with an idea we ask ourselves four questions:

1.  Does it encourage kids to think differently?

2.  Does it provide parents a jumping off point to guide their children’s play?

3.  Is it comfortable to wear and easy to take care of?

4.  Is it made ethically?

With these answers in-hand, we start designing. Most of our products go through at least fifty rounds of tweaks before we introduce them to the public. So while they may look deceptively simple, we’ve often spent a year or more making sure we’ve thought of everything.

Can we teach you how to make our stuff?

Sorry—that’s a trade secret. But I am happy to teach you how to make lots of other things. You can find some of my guest posts on various crafting sites. Plus, I have a whole host of crafting how-to’s on our online parenting magazine Classic Play (www.classic-play.com). There you’ll find tutorials from me and some of my fav designers.

Ellie Bellie Kids and aMuse: A match made in heaven?

As a parent, toy maker, and student of psychology, you can probably see why I am highly critical of what lines the shelves for kids these days. You may have heard about a food revolution underway. In short, it says that kids need real food, not overprocessed junk. I’m a big fan of this movement and I suggest we start an additional one for play—because kids need real toys, not overprocessed junk.

That is one of the reasons I love aMuse. All of the toys are carefully chosen and curated to delight and inspire curiosity. The toys are not only beautiful, they’re thoughtful.

Plus, being a Baltimore family ourselves (woot! Baltimore!), it gives me great joy to know that when I purchase toys locally, the money goes back into the community.

I’ve worked with many boutiques. Some great, others not so great. But aMuse has always been on the top of my great list. They provide a relationship and context for their customers and vendors. Having someone I can ask questions to about a product is something of a luxury these days. It’s a luxury I don’t ever want to give up.

What do you have planned for the future?

New illustrations, new products and new stories. The rest I have locked away in the ‘ol vault.

But I can tell you in addition to our product line, we’re going to continue to grow our online parenting magazine, Classic Play (www.classic-play.com). We’ve been fortunate to add some amazing writers (www.classic-play.com/contributors) and crafters to our little publication.

Well, it looks like my time is up. Thanks so much for having me aMuse! And thank you all for reading!

*This list of things grown ups know how to do was generated by my 7 and 4 year olds.

Ellie Bellie Kids: A Child's Dream Come True, Part II

I couldn't resist just one more post about EllieBellieKids. What's cuter than a baby in a tutu? If you want a one for a special kid in your life, stop by either aMuse location or shop online at the aMuse website.

Ellie Bellie Kids: A Child's Dream Come True

Crowns and capes and tutus, oh my!

Photos and Guest Blog Post by Elizabeth Lipinski

How Much is that Tutu in the Window?

 

As a little girl I always enjoyed placing things just so. I would constantly redecorate and rearrange my room to suit the season or simply my mood. My mother was thankfully very patient with my attempts to relocate my bed and move bookshelves from one corner to another. 

Now, as a store owner, I have transferred that love for rearranging to merchandising. Placing items in such a way that they get the attention they merit. Recently when dressing the window in our Fells Point store, I went for all the classics.  A Bruder Truck here, Colorforms there, beautiful English designed Playforever cars and a wonderfully and locally made Ellie Bellie Tutu.  Our windows are a sneak peak to the brilliantly designed toys housed inside our stores.