Grimms, Grapat and everything in between. Chat for open ended play and wooden toy lovers.

[Startaler]

Forgive me if there's an established thread already but I couldn't find one. (Please point me to it if there is)

For anybody who fangirls over amazing wooden toys and rainbow inspired Instagram playrooms, loves open ended play and looking for a place to chat, ask advice, and share ideas, please join in.

I started collecting Grimms a little over a year ago after deciding I wanted to get more open ended toys for my DGD who lives with us half of the time. After seeing photos of the Grimms Rainbow 🌈 on Instagram I went in search of one. Since then, our collection has grown to include other brands and my wish list is even longer.🙈

Ooh, placemarking. I love wooden toys and I don't even have my own kids, just a gang of nieces and nephews.
Currently scouring charity shops for old wooden toys to upcycle with fresh paint etc but no joy so far.
I love the Grimms rainbows etc but haven't got one. I have heard that you can sometimes get lucky and find good toy brands (Babipur etc, not sure about Grimms) in T K Maxx for cheaper, but again I've had no luck.

I always check out TK Maxx. I've had some great bargains including Tegu which is usually at half price. I also often nose on eBay and Facebook but the chance of a bargain is very few and far between I think. These brands do well at second hand market value so bargains are rare. I have heard of people finding some absolute beauties in charity shops though.

So this is what Christmas 2019 looks like. But after a new piece arrived the other day, I left the cardboard box in the middle of the playroom. So GDG arrived Friday and quickly unboxed them 🙈🙈. I've gave he's little trial run then hid them away when she went to bed. Good news is she absolutely loved them and they were played with all day. Hopefully we will have a good few more pieces by then 😊😊

That's gorgeous Startaler.

I love them but my kids seem a bit less impressed. Dd who is 1 plays quite a bit with the holztiger animals but ds who is 4 is less keen. Our rainbow gets a lot of play though. I'm tempted to get a bigger one for Christmas.

I'm planning on getting them some of the Ostheimer fairytale bits for Christmas as ds is fairytale obsessed, hoping that will lure him in. Little Red Riding Hood is his absolute favourite so going to start there and then possibly Hansel and Gretel. I do love the witch you have.

Dinosauratemydaffodils I was so unsure about whether to start collecting the people. I wondered whether they would be loved or lay forgotten about. But DGD loves them. She has just begun to play with her Grimms friends too so maybe it's just that she's hit a stage in development. She loves putting everything into her house and then taking them out.

I love these toys but don't have any yet. Dds 9,3 and almost 2 here and wooden building blocks are a firm favourite. Where do you find your bits @startaler, I know they are investment pieces but the initial outlay seems quiet expensive.

Please remember that you don't have to have just branded toys. Flexibility of use and sensory experiences are key.

Do you follow 'The Curiosity Approach' on social media? Great for ideas including reusing and repurposing household items for play.

Forgive me, I don't know your background, so apologies if I am adding info that you already know. Just reading back to OP's last post - putting things in and taking them out - this is a 'schema' - a pattern of play.

Reading up on schema will help you identify the patterns in your child's play and provide appropriate toys/items to support.

My DS loved putting toys inside other things. We bought a wooden trike for him but chose a particular one because it had an open 'boot' where he could pack his treasures inside and take them with him.

I'm passionate about helping parents to help their child learn, especially through play.

Info re: schema
www.ndna.org.uk/AsiCommon/Controls/BSA/Downloader.aspx

leaderoftheaream You're right, they are not not cheap. We just started with a few bits to see how we got on. This was on her first birthday 18 months ago. The beauty is, those first few bits are still played with every week. I think if we had bought regular toys for a one year old, they would be gathering dust or been passed on by now. There are a few stockist such as Babipur, YesBebe, Babame. You can often get discount if you join their Facebook pages so that's worth considering, and don't worry about the big expensive sets, a few small sets will give you a good idea. Also, things like peg dolls, you can buy cheap unpainted.

Anyaed I also have an early years background. Dgd definitely displays schematic play. She's had a strong enveloping schema for at least a year. I began following The Curiosity Approach on Facebook. I love their philosophy of using everyday items but I became disheartened quite quickly because I felt they were more about pushing their accreditation than sharing actual real play/learning. I do love my emails from Community Playthings though. They've written some beautiful articles about all sorts of early learning.

Our collection is getting a bit out of hand 😅, it took me a year or more to finally buy my first Grimms but it’s like an addictions 🙈

Yes @startaler we have grimms, the rainbow is awesome - figurines of any kind have been a hit with my 2YO, he puts them in things, we take them places, he has begun chatting to them, he makes noises for animals, they stand up, they fall down, he lines them up on his pikkler triangle slide. It's no guarantee of independent play when we get them out but if in the mood, there is lots of focus. We recently got given this circus stacker and he makes a blanket for his soft animals out of the cotton cover! (I like it being eco too - a planted tree for one taken down!) shoppompom.com/collections/build-create/products/circus-stacker

Another with an early years background here.

I love the Grimm's stuff! We love to collect all sorts of loose parts to use in open ended play. Conkers are a big hit at the minute. My 4 year old was putting them into groups of 2 and figuring out 4 lots of 2 makes 8 etc.
My 5 year old has loved rolling them down an upturned rainbow, and seeing how many she can fit on top of the rainbow pieces.

A post for me to watch! DS 8 months and thinking of getting him the rainbow for Christmas and another piece for his February birthday. Any recommendations for what to get for the 1st bday?

I love all the wooden toys but trying to be sensible with money...

@apples24 My 1yo really enjoyed the Grimms stacking bowls and the balls. Also the new Grimms convertible cars look really cute (I’m getting them for my almost 2 and 3yo. I think Yes Bebe are the best for buying Grimms rainbows, cheaper than others with code FAM10 and you can pay with Klarna (3 months, no interest, and you get goods straight away). It’s oos now but I think they should get a delivery soon. I’m after the Grimms natural bridges 😍😍

Thanks @Wholetthetoysout will look at those :)

happylittlefolks.com have some lovely wooden toys and also stock some other great brands. I just bought the wicker doll pram.

I know this thread is a bit old, but I'm debating whether to start down the Ostheimer castle path this Christmas. @Startaler, are your pieces getting good use?

So far for us the Grimms rainbow and the large stepped pyramid of building blocks have been the best buys. I was sceptical about spending so much money on building blocks but they're amazing.

I'm also considering this...it's just such a lot of money isn't it!! How old are is your child/children?

Three, so I'm thinking if we start this year, then slowly build up with one or two pieces at a time, then any future children (hopefully!) would also be able to play with it over the years.

It just looks so beautiful, and the scale is big enough for children to sit inside, which I know would go down very well! I realise I am convincing myself here.

Ahh yes I agree, that was sort of play plan too...out of interest have you looked at the BIKEHO castle pieces, they are extremely similar to the Ostheimer one but a fraction of the price

Oh I hadn't seen those but they look great!

I'm also considering a wooden play kitchen, maybe a gluckskafer or verneuer one.

Yeah, they look nice don't they ..... thinking to get a mic of those and the Ostheimer (that way it would be abit more affordable) also if my children are abit rough...it wouldn't be so bad

Ooh they are both nice!!