I wanted Pipiri to play.
I wanted her to run, jump, hop, skip....get dirty...swing...outside.
I wanted her to skip rocks, climb trees, be sweaty, make mud pies - and collect leaves, bark - bugs.
Pretend.
Use her imagination.
I wanted to create a natural play area for her.
I wanted her to spend hours outside.
I wanted her to be an early reader.
I wanted her to play with naturally made toys -and only have a few of these.
So we chose to go full Waldorf with her toys and art supplies.
Where Waldorf education and I differ is with reading. Reading is not taught in a Waldorf school until 1st grade. While yes I understand the reasoning behind this - I do not agree. Pipiri learned to read because I read to her so frequently since birth. And I see nothing wrong with that at all.
Here is a list of toys and art supplies that we use.
1. Wooden Characters - these are some of the most played with toys In our house. She uses them to act out all of the books we read. While yes wooden is more expensive - I wanted a few nice toys rather than a bunch of cheap plastic toys. Wooden toys feel so nice in childrens hands..and they will last for generations.I started our collection very small...just a couple animals and people.
These are a few of the ones we have - we have the brand Holztiger and Ostheimer. I think they are both very high quality.
Holztiger Wooden Giraffe
Holztiger Brown Bear
Holztiger Wooden Polar Bear
Holztiger Wooden Giraffe
Holztiger Brown Bear
Holztiger Wooden Polar Bear
2. Wooden kitchen...I can say that her kitchen is played with every single day of her life BUT not until I moved it directly next to my real kitchen...now she cooks while we cook, she bakes, cleans, does dishes...every time I do. Again - while yes the kitchens are not cheap - they are so beautifully made - you can tell that some love was put into each one. Ours is beautiful!
3. Stuffed animal birds...some wool stuffed some not....played with every single day! Dolls - wool - hand made - she LOVES her dolls (while yes she pretends to hurt them - she still loves them - HA!)Dress up clothes for them as well. I only buy her handmade - wool stuffed dolls - we have a few non-wool ones but I prefer all natural materials. They too are an investment - we started with one - now she has 3. If you are starting to make the change to all natural toys - start with one doll.
Grimm's Soft Cuddle Baby Natural Waldorf Doll, Yellow
Cuddly Organic Woolen Baby Doll with Warming, Pure Wool Stuffing, in Pink Stripe
Grimm's Soft Cuddle Baby Natural Waldorf Doll, Yellow
Cuddly Organic Woolen Baby Doll with Warming, Pure Wool Stuffing, in Pink Stripe
etsy.com - is a great place to find awesome handmade dolls and stuffed animals.
4. BOOKS...being that we read everyday together books are always around. In every single room of our house I have a little basket (the basket also becomes a toy) of books for her to look at. When she was younger and it was time for me to shower/get ready for the day...she always struggled...so I started bringing a few toys and books into the bathroom for her to play with. We still do it now and it teachers her independence and helps her with reading by herself. Click here for a book list for all ages.
5. Pencils, paper, crayons, water colors, art supplies...I again prefer really well made excellent quality art supplies for her to use. You can tell the biggest difference in art work when children use high quality products. Here are some of the ones we use regularly.
1. LYRA Waldorf Selection Unlacquered Triangular Giant Colored Pencils, Set of 12 Super Ferby Pencils, Assorted Colors (3711121)
1. LYRA Waldorf Selection Unlacquered Triangular Giant Colored Pencils, Set of 12 Super Ferby Pencils, Assorted Colors (3711121)
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