Why buy toys?

I love being at home. I like working too, but today I am home and it's so energizing to have no agenda. Wren and I are baking buns this morning for our neighbours with the new baby. We are both sleepy from broken sleep last night- molars are coming. 

Wren found these pot holder/jar opener rubber things today in the kitchen drawer. I watched her play with them and noticed how this morning she hasn't asked to watch any "moo-ees" yet. I have been learning a lot from my sister who runs a class for pre-school children through Edmonton Catholic Schools. These programs are really unique because they are basing their classes on children playing in much different classrooms with a very different perspective on children's toys and their play.

The premise is that the classrooms are a calming environment instead of being over stimulating. They play with "natural" toys or materials instead of toys with blinking lights and bright colors and annoying sounds. There is mellow music, soft lighting, and lots of materials provided for the kids to use their imagination with. Andrea often asks me for my recyclables as they use them for the kids to work with. 

I have seen one of these classrooms in the school that my office used to be in for work. When I walked by, I couldn't get over how calming, interesting, and fun it looked. 

For example, in Andrea's class they brought in a big cardboard box and the kids turned it into a house, a car, and who knows what else. They played with it for 2 weeks!

What this comes down to is Wren's birthday are Christmas coming up, and I am thinking about what we should get her this year. Etsy seems to have a number of cute, handmade toys! If I come across some good ones I will definitely share them with you :)