I recently picked up a copy of The Creative Home (I needed to read something inspiring other than all the birth and labour lit. that is about my bedside). In it I found author Amanda Blake Soule, articulates exactly how I feel about toys. Asking questions like, do they foster creativity, are they lovely, do the build in our children a respect for the craftsmanship and the earth? Or a great point, "we should consider our toy materials in the same way that people talk about whole foods: the closer to the original source, the better." (pg. 31) 
Well the above toy is definitely not close to a whole food, but it is vintage, and it is Lovely! I had the same one some 25-30 years ago, only I think we lost all but one record. This one came from a local family centre getting rid of toys...I couldn't believe that I got to it first...It came with all it's little records! No batteries, no modern electronics - just a wind up beautiful little thing, with songs like London Bridges, Edelweiss, Oh where has my little dog gone, Au Clair De la lune, and more....these music box harmonies filling the air are so much more wonderful than the electronic sounding leap frog tones . Just my opinion.
Well the above toy is definitely not close to a whole food, but it is vintage, and it is Lovely! I had the same one some 25-30 years ago, only I think we lost all but one record. This one came from a local family centre getting rid of toys...I couldn't believe that I got to it first...It came with all it's little records! No batteries, no modern electronics - just a wind up beautiful little thing, with songs like London Bridges, Edelweiss, Oh where has my little dog gone, Au Clair De la lune, and more....these music box harmonies filling the air are so much more wonderful than the electronic sounding leap frog tones . Just my opinion.It is a difficult thing - in one hand you are grateful for the gifts of family and friends. (An important attribute that I esteem and want to encourage in my home is thankfulness - not pickyness). So how does one do it? It has been on my mind to start an online wish list record for our family...for the time being it will be in blog form, the St Hilaire Wishlist.
If it offends family - I'll have to think of something else - I also see it as a place to record the beauties I come across, for perhaps a later date (It's more visual than just bookmarks).
In other news....no baby yet. I'm only one day over.
love the record player... one of my favourite toys was a record player, with my Sesame Street record. YOu've picked some beauties for sure... visited your wish list and I can see why!
ReplyDeletespeaking of waldorf I am thinking of picking up a bunch of silk to dye... are you wanting some?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/3273-AA.shtml
that was my favorite toy when i was little, I so wish I still had it for my little girl
ReplyDeleteI've seen the same ones on ebay selling for $12 to $25...I'm in the market for another, because we recently had a little catastrophy when a window fell crashing on top of our little record player...there were some very sad faces - thankfully no one was hurt except the record player was totalled....But we are intent on finding another!
ReplyDeleteLaura, if you have a blog - feel free to leave the blog address! Thanks for your comment!