Did you know that when it comes to water safety that the colour and print of your swim suit matters just as much?

Wait, what?!?

When waves of light move from the air to the water (or from the water to the air), they undergo refraction and appear to bend. This can cause objects to appear at a different depth they actually are (eek!). It's also why objects in the water appear distorted or blurry.

Water also changes how we perceive colours, based on what specific wavelengths of light are absorbed by the water molecules, the depth of the water, the colour of the bottom, and because colours appear less bright and more blue underwater.

Alive Solutions Inc. has done testing to see what how colours and prints and water source type impact our ability to see someone in the water.

Swim Suit Visibility in a Pool

In a pool with a light coloured bottom, the most visible colours are neon orange and yellow-green. Neon pink was visible.

Swim Suit Visibility in a Lake

How Prints and Patterns Impact Swim Suit Visibility

Summer Nature Table Printable is here and free!

Setting up a nature table is a great way to observe the seasons with littles. Learn about the changes and phases of plants and animals. The babies from spring are growing up and learning from their parents, flowers are in full bloom and bugs are officially here and multiplying!

Our Summer nature table printable is one sheet and includes a "colouring book" style bookmark, a Nature Treasures label for your tray/box, Nature Journal prompts which can be used for writing or discussion, and a beautiful flashcard style watercoloured image of a summer tree. Simply, print and cut!

download the printable here

Two rainbows. Different brands. Different materials. Same concept - open-ended play.

Let's have a look at the Dena silicone rainbow vs the Grimm's wooden rainbow.

The Dena rainbow is made of 100% platinum-based silicone. It makes it ideal for your little one who is always on the go. Bath time? Outdoor play? A day at the beach? This rainbow can handle it all. Pair this rainbow with your way to play roads, and you've got bridges. Or tunnels. Or whatever else your mind can imagine! It's lightweight, making it easy to carry for even the littlest of hands. Because silicone is a flexible material, stacking and balancing can be more difficult with a Dena rainbow. That being said, most 6 month olds are more interested in chewing on their toys than seeing how tall they can build so this isn't normally an issue :D

Building tall towers? Ball runs? The Grimm's rainbow is handmade using European harvested limewood. It's stacking capabilities are endless, thanks to the durability and quality of the material used. Unlike your traditional plastic toy, if your wooden rainbow breaks, it can be easily repaired using wood-glue! It's safe for little mouths as Grimm's uses non-toxic water-based stain and is finished with plant-based oils. Just like the Dena, there's no need to worry if you see your little putting this toy in their mouths!

As for sizing - the Dena comes in small or large. The small Dena measures 4.33″ x 2.4″ and the large sits at 6.63″ x 3.38″. This is roughly equivalent to the small and medium Grimm's rainbows.

The Grimm's comes in three sizes - small, medium and large. Being handmade, each rainbow will have unique measurements. That said, this is what you can expect size-wise (approximately) from each rainbow: Small 3.9″ x 2.3″, Medium 6.7″ x 3.4″ x 2.5″, and Large 15.2″ x 2.8” x 7.2″.

Both the Dena and the Grimm's large rainbows come with 12 pieces; however, the large Dena is more similar in size to the Grimm's medium rainbow. Each brand offers different colour choices - both have your traditional rainbow colouring, as well as a pastel colour option. The Grimm's rainbow also comes in a natural - so depending on your home aesthetic, there is something for everyone.

Caring for your Rainbow. Being 100% platinum-based silicone, you can care for your rainbow by tossing it in the bath with the kids or washing it in the sink with warm soapy water. As for the Grimm's rainbow, a damp cloth will do the trick. Because of the stain and nature of the limewood, you want to avoid submerging your rainbow, as well as avoid using soap, hot water or disinfectant on it. Always make sure to air dry at room temperature!

Both of these rainbows are great additions to your open-ended playroom. With endless ways of using them, each of these rainbows will provide entertainment hours and countless new ways to play!

Over the last few months we've been dreaming up high quality Canadian-made sustainable open ended toys that can facilitate learning and imagination. Today is the day we get to share some of the fantastic products releasing first!

3 Part Tray

We've designed the 3 part tray to include a generous card slot at the top. This allows the child to add cardboard or chipboard letters, thin wood letter cards such as those from Erzii, and flashcards. You can use the 3 part tray in numerous ways as part of open-ended play or using traditional Montessori methods.

Ten Frame with Counting Balls

We have designed a beautiful ten frame. The ten frame has been used to teach children math concepts since the late eighties and has been helpful for children who are hands on learners. You can use the ten frame to teach concepts of addition, subtraction, fractions, and so much more.

Card Holder

The card holder is a fantastic versatile card holder which can be used to hold flash cards, seasonal cards, playing cards, cardboard and chipboard letters, art cards for art appreciation, recipe cards for children learning to cook and much more.

Stylus

The perfect size for little hands and has been designed to be used with all Modern Rascals tracing products (more to come). Sold in packs of 3. 

We hope you are just as excited!

Jana

In this blog post, we are answering the question of the size differences between the round-shaped loose parts from Grapat. There are three solid circular/flat style loose parts available from Grapat and they are the Coin, Mini Coin, Stone and Flower. 

The original coins are the largest loose pieces and approx 1.75”/ 4.5cm. They are the same size as the rings. 

Next in size are the flowers, they are 3cm/ 1.25”.

The mandala stones are the same size as the quarters and are slightly larger than the mini coins but smaller than the mandala pink flowers. They are 1” / 2.5cm. 

The mandala small blue coins are the same size as a euro .75”/ 2.25cm. The 1 euro coin is slightly smaller than a North American quarter. The Canadian and American quarter .25 cents are the same size. 

The recommended age for loose parts in the mandala collection is +36 months, your child should be out of the mouthing stage of development and younger children should always be supervised.

Check out the full collection of Mandala pieces here.

Maxomorra's has several classic prints available as colouring pages. I spent some of our teaching time this morning planning colour combos on boats and doodling on robots. Maxomorra's colouring sheets can all be downloaded here.

Coddi & Womple has also released a free colouring book full of their whimsical designs. You can download it here.

Smafolk has some too - you can download them directly here: Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3.

We'll add more links as brands continue to release 'em.

May some happy prints and fun colours bring you some cheer during these dark days <3

- jana

Guest post by Amanda! Amanda is a mother of two, a special eduction teacher in NYC, and a certified holistic health coach.  She writes and shares about motherhood, conscious parenting, and early learning / education in an effort to connect, inspire, and enlighten women and their families all over the world. She'd love for you to join her in her journey by following her on Instagram and Facebook, or you can visit her website here.

Preface from Jana / Modern Rascals - we are fortunate to have the flexibility to pick the kids up from school most days. They spend 4/5 days playing outside after school, year-round, in all weather. The run, play, slide, swing, climb trees (and more trees), sled, jump in puddles and more. This time allows them to decompress after school and move their bodies, and we are all much happier for it!

If I could stand on top of a mountaintop and whisper into the wind a message to all parents right this very minute, it would be this: prioritize ensuring your children have time to play outdoors every single day.  We all know fresh air is good for us, but its benefits go beyond just the sniff of a crackling fire in the winter or the sweet beaches of summer—for children, and arguably especially for the children of today’s technologically dependent times, spending time playing outdoors in nature is vital for their cognitive, neurological, emotional, physical, AND social development. 

As a special education teacher in NYC (and a mom of two little children), I have grown increasingly aware (and concerned) of the alarming increase in the need for academic, occupational, and socio-emotional intervention and support in schools occurring virtually simultaneously as a dramatic decrease in children’s opportunities to experience natural, unstructured (by adults), active free play outside.  In addition, over the years I’ve spent a significant amount of time monitoring both recess and physical education classes and I couldn’t help but notice that many children—not all, but many—struggle with basic skills such as running, tossing a ball back and forth, or even coming up with something to do during recess time. 

It’s become evident to me that not only are children suffering from the lack of opportunities to play outside, but they are also suffering from a lack of “know-how” to play outside. Unfortunately, this can—and more often than not, does—translate into difficulty concentrating in school, struggles in developing needed fine and gross motor skills, and hindrance in building socio-emotional skills. These skills include effective communication with friends and teammates, sound problem-solving strategies, and positive self-regulation strategies, such as taking a walk, deep breaths, or doing something independently for a little while.

So what can we do to help our children of today?

Well, we certainly can petition for more recess time in schools (before and during school), but there are some things we can do at home starting right now.  I know, I know…our schedules are over-packed, our to-do lists are unending, and if you’re like me, you might be in a neighborhood where you feel like your kids will be ranked among the masses from the time they are 2 until, well, the end of time. The pressure to sign up for activities around where I live starts before kids turn two; the fear of them “falling behind” their peers is hard to escape.   The work-life balance for moms these days is nearly unmanageable for most and moms who stay home inevitably feel even more pressure to “do all the things” and “go all the places” with their kids. And as the kids grow, more and more “free time” is taken up by practices, homework, activities, and other binding commitments for long periods of time.

My point here is not to say extra-curricular activities are “bad” by any means (my daughter LOVES her dance class), but rather to urge you to take a step back and evaluate what you want to prioritize.  Are we getting so caught up in the hustle and bustle of our demanding lives that carving out specific time to play outside is falling to the back burner?  If we are, we need to think twice and perhaps change some things around.  (Though, trust me, I know, this is much easier said than done.)

Why is it so important that we make time for being outside?

Free play in nature has so many benefits for young children (including babies) all the way through teenage years, young adulthood, and of course adulthood as well.  For starters, simply being present in a form of nature—whether it be a creek, the woods, or the beach—is scientifically proven to be grounding and calming.  We generally know this to be true as adults, but it is important to understand that the same is true for children.  So many parents of children I teach (and myself included) report that their children are so much calmer, regulated, and happier when they spend a significant amount of time playing outdoors as opposed to spending it inside. 

Spending time outside is also good for sparking imagination and encouraging children to actively feel and push past the feeling of boredom. We need to step away from constantly providing entertainment for our kids and presenting them with something to do; children are inherently creative souls, that is, until that chance is repeatedly taken away from them.  Moreover, playing outside lends itself to helping children develop gross motor skills and to receive the much needed sensory input so many kids these days are desperate for.  Children also establish social skills, problem-solving skills, and risk-taking skills through play. 

It is also important to note that kids generally learn best through trial and error as opposed to parent instilled fear, lecturing and monitoring.  They fall from a shaky tree branch once and they’ll be sure to test it better the next time. Allowing children to roam outside (in safe spaces) with other children gives them chances to learn about their own limits, to feel a wide range of feelings, and to deepen their sense of self and stature within this enormous world we live in—all invaluable lessons that are surely better learned first-hand than passed down.

How do we do it? 

For me, it has helped to reframe my perspective around getting outside every day with my kids. We live in an apartment building, so I need to physically go outside with them and take them either to the beach or a park nearby.  In the summer, I have no problem doing this, but unfortunately, I am not a winter lover by any means.  So, to help foster a love of all weather in my children, I started to think of this time outside as a necessary, vital box on our “list” for each day that needed to be crossed off—just like eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Do I always want to go outside in the cold of winter? Nope.  Do I want to spend 5,235 minutes getting my children dressed to go outside every day? No way.  But, do I ever regret it?  Honestly, I haven’t yet at all.  Not once.

Here are a few things that helped. 

First, it is important—if not crucial—to have the appropriate gear.  Actually, this was a huge game-changer for me.  I have spent years “willing winter away” by wearing too thin coats and relying solely on the heat of my car to keep me warm.  But, after doing some research, I discovered some of the lines of clothing that are offered here at Modern Rascals and I started to get excited about the possibilities.  I thought, “Imagine playing outside with the kids and being so warm and well-covered that the cold wouldn’t even bother us?”  The cold weather gear sold at Modern Rascals is so key to getting outside I can’t stress it enough; it will change everything. Before investing in any of that though, I set my eyes on their rain gear options since my children are obsessed with jumping in puddles.  What I love most about our CeLaVi suits from MR is that they are great for almost any season. When it is super cold and wet, you can layer warm weather gear underneath for cooler days and when you don’t need to, you can just throw on the easy-to-wear suits (that come in so many amazing colors.)  I should also add that they also have a stunning supply of warm weather gear that is worth checking out as well!

Second, pencil it in. I mentioned this earlier, but truly making time outside something you have to stick to helps to get it done.  At first it may seem more like work than enjoyment, but once you start to see that your kids are happier, they’re sleeping better, and they’re learning more, it will start to bother you less and you might even look forward to it.  (Can you tell I am talking about myself here?)

Third, trust the process. Try to clear out the noise and the pressure to be “busy” all the time and trust that giving your children downtime to play is truly important.  That said, once they learn to play independently, you’ll also score a bit more downtime into your own schedule—so really, it’s a win-win.  They might ask to come inside right away some days.  They might have to go to the bathroom immediately after they’ve bundled up or got that bathing suit all wet.  They might fall and get hurt or get into a disagreement (or ten) with a sibling…but remember, when you take a step back and look at all of these things for what they are, you’ll start to realize that this. is. living.  These are real life problems that happen to real life people—even children—and by providing them opportunities to experience and solve and learn through these situations, we are also providing care, guidance, education and love. 

So, go outside and play.  And enjoy some fresh air!

A Marble Run With The Standard Building Set:

 

This one is easier than it looks, and really satisfying to watch.

 Or this view:

Okay, so what do I need to do? 

1. Starting with the base, grab these pieces, and arrange them about like this (plan to adjust once you put boards in place)

2. Put the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 5^th longest boards like this (and use any shorter one for the other edge). Notice that the board marked 5 is on the blue and yellow supports, but leaves plenty of open space on the blue.

3. Now add the triangles to help the marble turn the corners. For me, they weren’t perfectly lined up with the board, be ready to tweak it once you get the next board in place.  In theory, you shouldn’t need the little red one, but I haven’t mastered that yet.

Place the two sets of elbows as shown.

4. Now, building up the support for the next ramp, a square on the end of each blue elbow (should now be the same height as the purple ones):

 

5. Then a green horizontal piece and a green vertical one:

6. Add the ramp—this is the longest building board, and adjust your pieces so that the board rests on each of the three supports:

7. And two horizontal and two vertical blue blocks (all 8cm long):

8. Two LARGE red triangles to help the ball change directions, and two yellow arches across the long ramp.  Note that the two yellow arches should be at the same height: 

 

9. Add the longest remaining building board

Spaced so the ball rolls off the end and is caught by the large red triangles

10. To finish it, add two long green blocks between the yellow arches to act as rails on the top board, and two small red triangles as a ramp for initial momentum

Ready to roll!   If the marble is popping off, check the triangles to make sure they’re sending it in the right direction.

The weather starts to warm up, we start planting our seeds, and baby animals are being born. Time outside during spring generally requires rubber rain boots and rain jackets (we have some adorable spring gear too) and the treasures found by our children reflect the warmer temperatures. What do we do with all of our children's treasures? We display their favourites on a nature table. 

The Nature Table helps children grasp the concept of the way nature changes in seasons. Inspired by Waldorf pedagogy, the modern-day nature table is a combination of season-inspired decor pieces and nature's treasures. It's a perfect place to proudly display the natural treasures your little ones have found and children are delighted to observe, discuss, and learn.

HOW TO:

1) Clear out a small section of your home on a shelf or entryway table for your nature table - it can be as small or as large as you'd like! Choosing an area that is heavily trafficked gives the opportunity to discuss the changes around them. And children love to show off their treasures!

2) Decorating the nature table is fun and exciting for both parents and children and evolves as the season progresses. Your nature table can be a combination of decorations, photos, art, toys, and natural child found treasures (rocks, flowers, twigs, shells, seeds, etc.).  We have highlighted some amazing additions in our Spring Nature Table collection. You can use some of these decorations and toys to set the stage for the Spring season and create little areas for their small nature treasures found during their nature walks or just while playing outside. We've picked beautiful pastels, baby animals, and gorgeous hand-painted flowers to enhance your spring table.

3) We have designed a beautiful printable for your nature table for Spring. It includes a Spring Tree Flashcard, An adult colouring bookmark, Nature Journaling Prompts and a label for your treasure box or tray! Download it here.

3) At the end of each season, you clear it off and start fresh, but before you do, be sure to take a photo!

We want to know, do you have a nature table set up in your home? What are your favourite ways to incorporate your child's natural treasures?

The Joquines Grapat brand is one to truly embrace and enjoy.  Their nature-inspired wooden pieces come in a wide variety of shapes and shades, and once you get your hands on them you immediately understand why they are such a coveted toy in so many homes.

The mandala pieces and rings and coins can be used to create beautiful designs, but they can also be used to help develop deep number sense and to practice early math concepts.  Children often benefit greatly from exposure to tangible resources when exploring early math and these special pieces can aid in kinesthetic learning which often increases both understanding and retention.

Whether you homeschool or are just looking to frontload / reinforce concepts covered in school, here are a few ideas to get you started using your Grapat pieces for mathematical thinking. 

1. Number Formation

Providing several different ways to learn how to physically write a number–other than using simply a pencil and paper— is often a helpful practice to commit the shape to kinesthetic memory and to work on fine motor development.  Providing children with an outline of a number and modeling how to “cover” the number with loose pieces gives them a different type of experience in number formation.  Alternatively, you can use building slats, blocks, or a tracing board to form the numbers and then have the child cover the shape with loose pieces. 

2. Represent the Value of a Digit

Children can often recite numbers in order from memory before actually understanding the value of the number (how many it represents). Try presenting a card or coin with a given number on it and then constructing the value of that number with loose parts. 

As a scaffold to struggling counters, you can use the rings as an “outline” and ask the child to “fill in” each ring with a mandala piece, thereby making the task slightly more achievable.  It is important to note here that Grapat makes a set of coins that have numbers written on them that work really well for this activity. 

You can also use a tracing board designed for this and incorporate loose parts as well (shown below).  Using different colors for different numbers is typically a good idea to help differentiate between values/numbers.

3. Counting

Rational counting and one to one correspondence is a precursor skill to more advanced skills like skip counting, group counting, base ten understanding, and subitizing.  Counting in an organized way is often something children struggle with greatly, causing them to “lose count” and make errors – resulting in frustration and feelings of defeat.  Providing them with visually and tangibly pleasing Grapat pieces to manipulate with their hands can help with engagement and organizational skills. Children can touch each piece as they say the number aloud or physically move the pieces to a new spot when counting. Eventually, they can begin to make groups of five or ten to help with more efficient recounting.

4. Classifying/ Making Sets

Inventing systems of ordering and classifying is a really rewarding activity for children to independently (or cooperatively) engage in.  Setting up a simple model or suggestion can help them to get started on a variety of sorting activities.  Making sets classified by color or number is a great building skill for other concepts such as comparing and understanding parts and wholes. 

5. Comparing

Which group is bigger?  Which is the smallest? Can you make a larger group?  Which group has more? Less? 

These are different questions that can be worked through when making groups.  Subitizing (instantly seeing how many) is another preschool skill that can be developed by frequent comparison work.  Working on the meanings of greater than, equal to, and less than at an early age is beneficial to promoting conceptual understanding of a topic that will increase in complexity over time.    

6. Patterning

Identifying and creating patterns with loose parts is one of my 4-year-old’s favorite activities right now.  You can try modeling how to create one by saying what you are doing aloud, “one pink, one purple, one pink, one purple.” Or you can pose questions like, “What do you notice about these pieces here?” and point to a constructed pattern.  You can also take it a step further and make patterns in a certain design. Sometimes, we like to make patterns over the colorful lines in one of our area rugs.

7. Spatial Sense /Positional Words

Developing spatial awareness in conjunction with fine and gross motor skill work can be harder for some children than others.  Providing ample opportunity to use hands and fingers to organize loose parts in different ways is always a good reinforcement activity. 

Working on positional words is one way to do so; you can say something like, “Which color comes before the blue pieces?” or, “Can you put the pink piece after the yellow one?” 

Working on above, below, next to, before, after, on top of, underneath, etc. with tangible recourses is great practice.

8. Shape Formation

Similar to forming numbers, shape formation practice can (and should) extend beyond just using paper and pencil.  Using an outline or tracing sheet, children can cover lines to practice the straight and curved lines that are required to accurately make a shape.  Sometimes, I create shapes with our magnetic tiles and ask my children to trace the outline of the shape with our loose parts. Outlining each side of a shape with different colored pieces also helps to reinforce the number of sides each shape has. 

9. Parts and Wholes

Understanding that two or more parts put together make up a whole is a foundational piece of number sense.  This concept can be represented in many different ways in drawings and models on paper (number bonds, number sentences, tape diagrams), but once again, tangible manipulatives are helpful tools.

Using a printed diagram or just an open area on the floor or a table, you can practice taking a group of ten and separating it into different groups (2 and 8, 5 and 5, etc.) and start by observing the relationships between these numbers.  For more advanced learners, this can be incorporated into more concrete addition and subtraction work.

10. Addition / Subtraction

Using loose parts, children can “act out” or create representations of addition and subtraction sentences or even story problems.  Whether or not you actually couple this work with the written representation is up to you.  Familiarizing children with “math talk” and appropriate terms while manipulating the pieces is also helpful.  Children can either create their own word problems and solve them or can solve ones given to them.  For some, mixing colors amongst parts and wholes (rather than choosing one) might be confusing—try to be cognizant of that and use what works best for the child you are working with. 

11. Multiplying / Dividing

When learning how to multiply or divide, picture representations are often key in helping children understand the processes involved.  Making up stories with younger children that involve making groups and asking guiding questions will help build preliminary foundational understanding. 

For example, you can pose a story such as: Addy has 12 cookies and she wants to share them with her 3 friends.  How many cookies will each friend get? Representing the cookies with concrete loose parts will allow children the opportunity to work through division without even really knowing it yet.

12. Tens and Ones

When working on place value, a beginning step is typically grouping “ones” into sets of ten.  Counting and grouping loose parts can help to kinesthetically reinforce this concept. 

Furthermore, using one type of coin or mandala piece and “exchanging” 10 for a new coin or mandala piece will serve as a base for differentiating between tens and ones. 

13. Coins and Money

Similar to what was described just above, one way to work on money concept building would be to use Grapat coins in lieu of pennies (giving them a value of 1 cent) and “exchanging” them for a different value (perhaps a nickel or a dime could be represented with a ring. 

Practicing counting up to 5 or 10 and making a visual connection between an equal value BUT different “coin” is great foundational practice.  Also, just simply having some coins in a wallet or purse is always a fun way to play!

14. Symmetry

Using loose parts to expose children to the beauties of symmetry can be SO much fun!  There are so many inspiring accounts on Instagram that display incredible mandalas that are often symmetrical; search #grapatmandala and let your world be changed forever!  Of course, some of these creations can be quite complicated for a youngin’ to replicate, BUT they can sit and observe as you create one and talk about what you are doing. 

That said, for more appropriately leveled work for a young child, you can present them with a simple shape and one line of symmetry and model/show how to create symmetrical lines/patterns/designs on the template.

15. Measurement

When children first start learning about measurement, they often use objects to determine length, volume, and/or mass before using units such as inches, centimeters, and grams. Using Grapat pieces to explore these concepts provides both tangible and visual opportunities for children. 

You can measure household objects or furniture with Grapat's coins and compare lengths in a discussion (or a number sentence).  You can fill up different size jars with the same pieces and see which holds more.  You can fill up a tied silk with the same number of different pieces and see if there is a difference in weight. 

I hope this proves as a helpful resource for all parents and educators reading.  Not only are these pieces naturally beautiful and inherently thought-provoking in their own way, they are incredible resourceful and helpful with regard to mathematical understanding.  I wish you all the joy and wonder while you explore and learn with these particularly unique and inviting pieces near and dear to my heart. 

- Amanda

To shop the whole Capsule Wardrobe collection, click here.

Guest post by Amanda! Amanda is a mother of two, a special eduction teacher in NYC, and a certified holistic health coach.  She writes and shares about motherhood, conscious parenting, and early learning / education in an effort to connect, inspire, and enlighten women and their families all over the world. She'd love for you to join her in her journey by following her on Instagram and Facebook, or you can visit her website here.

Ahh… the ever-so-google-searched question and perpetual debate between parents.  It is a tricky one to answer as arguably many factors can be involved (money, gifts from others, interests, etc.), but, as an educator, I believe it is more important to consider the quality of the toys that live in your play spaces quite a bit more than the quantity. Once you start shifting your perspective and learn more about open-ended toys, the stress over the number of toys you have and where to put them all will start to fade away. 

Just over a year ago around Christmas time I was doing google searches for the best toys for a 3-year-old.  Everything that popped up was animated, lit up, made of plastic and shouting noise.  I could’ve gotten nearly all of the options on Amazon or Target and have them shipped to my house in less than two days with no problem.  But instead, and with some luck, I somehow stumbled upon suggestions for open-ended toys and suddenly my understanding and appreciation for childhood play was changed forever.  I started to consider the possibilities that these options held and I just knew I had to jump in! 

What do I mean by quantity? I mean that the toys in your place spaces should lend themselves to imaginative play, curiosity, creativity, and learning.  Toys that allow children to use them in a variety of ways are the ones you really want to get inside your home.  Children use play as a time to learn about themselves, others, and the world they are a part of. They process their thoughts deeply when engrossed in their small worlds and they can learn important socio-emotional AND academic lessons when they’re playing. Toys that offer opportunities for role-playing, problem-solving, experimenting, and, of course, joy are the best ones to invest in; once you have 3 or 4 of these, you’ll start to realize the number of toys you have in total is actually not very important at all anymore.  

Here are a few helpful things to consider before adding a toy to your collection:

First, ask yourself whether or not the toy will allow your child to think creatively and/or use their imagination on a daily basis.  In other words, does the toy do the “work” for the child?  Does that hard, plastic singing object hold any OTHER possibilities of what it could be in your child’s mind or will it always be that same hard, plastic singing object?  

Second, will the toy sustain the test of time (both physically and developmentally)? Some toys are truly “one and done” options; they offer entertainment right away and often get no use after that initial smile.  Also, consider where the toy will go when your children are no longer enthused by it or when they outgrow it. You’ll likely toss it into the garbage where it can hurt the environment rather than passing it along to siblings, cousins, and others who are ready to play for years to come. Fortunately, many, if not all, of the toys selected by Modern Rascals are made with the future in mind and pass both of these tests with flying colors! 

Here are some other important things to remember when making toy choices:

Notice how your children gravitate towards household items and things that exist naturally outside.  For example, young toddlers are often more interested in the paper wrapping a gift than the gift itself….and preschoolers are more inclined to jump in puddles outside (check out weather-appropriate gear HERE) than watch a plastic toy dance around for a few seconds at a time.  Remind yourself that because of this, less is often more and, more often than not, what you NEED, you already have.

Photo by @nester.wanders

The number of toys you have does not determine your worth as a parent.  Period. 

Ask yourself what is most important to you.  Is it the number of toys on your shelves or in your bins or the quality of your child’s play experiences? Then, trust yourself enough to start making your toy decisions from this perspective.  

Regardless of the number of toys you have, you might want to consider only having about 6-8 toys OUT and available at a time, rather than putting them all on display or hiding them all in bins. 

Think of it this way, do you ever get overwhelmed at the drug store looking at ALL the different options of toothpaste?  Your child likely feels the same when faced with such big choices.  Make it easier by taking a few out at a time and placing them at your child’s eye level so they can easily see and get the toy alone.  If you have lots of toys, rotating them is a good idea and if you’re low on space baskets and bins are your friends! 

Deciding what to buy can be a hard choice when there are so many great options.  Remember, slow and steady wins the race—you can add on and grow over the years.  These options are not confined to the age groups they are first recommended for; they last nearly a lifetime and can be played with for years to come as your little ones grow! 

That said, here are my top suggestions for a few age groups to get you started. 

AGE 0-1

• Grimm’s Stacking Bowls (timeless stacking toy)
• Grimm’s Grasping Toy (safe, colorful, long-lasting)
• Papoose Stacking Set ( wool felt, fair trade)

AGE 1-2

• Toy Vehicles (durable, safe, simple)
• Block Set (starter set that can be used with larger sets in the future)
• Wobbel Board (rock and roll, make a reading nook, use it as a stage, possibilities are truly endless)

AGE 2-3

• Veggie Set (great for kitchen play, healthy eating exposure, non-toxic) 
• Wooden Animal Figures  (start a collection for small world play and learning)
• Way To Play Road set (give those cars some realistic roads to ride on…bonus, they are waterproof so you can take them in the bath or to the beach!)

 AGE 3-4

• Nins Carla Set (great for counting and sorting, building, small world play)
• Grapat Mandala pieces (academic tool, creating, building, small world play) 
• Building Slats (complement block sets, build letters, stacking toy and more)

As mentioned, these are suggestions to get you started, but there are so many other wonderful options.  If you head over HERE, you can find a super helpful gift guide broken down by age right on the Modern Rascals website. 

And remember, even though the toys are recommended for certain ages, that just means that is when it is typically a good idea to INTRODUCE the toys—they will continue to be played with well beyond that age-frame! Some children may take longer to warm up to and begin to incorporate new toys, the same way that not all popcorn kernels pop at the same time.

So, all this to say, fret less about the quantity of toys and focus more on the quality—your children will truly benefit from this!

Happy playing! 

1001 Nights and a Marble Run!

Guest post by “BuildingWithRainbows”

This one takes a little bit of time, but we loved it and thought it was worth the effort 😊 Here’s how you build it, from the ground up (and check out the cool way these blocks get used along the way!)

1. Start with the longest building board, propped up on one of the longer flat pieces

2. Next add two narrow arches and one wide arch.  One narrow arch is flat on its side, on the elevated end of the ramp.  The other stands *on* the ramp at the other end.  The wide arch straddles the board next to the flat arch, but rests on the ground.  The flat small arch will be used to help the ball change direction between levels later on.  (I ADORE this feature!  The big kid here loves having marbles drop and change directions, but was always getting frustrated when they overshoot—with this they make a satisfying direction change) 

3. Add the two blue “L”s as shown. These will be supports for future layers. The wide base of the “L” s make much sturdier supports than straight blocks!

 4. Next add the second-longest building board.  It should slope in the opposite direction from the bottom ramp.  Right now—test how it works so far by running the marble down the ramp a few times.  Slide the ramp back and forth a little bit until you have the board adjusted so that the marble consistently lands in the hole.

 5. To build the next layer, put a large arch on the small blue “L”s, a cube on top of each of the large blue “L”s, and then a small arch at each end of the board.  The low end of the board has the standing arch to create the high end of the next ramp, the high end of the board as a sideways small arch to catch the ball as it comes in from the next higher ramp. 

6. Add the next longest building board, again, send a marble though it a few times to get the position just right so the marble lands in the catcher below. 

 7. Place a large arch so that it stands on the two cubes placed in step 5.  Place two small arches as shown. 

8. Add one last board on top, and the orange pieces as guides. The expanding V gently drops the marble on the board but also gives it a straight trajectory.  Because those two bigger pieces are heavy at the one end, I added the two small on the other to help balance the board.  Interestingly, for me, they gave enough friction just putting them on the sides, but you could also set them on top of the board and they would function as bumpers to help guide the marble into the hole. 

Time to give it a try!   

This run is elegant (I think) in how few pieces it takes to make it work, but if you don’t feel inclined to fidget the angles, don’t hesitate to add guide rails to help keep the marbles on track any place they’re falling off or getting stuck.  I’ve left them out of the pictures because each build will need a slightly different set, and it’s easier see the basic structure without them.   For my son, adding the guard rails is the most fun part of any build! (sometimes I really have to bite my tongue when I’m wanting to finesse it and he’s anxious to add all the walls!).

 As I was putting the marble run away, I tried this out—I think it would be a really cool way to start to the run—if you try it let us know!

This one is less marble run, more game, but still only uses the 1001 nights, one set of building boards and the marbles. 

We Flipped the tray from 1001 nights upside down and propped it up on the two larger “L” pieces.  The top of the ramp is elevated using a few of the arches.   We opted for a long building board for a less-steep ramp so the marbles wouldn’t fly off the set.   If you wanted to slow it down, you could also add a piece of felt (this would also be a good way to add friction if your blocks/tray are not grippy enough) - older versions of the trays came with a felt insert, however the versions in the last few years do not come with felt. 

This one is an oft-repeated game at our house (each catcher has different points values = math game!)—I’d also love to integrate it into a marble run some day!

Happy building!

- buildingwithrainbows



A really fun first marble run with a Grimm’s Rainbow is the classic setup with all the arches lined up (don’t you love the sound?!)—but it doesn’t take many additional sets to increase the challenge and excitement.

For these Marble Runs you'll need to the following sets:

• Grimms Large Rainbow
• Grimms Building Boards
• Grimms Semicircles
• Grimms Wooden Balls or Grimms Small Balls

By adding the Grimms building boards to the same run, you add a vertical drop to the run so that once you get it rolling it keeps the momentum (goes a little faster!), and the sound is more resonant. 

To make it easy to use even for a very small child, I put the smallest board in the dark blue arch, and then the next size up in each of the next arches.   Nesting the boards inside the rainbows gives an edge for the ball to bump against so you don’t lose the ball off the edges of the run. 

To make the run less wobbly, (this is helpful particularly if you have little people), wedge the two left-over longest building boards against one side of the run. 

This run can be used with any size Grimm’s ball, but we ran it with the large balls.  The small balls ran well too, but the marbles took quite a lot of “oomph” to have enough momentum to get to the end of the run.

If you want to take that same run and make it just a little bit fancier, you still don’t need to add more sets—you can take the same run, remove the blue and purple pieces, re-arrange the boards on the floor, and make a track that returns the ball to the start:

Here’s the top view, both with and without the rainbow arches in place.  The two largest boards are now underneath the rainbow at an angle, decreasing the space between them as you get closer to the purple bumpers.  This very slightly decreases the speed the ball moves down the boards, but not enough to notice.  The ball will bump off the purple arches, but then with the combination of the remaining momentum and the slope created by the building board wedge, the ball should roll all the way back to the start. 

This run is a little bit more delicate than the first one, and it runs best with the Grimm’s “small balls”.  The bigger balls bumped the purple arches out of the way, and the marbles didn’t have enough momentum to finish the run.

I love the melody this one makes!

If you want to move on to a new level of complication, the semi-circles are a great addition.  They can give you a lot of height and are great surfaces for the balls to roll on.  This one was easy for my 7-year-old to mimic, and after he built it, he had fun modifying and adding to it. 

Any time the marble path changes direction, its important to ensure that the track is lined up, and it isn’t always intuitive. 

 The first transition happens as the ball comes off the top board into the arch of the red (2^nd biggest) rainbow arch.  The ball comes in at a gentle angle so that it can pick up the directinon of the curve without loosing too much momentum, but not so slight that it misses the first portion of the arch.  Also notice that the red arch overhangs the edge of the semi-circle just a bit to help “catch” the ball.

The next transition is a little trickier to set up and took a couple of adjustments to get right.  The trick is to remember that the ball will follow the trajectory of the last part of the rainbow—it doesn’t continue to curve, but will go straight in the direction it leaves.  The red arch overhangs the semi-circle on this edge too, to help control the direction.

The last transition follows the same principal:  as long as you have your board set up so that the marble follows the straight trajectory of the last part of the rainbow, your ball should stay on the board.  Thes red and orange arches are not adjacent in the rainbow, but skip one (the light red) to create a space between them for the ball to roll on)

Here is the whole run from the top:

This one ran best with the “small balls” as well:

This last run is still made with only the rainbow, the semicircles and the building boards.

It used every arch from the rainbow, and the semicircles and boards on the left side of this picture.

The more complex the marble run is, the more it helps to start building at the end, and slowly work your way up (testing as you go) it really helps to manage the speed and momentum, and make sure the ball stays on the track. 

All the height in this run is created using the rainbow arches with semi-circles stacked on top. 

This is the bottom level.  Notice how the yellow arch is slightly offset from its semi-circle, to help catch the ball as it rolls in:

Next add three semi-circles, the biggest and smallest arches as shown:

Then the building boards, two as ramps, one to stop the ball at the end of the run.  Notice that where the ends of the ramps are balanced on arches, it always has at least two points of contact to help keep it stable:

And fully assembled, from the top.  The top red arch is actually the 2^nd biggest arch in the rainbow, but sitting on top of the biggest semi-circle board for extra wiggle room.  As you set it up, pay attention to the trajectory established each time the ball leaves an arch!

 From this angle you can see how the pieces line up:

This is another run for the medium-sized balls.



Happy Building!

- Buildingwithrainbows

The first? An awesome bonnet or helmet style baby hat. The strings make it difficult for little hands to take their hat off, which means less time that I'm trying to put a hat on a squirmy kid on my back :D

We have two fantastic styles. The DUNS Sweden bonnets - a single layer of soft cotton jersey, these caps are perfect for Spring and Fall days or warmer Winter days. And the Maxomorra velour-lined helmet hats, which are perfect for Winter days (Sterling is wearing the old Beaver print in this photo).

The second thing that saved my butt were tights! They meant no dreaded ankle gap between socks and pants. On cold days, they were an extra layer under pants to keep kiddo warmer. And they never rode up under snowsuits meaning 58% fewer fights when getting my little ones ready on a Winter day. Anything that leads to fewer clothing-related fights is a solid WIN in my books.

Shop our entire Babywearing Accessories collection over here - all of these are tried and tested by us and have received our seal of approval <3

Photo via @jesspartyof4

When can kids start playing with them?

First things first - Safety! - the Grapat loose parts are rated for ages 3+. They are small pieces and are a choking hazard for younger kids. If you are looking for loose parts that smaller children can safely play with I recommend the Grapat rings, coins, and nins. Plus these can be combined with the loose pieces once your children are a little older for even more fun and possibilities.

Grapat Loose Parts Play by @nester.wanders

What sets should I get first?

There are currently 9 different sets, which can be a LOT to start with. Pictured below are 8 of the 9 - yellow honeycombs, pink flowers, brown mushrooms, blue raindrops, green cones, red pines, orange cones, and purple eggs. Missing are the blue coins.

Photo of Grapat sets by @nester.wanders

 If you are just starting out, I recommend getting:

• blue raindrops
• green trees
• pink flowers or purple eggs
• yellow honeycombs
• and maybe the new grey stones

It'll give you a variety of colours and shapes, plus they come with some built in building and play options. The green cones + pink / purple can make flowers. The blue can be rain or water droplets. 

Plus if you have some rings and coins the possibilities are endless!

Photo of Grapat Play Ideas by @nester.wanders

How many do I need?

The Loose Part sets each come with 36 pieces - 12 of each of the three shades in the set. Over 11 sets that can be a LOT of little pieces.

Personally, I prefer the full sets. It allows me to build more and larger patterns since I have all the shades and shapes.

My eldest regularly pulls out our Grapat Loose Part pieces to build patterns. It helps him find a place of calm and stillness when he's overwhelmed and having trouble regulating. And do you know what I've learned from watching him? It helps me too!

That's right, these are definitely a toy that is much fun for the adults as the kids.

What are some Play Ideas?

• Colour sorting
• Pattern matching and extension
• Mandala building
• Create scenes
• Calm down / Self-regulation play
• Small world play (use them along with other open-ended toys)

Scene built from Grapat Loose Part kits by @jesspartyof4

Flowers built using Grapat Loose Part kits - green cones, blue raindrops, purple eggs, yellow honeycombs, red pines, pink flowers plus Grimm's natural stacking bowls - by @jesspartyof4

Loose Parts Play with Colour Wheel, showing how you can incorporate the rings and coins and nins and gnomes by @nester.wanders

And sometimes I simply display our Grapat Loose Part pieces because they are simple and beautiful to look at.

Photo of Grapat loose part pieces in a bowl made from repurposed t-shirts via @tinyhumanhouse 

Shop all our Grapat over on Modern Rascals

Slugs & Snails launched in 2011 in Ireland with their funky, organic tights for all kids, big and small. But it’s not just about design, we’re also all about quality and comfort. Their tights are made from a luxurious organic cotton which is flexible and soft. Because organic cotton isn’t overly processed it’s super soft but very hard wearing and durable. 

Slugs only use yarns and manufacturing processes which have a minimum standard Oeko-Tex®  100 certified as well as GOTS certified yarns, giving you confidence that our products are free of any harmful substances or chemicals,  safeguarding your child’s health and the environment. We strive to produce in facilities that are highly regulated and audited to make sure production and working practices are safe.

Oh, and did we mention that they are designed to hold up to wear and be passed down to siblings?

We've been wearing Slugs in our house for almost 3 years now. My kids love them and so do I.

My favourite things?

• babywearing - no dreaded baby wearing pant riding up leg gap with tights
• winter base layer - no socks to fall down and no morning fights about pants riding up when you pull your snow pants up
• great for pattern matching or mis-matching if that's your jam
• perfect transition layer for those in-between weather days
• quirky designs can be passed down to younger siblings (or friends)
• ethical production and organic cotton so that you don't have to worry that kids made the tights for your kids
• and really, they had me at the Fun Guy pun

Sound familiar?

Here's the thing - I don't blame the kids for not wanting to wear their standard options.

When the only clothes that are soft and comfy are the pyjamas they get to wear at night? 

When they refer to jeans as angry pants because the fabric is so stiff they can't climb trees? 

When their colour choices and prints are limited based on their gender and on what is currently popular? What happens if your son loves cats or your daughter loves trucks (and wants the dress thankyouverymuch)?

My experience with my own two is that when their clothes are fun and comfortable we have almost zero fights over getting dressed (other than the odd no you can't wear your swimsuit outside in January conversation). 

Can you imagine that? Mornings without battles over clothes?

What makes the difference? Lots of bright colours, from across the rainbow. Lots of fun prints, that bring kid's joy. Soft cotton, so that their clothes are comfy. 

My friend above? She offered a pair of the Slugs & Snails tights we carry (in a fun print!) and her kiddo gladly got dressed, with no fuss.

I don't know about you, but I'm happy for anything that reduces the amount of stress and conflict in my day! 

Let's face it - I have limited fucks to give and would rather spend them on the big important things (like consent and kindness and tearing down the patriarchy) and not on fighting my kid over putting a shirt on.

But let's face it I'm on my second kiddo and I still can't get those damned crotch snap lined up properly on onesies and suits. I'll have a baby who is rolling around on the floor while I'm trying to get JUST ONE MORE SNAP DONE and omg why am I so frustrated?

So I've admitted to myself that snaps just aren't my thing and are more than my tired brain can handle.

Why are there snaps on baby clothes? So shirts don't ride up?

I guess it's the Rascal in me but I'm not super fussed about what I'm supposed to do. Me, I realized that I don't care at all. I was fighting my kid into their clothes because that's what *I was supposed to do*. So I stopped.

I thought dungarees would be the same - that I'd be fighting to get them on and off. I was so stoked when I gave them a change and found that they were so much easier! You undo the buttons, take 'em down, change a diaper, and then back up they go. With no misaligned snaps. BOOM.

Even better, I love how versatile they are. In the summer you can wear them on their own. On colder days you can layer them with a t-shirt (or long sleeve shirt), so they last year round. And that is a huge win in my book!

Pair them with a basic shirt or mix and match with other prints. Because sometimes letting your kiddo wear their submarine shirt with their submarine dungarees is easier than getting into a power struggle over clashing prints.

Below I've paired the Dark Blue Umbrellas Dungarees from DUNS Sweden with a simple red shirt from More Than a Fling. Perfection! 

Shop all our Dungarees and Playsuits in one handy spot!!

Our winter was generally so mild that kiddo just wore his rain pants most days. They blocked the wind and kept him dry, so unless there was a lot of snow (almost never) or it was actually cold (still pretty rare), the rain pants were just fine.

Added bonus? Our son didn't like wearing his snow pants because he "couldn't run fast". So there were no fights over his rain pants. One less thing to fight over is always good in my books.

Do you know what was kind of strange? That it was actually difficult to find just rain pants for kids. 

So when I had the chance to import CeLaVi and their amazing rain gear I jumped at the chance. CeLaVi is an awesome Danish  brand that is created with focus on well-being. It should be great fun to be a ”real mischief-maker”, who lives, plays, and explores in all kinds of weather.

That's a mission that I can get behind. AND the fact that their rain gear comes in bright, bold colours. I was sold.

There's a reason that these classic rain suits are loved by outdoor schools the world over. Us? We love how practical these two piece rain suits are. You can mix and match depending on the weather. A little bit rainy? Just the coat. Really rainy? Both pieces. Muddy? Just the pants. Winter but not cold? Use the pants with a winter coat. 

The jacket has a detachable hood, with a soft fleece collar. There's a snap flap over the zipper for extra protection from the rain. The pants have an elastic so that they stay snug over boots. The overalls have elastic straps and snaps at the sides for a custom fit.

One less reason for your kiddo to meltdown? That's priceless in our books.

Head over to check out the full collection of classic rain suits, pants, overalls, and waterproof mittens!

I've been working on some of our summer faves and here's my easy breezy mix and match set. 

What does this summer look like? Retro 70's running shorts, bright colours that go with everything, and dungarees. Dungarees? Yup, we have them all they way up the an 8-9 and they are so comfy and easy wearing. Plus you can add a layer and they'll last all year.

Shop the look now using these handy links, or find our full summer collection here.

• Boys & Girls Shop Bright Stars Tank (this has been so popular that we had to totally restock!)
• Whistle & Flute Red Cloud Running Shorts
• Whistle & Flute Panda Hat (because OMG those ears!)
• DUNS Sweden Dark Blue Umbrellas T-Shirt
• Whistle & Flute Black Cloud Running Shorts
• DUNS Sweden Turquoise Balloons Dungarees
• Little Green Radicals Under the Sea Tank

Rain, Lightening, Umbrellas, and my all time favourite - Rainbows!

What is in our Weather Lookbook? Take a look below!!

Above, we have:

• Pretty much everything by the Kawaii and Monochrome Canadian Favourite - Whistle & Flute
• The brollies and rainbows from The Bunting Tree, out of the UK
• The cloud cup and bowl from Rice DK

You might also want to check out:

• the Storm tights from Slugs & Snails
• Anything in the Grey Melange line from KuKuKids

What is your favourite??

I've historically been a fan of skater/surfer summer style - long shorts and shaggy sun bleached hair. But this summer? Oh this summer I've been won over by some AMAZING 70's inspired gym shorts and raglan shirts.

What do you think?

To get the looks below, click on the links to shop.

• Hi Honey! 70's Gym Shorts from Raspberry Repulic
• Secret Raglan from Boys & Girls Shop
• Bright Stars Rainbow 70's Gym Shorts from Boys & Girls Shop
• Red Livin' the Dream Shirt from Pride Socks
• Rainbow Striped Tube Socks from Pride Socks (or these alternate stripe pattern)

An you might also like these similar style items!

• Orange Hearts Short Shorts from KuKuKid
• Purple Livin' the Dream Tee from Pride Socks
• Ocean Sounds 70's Gym Shorts from Raspberry Republic
• or any of the Adorbs Kawaii Raglans from Whistle & Flute

Click to see what gems we have in store for you!

You want colour? We've got it!

• the Red Oranges and Black Mother Earth short sleeve shirts from DUNS Sweden,
• the Bright Stars tank from Boys & Girls Shop, 
• the Hi Honey! tank from Raspberry Republic,
• the Orange with Hearts shorts from KuKuKid,
• and the Under the Sea tank and the Red Pillbox Star Joggers from Little Green Radicals

If you want to see more of our curated Spring 2017 new stock, hop over here to check it out!