languages

An educational toy for those who use American Sign Language to communicate.  Touch the two embossed sides on every block of this 28 block set.  Use your fingertips to trace the clean, European-style font that accompanies every letter.  Feel the attention to detail in every hand crafted cube.

28 x 1.75" cubes (44 mm).

Ages 2+.

Crafted from sustainable Michigan basswood.

Made in Michigan, USA.

Our Arabic language set contains 28 blocks, each representing a letter of the Arabic alphabet as well as their separate form, depending on where they are in the word.  Also contains math symbols, numerals and animal pictures.

28 x 1.75" cubes (44 mm).

Ages 2+.

Made in USA.

This 32 block set reveals a debossed Mandarin Chinese character representing the word for an animal.  On its opposing side, find the same character paired with its English translation.  See a hand crafted picture of the animal on yet another side.  Also featured: a stroke grid, Mandarin/English numbers; plus a bold Chinoiserie design.

The entire set is handcrafted from sustainable Michigan basswood.

32 1.75" cubes (44 mm).

Ages 2+.

Made in USA.

This is an original 'From Jennifer' design that combines tracing and counting into a learning toy/tool for children.  It can help one learn how to form their Chinese numbers correctly and learn what each number represents.  This is a maple hardwood board engraved with gently curved grooves, providing a form to trace with either your finger or the included tracing stick.

Measures 10.5 x 7.5-inches and is 1/2" thick.

Please keep in mind that small wooden balls can pose a choking hazard for young children, so it is recommended to use the balls with children only over the age of 3 years old.  The maker did hear back from one customer that instead of using the balls, she put dry breakfast cereal in their place.  The maker suggests they even think it would be fun with raisins, chocolate chips, etc.  Many others have used beads, small stones, and even flower petals to fill the dimples and large tracing numbers of the board.

The numbers side is the side of the board with large numbers and grooves that you will trace to feel the motion of writing each number.  You may also enjoy doing crayon rubbings of the numbers or filling their grooves with the balls from the counting side (or other things such as beads, stones, etc).

Made in the United States by 'Treasures from Jennifer'.

If the only Danish your child knows is a fruit filled pastry, you can broaden their world view with a set of Danish language blocks.  This 27 block set handcrafted from sustainable Michigan basswood features four complete alphabets, numbers, and animal pictures.

27 x 1.75" cubes (44 mm).

Ages 2+.

Made in USA.

Which sound belongs to which letter?  With the endearing animal drawings on our ABC-cards, children connect picture, word and sound.  These colourful cards invite word building and fun games, making a child's early reading experiences truly delightful.

48 cards.

Content: 3x A, E, I, O and 2x C, D, F, G, H, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, U and 1x B, J, K, Q, V, W, X, Y, Z + ideas for playing in German and English.

Size: cards 7 x 10.5 cm.

Made in Germany.

Our French language set definitely has a certain je ne sais quoi.  Enjoy the embossed fleur-de-lis filigree.  This stylized detail surrounds two capital letters on opposing sides of each block.  Two other sides show one number and one animal with their French translations.  Two more handcrafted capital letters make four complete alphabets.

Each block is crafted from sustainable Michigan basswood to give it an au naturel look and feel. Printed with child-safe inks.

28 x 1.75" cubes (44mm)

Ages 2+.

Made in USA.

It contains 12 Nins® in 12 colours according to the Waldorf pedagogy, both to determine the month and its season of the year. 1 bowl of natural beech wood, two natural beech wood cubes with the numbers of the days printed, and a platform distributed in 4 sections that determine the seasons, stamped with the months of the year. (also available in English and German)

Annual manipulative and active calendar that allows the child to touch the year and understand the passage of time through the experience.

Recommended age 3+

GRAPAT provides material without instructions, open-ended and autonomous play. Their only premise is to let children play, slowly, without time limits. Grapat hand crafts materials that encourage, invite and stimulate the creation of invented little worlds. Grapat is made following traditional processes, in the old way, with thick soft raw materials, natural dyes which let the wood veins be seen and vibrant coloured waxes and oils that slightly shine. The products are painted by hand, homemade, surrounded by nature and many children nearby that inspire the makers daily.

The wood we use comes from sustainable forests. Grapat uses beech and birch. Wood is the source that inspires us daily. It is robust, soft and hard, it is warm, it sounds good and it smells good.

The dyes are based on water and non-toxic that comply with the European safety regulations of the Toy EN / 71-3: 2014 + A1: 2014 / 2013. Working with dyes and not with acrylic paints allows Grapat to continue having contact with the wood. The dye does not jump from the wood when it falls to the ground or when time passes because it penetrates deep inside the piece. Sometimes it can happen that by an excess of pigments some piece loses some colour when coming in contact with the saliva, no problem, they are absolutely safe and non-toxic.

Grapat workshop is located in the countryside, and being close to nature can make some tones and colours have variations. Depending on the humidity or if there is wind the dye can impregnate one way or another in the wood. The finishes are made with waxes and oils of vegetable origin. The oils can have a strong aroma at first, but it loses it with the days. We love it!

Each piece that passes through Grapat’s hands is unique. Each one is painted by hand. And since from Grapat we defend the value of nature, we accept imperfection. It is beautiful and makes the material even more valuable. The cloth bags that are included in some of the products come from big companies that discard material when they have a small defect. As Grapat produces the bags by hand they can take advantage of them by removing those defects and giving them a second life. The fabrics vary and do not match with the photos of the products.

Care Instructions: If you clean Grapat wood products only use a damp cloth. Do not submerge in water and do not use disinfectant or hot water.

Made in Spain.

This cards refer to German words: Which sound belongs to which letter?  With the endearing animal drawings on our ABC cards, children connect picture, word and sound.  These colourful cards invite word building and fun games, making a child's early reading experiences truly delightful.

48 cards.

Content: 2x A, B, E, F, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T and 1x C, D, G, H, I, J, Q, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Ä, Ö, Ü, Au, Ei, Eu, Ch, Sch + ideas for playing in German.

Size: cards 7 x 10.5 cm.

This set includes only lowercase letters + german glyphs and pairs like "au", "ei", "eu", "ch" and "sch". It is a supplementary set for the uppercase letter cards.

48 cards.

Contents: 1x c, d, g, h, i, j, k, q, u, v, w, x, y, z, ä, ö, ü, au, ei, ei, eu, ch, sch, ß and 2x a, b, e, f, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t

Ideas for playing in German and English.

Size: cards 7 x 10.5 cm.

Made in Germany.

This block set is the alpha and the omega of all foreign language sets.  Literally. Our Greek language set includes 24 blocks, and features letters, numbers, and 24 different animal pictures.  Made from sustainable Michigan basswood and painted with bright colors, it doesn't get any more iconic than this.

24 1.75" cubes (44 mm).

Ages 2+.

Made in USA.

Our Hebrew aleph-bet block set offers a great way to educate your child on family heritage as well as learning a language.  This set includes 27 blocks made from sustainable Michigan basswood, featuring Hebrew letters, numerals, and animal pictures.

27 x 1.75" cubes (44 mm).

Ages 2+.

Made in USA.

Spoken by one of the world's oldest civilizations, contemporary Persian language has been in existence for over 1,000 years.  This fact alone places it atop our list of must do alphabet sets.  For this set we partnered with Golreezan, a design firm known in the Iranian-American community for its artistry and level of craftsmanship.

Made from sustainable FSC certified basswood, this block set features the full Persian character set, numbers, and a side of intricately reproduced Persian geometric and floral patterns.

32 x 1.75" cubes (44 mm).

Ages 2+.

Made in USA.

It contains 12 Nins® in 12 colours according to the Waldorf pedagogy, both to determine the month and its season of the year. 1 bowl of natural beech wood, two natural beech wood cubes with the numbers of the days printed, and a platform distributed in 4 sections that determine the seasons, stamped with the months of the year. (also available in English, French, and German)

Annual manipulative and active calendar that allows the child to touch the year and understand the passage of time through the experience.

Recommended age 3+

GRAPAT provides material without instructions, open-ended and autonomous play. Their only premise is to let children play, slowly, without time limits. Grapat hand crafts materials that encourage, invite and stimulate the creation of invented little worlds. Grapat is made following traditional processes, in the old way, with thick soft raw materials, natural dyes which let the wood veins be seen and vibrant coloured waxes and oils that slightly shine. The products are painted by hand, homemade, surrounded by nature and many children nearby that inspire the makers daily.

The wood we use comes from sustainable forests. Grapat uses beech and birch. Wood is the source that inspires us daily. It is robust, soft and hard, it is warm, it sounds good and it smells good.

The dyes are based on water and non-toxic that comply with the European safety regulations of the Toy EN / 71-3: 2014 + A1: 2014 / 2013. Working with dyes and not with acrylic paints allows Grapat to continue having contact with the wood. The dye does not jump from the wood when it falls to the ground or when time passes because it penetrates deep inside the piece. Sometimes it can happen that by an excess of pigments some piece loses some colour when coming in contact with the saliva, no problem, they are absolutely safe and non-toxic.

Grapat workshop is located in the countryside, and being close to nature can make some tones and colours have variations. Depending on the humidity or if there is wind the dye can impregnate one way or another in the wood. The finishes are made with waxes and oils of vegetable origin. The oils can have a strong aroma at first, but it loses it with the days. We love it!

Each piece that passes through Grapat’s hands is unique. Each one is painted by hand. And since from Grapat we defend the value of nature, we accept imperfection. It is beautiful and makes the material even more valuable. The cloth bags that are included in some of the products come from big companies that discard material when they have a small defect. As Grapat produces the bags by hand they can take advantage of them by removing those defects and giving them a second life. The fabrics vary and do not match with the photos of the products.

Care Instructions: If you clean Grapat wood products only use a damp cloth. Do not submerge in water and do not use disinfectant or hot water.

Made in Spain.

Written & Illustrated by Jessica Love

Winner of a 2019 Stonewall Book Award

In an exuberant picture book, a glimpse of costumed mermaids leaves one boy flooded with wonder and ready to dazzle the world.

While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself? Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love’s author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.

Recommended for young readers 4-8 years old.

Hardcover, 40 pages.

Candlewick Press.

Praise

This is Jessica Love’s debut picture book, and every choice she makes — the spare text, a color palette both muted and lively, full-bleed pages that make even subway cars and apartment rooms feel as expansive as the ocean — imbues the story with charm, tenderness and humor…Alongside Julián, readers learn that anyone can be a mermaid: All it takes is love and acceptance, a little imagination and a big swishy tail.
—The New York Times Book Review

Love couples the spare narrative with vivid, imaginative, and breathtaking illustrations. A heartwarming must-have for one-on-one and small group sharing.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Refreshingly, Spanish words aren't italicized. Though it could easily feel preachy, this charmingly subversive tale instead offers a simple yet powerful story of the importance of being seen and affirmed.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

[Julian] is, in a word, fabulous. Love lets an anxious beat pass before Abuela takes Julián by the hand, leading him to what some readers may recognize as the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. “Like you, mijo,” says Abuela. “Let’s join them.” Love’s deep empathy for her characters and her keen-eyed observations of urban life come together in a story of love, understanding, and embracing the mermaid within us all.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

The luminous, lovely, and layered art is what really makes the book...The concluding parade is a confectionary wonder of marine fantasy that many kids will yearn to join, and it might prompt adults to set up their own in- library mermaid celebrations. More importantly, though, those who’ve been shy about their love for dazzle and showmanship will love the idea of a formidable grandparental ally, and they will find this encouraging and empowering.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

Julián’s emotional journey takes on depth through small but important details: a wary look in the mirror, a slight inward slump of the shoulders, a chin held high while marching down the street. Love uses vibrant watercolors with gouache and ink and a lively style to create scenes that splash and swirl to life on the page.
—The Horn Book (starred review)

Across her watercolor, gouache and ink spreads, Love captures the transformative power of being seen...Love's affecting combination of the literary and the visual results in a powerful affirmation of individuality, creative expression and unconditional acceptance.
—Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review)

Love’s painted scenes glow against muted backgrounds, with saturated, opaque tones tracing the graceful shapes of the figures. They’re especially striking when Julián gets swept away in a vivid underwater fantasy: a school of sea creatures whirls around him as he transforms into a mermaid. That scene is nicely replicated when he arrives at the parade, which is populated by scores of people in a wide variety of inventive costumes. The affectionate depiction of a broad range of body types and skin tones makes this particularly cheery.
—Booklist

This beautiful book is one of the very few picture books about a gender non-conforming child. Yet it feels like a celebration of all children who want to do things differently than the parental figures in their lives—and a love letter to the grownups who deeply understand them.
—Gothamist

There is nothing about this book that is forgettable. In fact, you may have a hard time not thinking long and hard about it after you put it down. A book for mermaids and boys and girls and parents and teachers and booksellers and librarians and . . . Let’s just simplify things and say it’s a book for the human race.
—Betsy Bird

Jessica Love’s vivid watercolor and gouache illustrations are made even brighter by her decision to paint on brown paper; the richly colored palette pops off the pages, and abundant character is conveyed via the subtlest of facial expressions and body language. Also subtle—and terrifically poignant—is the eloquent encouragement of Abuela’s spare words. A book for the ages, Julián Is a Mermaid is going to make a big splash.
—BookPage

The illustrations couldn’t be more beautiful, and I love how Julián’s grandmother accepts him for exactly who he is...I’m so grateful for books like these that help foster acceptance and understanding from a young age.
—A Cup of Jo (blog)

Julián Is a Mermaid makes a fine addition to the best LBGT children’s books.
—Brain Pickings (blog)

Groundbreaking...here’s a happy picture book that challenges traditional gender stereotypes, rendering one boy free to be himself.
—San Francisco Chronicle

Right now, I just finished reading ‘Julián Is a Mermaid,’ by Jessica Love, which is an awesome picture book, one of my favorites, and I won’t spoil the end for you, but it has something to do with the mermaid parade.
—Charles George Esperanza, The New York Times

It’s a story of a little boy who is taken with some elegant costumes, and decides to fashion one of his own. It’s that simple, but it makes a big impression; I can’t recommend it highly enough.
—The New York Times Book Review e-newsletter

by Nivola Uyá

Awarded at the 2023 Cuatro Gatos Foundation Awards. A silent journey through nature and different landscapes where anything is possible. Open this book to find endless narratives and joyful adventures.

Silence visits me at the riverside. Then he hides. What if I can spot him between the waves of cool water? Or does he rest in the high mountains? Maybe inside the trees? What if I could go find him?

A quiet river, a special girl's gaze and the wise natural world invite us to listen soundlessly to what cannot be heard. The illustrations with paper cutouts and candy lighting create a symbolic adventure between dream and reality.

An evocative wordless picture book, where playing is guaranteed and endless narrations are possible.

Hardcover, 46 pages.

Cuento de Luz publishing

About this Author

Nívola Uyá is a Spanish award-winning illustrator and visual artist, with a degree in Environmental Sciences. She loves nature as much as illustration and, whenever possible, combines both worlds. She makes illustrations for books, campaigns, audiovisuals and murals, as well as illustration and creativity workshops in many corners of the world, convinced that the creative process brings out the best in people and makes us more sensitive.

With a palette of luminous colors and a magical-realistic style, she likes to capture possible and optimistic worlds, that spread love and hope. She has more than a dozen illustrated albums published in English, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, German and Swahili, distinguished with several international awards, such as the Silver Medal at the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards for Best Illustrator, and Best Illustrated Album Award at the International Latino Book Awards and the selection Seal Chair of UNESCO for Reading.

Age: 4 à 7 ans Pour 2 à 4 joueurs.

Un jeu de fantaisie qui permet aux enfants de passer des moments agréables tout en développant leur imagination.

La ravissante princesse est ensorcelée et enfermée dans le château.

Pour sauver la ravissante dame, allons à la recherche des choses magiques à travers les villages.

Les enfants se servent de leur imagination et recourent parfois à la logique pour le choix de la bonne chose.

Les joueurs s’entraideront pour trouver leur passage au-delà des obstacles.

Contenu: Planchette de jeu en couleurs, 12 jetons “choses spéciales”. 6 carte représentant les problèmes, 4 pions, 1 dé, instructions

Please note that this is the French language version of this boardgame. Also available separately in an English version on our site. The playing cards are bilingual, but the writing on the board on the top of the box is in French in this version.

Âges 4 à 7 ans Joueurs: 2 à 8

Un Jeu Coopératif

Pour honorer notre chat bien- aimé parfois pas aussi amiable, Max, qui chasse des souris, des oiseaux et des chipmunks autour de la ferme toute la journée, nous avons créé ce jeu très passionnant pour des enfants.

Les parents seront enchantés dans les dispositifs coopératifs et la manière intéressante que des enfants sont invites pour employer la logique.

Le travail de chacun est d’emmener les petites créatures sans risque à la maison et d’assurer que Max à bien manger.

“Nos gosses jouent le jeu Max à plusieurs reprises.”

Table des matières: 2 dés, 4 cartes d’animaux, 1 plein panneau de couleur 12” x 12”, règles, 4 festins de chat.

Fabriqué au Canada.

This version is also available for sale separately in English, under the name "Max the Cat"

Age: 4 à 7.  2 à 4 joueurs.

Une fantaisie pour les enfants!

Le géant a pris les trésors des gens du village et est maintenant bien endormi en haut de da tige de haricot.

Ensemble, les joueurs montent la tige et reprennent leurs trésors.

Le géant ne doit pas être réveille sinon il reprend son butin.

Les joueurs partagent les trésors et en laissent quelques-uns derrière eux pour le Géant.

Leur gentillesse permettra de changer ce vilain géant.

Contenu: Planchette de jeu en couleur 20 pièces de trésor, 6 pièces cassette du géant endormi, 1 dé, 4 mobiles, instructions

Our customers say:
“My four-year-old and I have played so often we have
worn a path in the board!” — USA

This game has an English version as well, sold separately, as "Sleeping Grump".

Recommandé de 3 à 7 ans.  Pour 2 à 4 joueurs.

Les jardins potagers sont d’abord semés: ensuite, chacun jette les dés pour faire les récoltes.

Le but du jeu est de faire les récoltes avant que l’hiver arrive.

Les joueurs obtiendront certainement une bonne partie des légumes récoltes, mais peuvent-ils tous les avoir?

Vous le pouvez si vous vous souvenez qu’il faut s’entraider.

Contenu: Planchette de jeu en couleur, Casse-tête d’une scène d’hiver, Casse-tête d’une scène l'automne, 48 cartes de légumes, instructions, Dé

Please note that this game is also available in English separately, as 'Harvest Time' on our site.

Design your own animal tracks with six different track templates: Whether with chalk, paint, in the sand or on fabric: is it a wolf - a lynx or .. a wild boar?  Eagle owls, bears and deer can also perform!  Great fun for children.

Do you really know how large the footprint of a bear is and how small in comparison that of a lynx?  What does it look like when wild animals walk through mud or snow?  Use these life size templates to recreate the tracks of bear, lynx, wolf, red deer, wild boar, and eagle-owl.

Colour in the templates on the pavement/ sidewalk using chalks, spray chalk, or even mud, take them to print the tracks on snow or sand.  You can even use them with textile paint to decorate some clothing or other fabric.

Contents: 7 templates for life-sized tracks on woodland animals (there are 2 for the bear), instructions on how to use them and interesting facts about step length, size, weight, feeding habits and predators of each of these animals.

For children from 5 years of age, helps to develop an interest in nature.

Made in Germany.

by Julie Kim