I just backed LINX over on Kickstarter. It’s is a super simple toy that will most certainly unleash your inner architect. All you need is lots of LINX and lots of drinking straws.
Kid In
Kid-in is a brand-new online magazine for the diverse perspectives of a wide range of international and local designers and photographers, artists and thinkers, focusing on the singular subject of childhood.
Brooklynites: They have their launch party on february 16th at the Invisible Dog.
Kaleidoism
Kaleidoism turns your browser into customizable Kaleidoscope! #somuchfun
Little tip, after the image is loaded, click on it and move your mouse around and mouse hover the bottom of the browser window to bring the controls back.
(Thank you Tony)
DIY Horse
Lovely Melissa Easton has an entire post dedicated to creating vintage 3 dimensional shapes out of paper. I found Le Cheval (The Horse) particularly charming, in a very analog way. She found them over at the amazing Agence Eureka.
Valentines Day Pixel-y Popup Card
How seriously cool is this Pixel-y Pop-Up Card? Click here for Full instructions and printable templates! See full instructions over at Mini Eco.
Three Primary Colors
Three Primary Colors is a collaboration between OK Go and Sesame Street explaining the basics of color theory in stop-motion. Try to watch this without smiling.
(via Brain Pickings)
Magnatab
My kids are completely crazy over this Free Form Magnatab Toy. They draw and write with the magnetic stylus, which raises metal balls to the surface of the sealed Magnatab base. And erase their creation by pushing the magnets back down with the back of the stylus or their fingers.
To me, it feels like taking designing for screen, pixel constraints, to the analog world.
5-year-old Analyzes Logos
Ohio-based identity designer Adam Ladd asked his 5-year-old daughter to comment on some popular logos. Made me smile.
(via Brand New)
Clump-O-Lump
These Clump-O-Lumps made me smile: It’s a family of stuffed animals that can be mixed and matched thanks to the world’s best invention – the zipper. Oh, the fun that can be had. My favorites are Bee-o the Bee and Shark-o the Shark.
(Thank you Jake)
Yummyfun Kooking
My daughter is completely obsessed with Yummyfun Kooking, a seriously adorable, quirky cooking show made for kids. (I love watching the show myself.) Ella loves the show so much, she asked me to sign her up for actual cooking classes. And I admit, that makes me happy.
So, here’s a brand new episode that Claire Crespo, the chef in the show and mastermind behind it all, *just* launched:
Ah, so apparently I can’t embed it, but you can watch it here.
Check out Claire’s website at yummyfun.com (warning: Flash Site) or buy her DVDs over on Amazon.
And here’s the Series Trailer:
What Time Is It?
Apparently not everybody is always running late; with this in mind, Team Tattly asked Julia Rothman to put a positive spin on her bestselling You’re Late Tattly to make Love Watch.
Wear it on a date, wear it to remind yourself that everyone needs a little more love in their life, or give one to a special friend. (Valentines Day is february 14th!)
Yay for new Tattlys! Love Watch!
Rocking Sheep
How cool is this Rocking Sheep? It was handmade by Los Angeles based Max Tyrie who got the inspiration for it from Povl Kjer’s design. Max claims that each prototype and design revision has been fastidiously test ridden by his 18-month old daughter, Rosie. That made me chuckle.
WhimseyBox
With a crafty obsessed 5 year old girl at home, Whimseybox makes me go ‘YES, Please’!
When you register for Whimseybox you’ll receive 4-5 craft product samples in the mail every month for just $15. They’ll select the products based on the things you tell them you like. There’s no contract and you can cancel at any time. They also offer annual subscriptions and 3, 6 and 12 month gift subscriptions.
Check out some of the recent projects. This will make my daughter seriously happy. Crafty surprises in the mail? It doesn’t get better than that. Whimseybox.
Small Designy Kids Room
Hat tip off to the parents who turned their little girl’s room into a real gem.
Burning Man 2011 X Dr Seuss
In case you haven’t heard of the amazing kids book Oh, the Places You’ll Go Pop-Up. It’s a fantastic book.
And I admit, I am not the Burning Man Type. But this mashup-of-the-two moved me.
(via michaelgalpert)
Puzzle Playhouse
This modular playhouse is all kinds of fantastic. Especially when you live in NYC sized apartments. I am all for kids stuff that folds down. YES!
#superduperwishlisted
(Thank you Natalia)
Letterpress Cookie Cutter/Stamp
Graphic designer/typenerd parents rejoice and turn your next cookie baking event into a letterpress lesson with these Letterpress Cookie Cutter/Stamps.
Garage (aka Storage)
Whenever we go for a ride in the NYC suburbs I get a total kick out of seeing what people store in their garages. There is hardly ever a garage that actually can hold a car. Garages around here *always* end up being storage. We are talking crazy-packed-storage. I was laughing when I saw my daughter’s Fisher Price House Garage used the same way.
(This is a photo I took a year ago and shared on Instragram. Thank you Timehop for reminding me and making me smile.)
Zig Zag Dress
Love this Zig Zag Dress by Brooklyn Junior.
Knitted Pigeon
At tuesday’s AIGA winter bash one of the raffle gifts was a huge knitted pigeon. The lovely couple that won it let me hug it and I experienced my first case of SPE (Serious Pigeon Envy).
The stuffed pigeon is from Various Projects and hand-knit from alpaca wool — a soft, cuddly version of New York’s native street bird. #wishlisted
Medicine Ice Lollipop
Our daughter is having a fever and is refusing to take her medicine. So, last night, I pulled a parenting-mcgyver and created a medicine-ice-lollipop. I am happy to report that it totally worked!
Next time I’ll add some natural food coloring to make it more look like an actual lollipop. In case you’re wondering what I used for the mold, it’s a Nespresso capsule. Is there such a thing as a lollipop mold? (Must ask Google…)
UPDATE: Lollipop molds exist! YES!
Green Toys School Bus
Wow, I am *so* the mom of a little boy. Look at me posting about toy cars, twice in a row. Love this Green Toys School Bus. Made in the USA from 100% recycled plastic milk containers!
Vilac Foldaway Toy Car Garage
This Vilac Car Garage gets my thumbs up for being beautifully designed, made out of wood and for the fact that you can fold it away. Awesome, right?
