Are the hardwood blocks as “grippy” as softwood blocks?
Our blocks have a smoother texture than softwood blocks, however they are still “grippy” and easily moved by young children. The texture of blocks is a result of the pores on the wood surface, hardwoods have smaller pores, which results in a smoother finish. They aren’t slippery however, so still easily played with.
What are the finishes on the toys?
We don't have any finishes or oils on most of our toys. They are left in their natural state.
For our coloured blocks, there is a stain on the pine that is non-toxic, but no other finish.
We will soon be releasing an outdoor Pikler range that will have a clear varnish over the plywood, that is non-toxic.
If you wish to put a finish on the products you would be able to do that.
I have a broken item, what do I do?
Sometimes things break, as much as we wish they didn't. If something arrives damaged or breaks during play, please just get in touch with us and we will organise a replacement item to be sent out.
What are the benefits to open-ended play?
Open-ended play has many benefits. It has great cognitive benefits such enhancing imaginative play, increased creativity, turn-taking, language and numeracy skills. It allows children to have some autonomy in their play and helps with learning to play independently.
Why aren’t the blocks 4x4cm?
Our blocks are 4.2cm, a slight deviation from the standard 4cm blocks that you can expect with softwood blocks. The reason for this are that the profile of the timber we use is 4.2cm. We purchase a premium Victorian Ash hardwood and custom made Pine to make our blocks, and this has a profile of 4.2cm, and to keep costs low for you, we don’t cut them to 4cm.
Can your products be used with other wooden toys?
Yes, absolutely! At the end of the day, we are parents who have loved wooden toys for many years. We have created multiple toys for our children over the years to be used along side other branded toys. All of the Grimms and Grapat toys that you will see used on our website are from our own personal collection, so our products are designed to be used with other wooden toys in your collection to extend on the play that you will already be doing.
What are invitations to play?
Invitations to play are toys that are set up in a particular way to encourage children to play. Invitations to play can involve many toys, or only a few toys. Your invitation might only focus on a particular theme or learning opportunity, or something completely random. The point is to invite your child to play with the toys in a new way.
There is colour transfer from our toys, what do I do?
Sometimes there is excess colour that remains, and this can cause colour transfer on your toys or tray. To prevent this, you can use warm water and a cloth to gently rub the excess colour away. Leave the toy to completely dry before playing with again. Because our colours are colour-fast, they won't wash away under the water.
