MONTESSORI & PRETEND PLAY TOYS
Toys
Toys that ask something of the child
Nothing here plays by itself. Wooden stackers, peg dolls and nesting sets from Little Treasures, play kitchens and grocery stores for long pretend games, busy boards for small hands, and tents to disappear into. The child brings the batteries.
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Standards on each pageEN 71 and ASTM where tested
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Open ended by designMontessori led picks
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Free shippingAcross Canada
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Pay in 4Klarna and Afterpay
Before you decide, three things worth knowing
THE FOUR TYPES
Which toys suit your child
Stackers, peg dolls and nesting sets
The Little Treasures range: solid wood pieces finished with water based paints, tested to standards such as EN 71 and ASTM F963 where stated on each page. Simple shapes that get played with a hundred different ways. See the wooden sets.
Play kitchens and shops
Kitchens, grocery stores, ice cream carts and doctor sets. Pretend play runs longer than almost any other kind, because the game changes as the child does. The biggest pieces here, so check the dimensions against the room first.
Busy boards and activity walkers
Latches, gears, cogs and switches for the stage when everything gets opened, twisted and posted. The walkers add a push along stage on top. Testing standards are listed on each product page where they apply.
Tents and playhouses
Somewhere to disappear into with a book or a stuffed animal. Several include string lights, and all of them fold away smaller than they look when the living room needs to come back.
THE PART PEOPLE SKIP
Choosing well, and buying less
The best toy shelf is a half empty one. A few open ended pieces get deeper play than a full toy box.
- Pick toys with more than one right answerA stacker, a set of blocks or a play kitchen can be a hundred games. A toy that does one thing does that thing for a week.
- Follow the age guidance on the pageEach manufacturer states its own age guidance, which reflects small parts and safety testing for that item. It matters most under three, so follow it rather than rounding up.
- Rotate instead of addingKeep a few pieces out and the rest away, then swap. The put away toys come back with the interest of new ones, and nothing else needs buying.
BEFORE YOU BUY
The questions parents actually ask us
What age are these toys for?
We do not set our own age ratings. Each manufacturer states an age range for their toy, and that is listed on the product page. Under three, that guidance reflects small parts safety and is the one to follow strictly.
What are the wooden toys finished with?
The Little Treasures wooden sets state water based paints on their pages, and where a set has been tested to a standard such as EN 71 or ASTM F963 it is listed there too. Finishes vary by brand, so the materials line on each product page is the one to trust.
What have they been tested to?
It varies by manufacturer. Where an item has been tested to a standard, it is stated on that item's page. If it is not listed and you want to know, email us and we will find out rather than guess.
Do any of these need batteries?
Almost none. One train set is battery operated and some tents include battery powered string lights, and both say so on their pages. Everything else runs on the child.
Do the kitchens arrive assembled?
No, the larger pretend play pieces arrive flat packed with fixings and instructions, and assembly detail is on each product page. The small wooden sets arrive ready to play.
Will I be charged customs?
No. There is no customs duty on orders shipped within Canada or to the United States. Delivery times and regional exceptions are in our shipping policy.
Can I split the payment?
Yes. Afterpay and Klarna both split it into 4 interest free payments over 6 weeks. Details on our Play Now & Pay Later page.
WHAT GOES WITH IT
Finish the setup
Toys work harder in a room set up for independent play. These are what families pair them with.
Not sure what suits their age and stage? Email hello@truelittlenorth.com with their age and what they currently reach for, and we will tell you what we would pick. We are a small family business in Toronto and these come to us directly.