Best toys

No 1 son has just had his 6th birthday.

I've been thinking about toys lately. We have far too many in the house, in our lives. Not that I don't agree with playing, I do. Playing is one of the most important aspects to a child's development and growth and as I have also come to realise, important for adults too. How else do we learn how to problem solve creatively, be co-operative, dream and aspire?

I'd like to record some of the toys/games that have been signicant to mine and my children's lives.

I hope it might inpspire you to play too.

The first I will tell you about is a peg doll. Literally a peg, with pipecleaner arms and perhaps some wool for hair.

I was about 8 or 9 years old, living in Nigeria. It was probably a gift from one of the other missionaries out there who thought I would benefit from such a thing.
I kept her in what I think was a pencil case, with some oddments of fabric, scissors, needle and thread. Whenever I got the chance I would open it up and stitch away, creating new outfits for her. I loved it.

It was my first introduction to design and fashion. I later progressed to knitting for my Sindy doll, then making interesting outfits for GCSE and A level Art, costumes in my degree and then working for Hayley J a bridal wear designer, where I got to do it for real! Designing wedding dresses and hand finishing them.

So if you are not sure of what to get a 8 year old girl or boy for their birthday, howabout making them a little peg doll kit. All you need is:

• An old fashioned wooden peg
• A pipe cleaner
• A pen to draw the face on
• Some wool and glue for the hair
• Oddments of fabric (if patterned use a design with small detail)
• Needles
• Thread (The plaited kind with lots of colours in it)
• Small pair of scissors
• Small pieces of lace and ribbon
• Small buttons
• and a Small box or pencil case to put it all in.

happy creating!