playing outside the box

Janod is a personal favorite – that French sensibility gets me every time. Plus, almost every toy they make exudes a rather timeless yet quirky quality. It sort of feels like the best bits of the last 60 or 70 years all rolled into several perfect pint-sized packages.

In this case, that package is a perfectly reusable box, filled with a playset to keep girls and boys alike happy. None of that gender-biased toy making here, at least for the most part. Each set comes with a sturdy illustrated box that becomes the focal point of the playset, surrounded by 15-20 pieces to round out the imagination. Whether you choose the Circus, Far West, City, Firefighters, or Farm, the simple play pattern will keep imaginative little ones busy for some time. Add your train sets and your average wooden blocks (and at our house – some cardboard boxes and random rocks) and you’ll have an entire living room environment just waiting for the giants to play with!