The past week or two has brought us the fantastic large Noah’s Ark by Christian Werner. It is a design that has been years in the making, as Herr Werner worked and reworked the ark, and it is well worth the wait. Truly a masterpiece of Erzgebirge folk art!

The Werner workshop was not the only one working with this subject matter, it seems, as a recent NY Times article shows (“Giving Life to Found Objects, Two by Two”). The Skirball Cultural Center in LA has added a wing devoted to the Ark / Flood story, hiring a Brooklyn-based puppeteer to craft the unique animals. The artist, Chris Green, has used found objects in making the animals, reinforcing the exhibit’s underlying theme of environmental awareness and responsibility. The show has no Noah figure, and the center hopes that viewers will be inspired to follow in his role as custodians of the earth. An accompanying video provides some insight into the exhibition, as well as fantastic pictures of the animals Mr Green has created.

Our latest shipment from Germany is due to arrive this afternoon. We will try to get all the new items up by the beginning of next week, and the out-of-stock items back online by tomorrow. If there is something you’ve been longing for, be sure to check back to see if its on the shelf. And don’t forget to visit often to see what’s new!

Wendt und Kuehn has introduced two new children for Easter 2007, a Girl with Easter Basket and an Easter Girl with a tray filled with colored eggs. Collectors of Wendt und Kuehn should note that many of their figures are available for only limited periods, and then removed from production for several years, or retired completely. I don’t know if that will be the case with these charming girls, but would counsel you not to hesitate if you fancy them.

We’ve received a number of new Easter decorations over the past week, as well as old favorites that had run low. I’m very partial to the straw-decorated set pictured here, knowing from my wife’s forays into egg-decorating how difficult this craft is to do. The individual eggs are equally stunning, ranging from simple designs to more complex patterns. Simply wonderful!

We are very happy to announce that we have received a number of the new Ostheimer figures for 2006. Among our very favorites are the Giant, the Unicorn, and a redesigned Red Riding Hood. We have also fallen in love with the Star Catcher, whose story (included on her page) is one of the loveliest collected by the Brothers Grimm.

The Fairy Tale figures are not the only ones to be added to or reconfigured: This year sees a new family set (father, mother, children and grandparents), as well as chickens and geese that have been scaled down to a more fitting size.

All of the figures should be up and available within the next day or so. Do stop by to take a look!

Our latest shipment from Germany has just arrived and is being put online. Many favorites are back in stock, and the newest additions will be featured in our “New Arrivals” category as they are entered.

I missed this article when it came out last week (”In Kindergarten Playtime, A New Meaning for ‘Play’”, July 26), only finding it when I read the letters to the editor of upset readers.

The article tells of the Achievement First East New York Charter School in Brooklyn, which puts its kindergarten students to an academic regimen that used to be reserved for students 3 or 4 years on in age. Study takes precedence over play:

The classroom has no blocks, dress-up corners or play kitchens. There is no time for show and tell, naps or recess. There is homework every night. For much of the day, the children are asked to sit quietly with their hands folded as their teachers drill them in phonics, punctuation and arithmetic.

Part of the loss, it seems is due to lack of space, the dress-up corner giving way to a math station, for instance. It seems also partially due to such measures as the No Child Left Behind act, which I think turns children into testing machines rather than well-rounded, inquisitive and social beings. The benefit, it seems, is that the children are learning to read.

My kids attended a kindergarten that met from 9 to 3 each day, much longer than the morning sessions I had at that age. It was a hard adjustment, but the school retains plenty of time for play to ease the academic demands. It seems cruel to expect 5- and 6-year-olds to meet from 7:30 to 4, as Achievement First does, even if the afternoons are given over to gym, music and dance. The physical toll must be great initially, and where is the time to spend at home with family, or to play with friends, or to get outdoors?

Let us hope that this extreme example draws attention to the demands we are now putting upon our youngest children, and causes us to reevaluate what is necessary to the proper growth of the next generation.

Another great craft project for rainy days, car trips and quiet times! The star-shaped frame of our new Braid-Weaving Star allows children to make braids of wool without needing a needle!

For those customers who have been looking for an abacus to use for learning or in a play store, we are happy to now offer a handsome abacus from Bajo. The colored beads contrast beautifully with the natural wood of the frame. A great addition to the playroom!

We’ve just added a beautiful new pull toy with two horses for toddlers, which may be viewed here. We love the smoothness of the natural wood, and the charming movement of the horses as they are pulled along!