I had so much fun gathering items for the kids. With my artist bias I came up with a part nostalgia part "sweetie, you're gonna love art" list. (I know that if or when I have kids they're going to be doctors and lawyers simply because they're mother tried too hard to mold them into creative geniuses.)
1. Jazz ABZ - I love this book! It's a collection of beautifully illustrated jazz greats curated in a way for children to enjoy.
2. Fauna - Never get tired of screen-printed plush toys.
3. Worry Dolls - My mother gave me a set of Guatemalan Worry Dolls when I was about eight years old. I had a weird obsession for anything tiny so I quickly fell in love with them. It's a fun little stocking stuffer, it teaches them diverse traditions and it's a unqiue way to address worries.
4. Patches - I'm all about patches! you can buy several inexpensively and then have a "patch your denim" party. They come in iron-on options which makes it easy to do. You can purchase some on the link provided or try getting vintage ones on Etsy. Also check out this fun patch-kit.
5. Rosy Casa Poster - A cute print from the Alexander Girard collection at House Industries.
6. Prismacolor Colored Pencils - When I was a kid we were always recieving gift catalogs in the mail and I remember one catalog that had a set of amazing watercolor pencils from Faber-Castell. I wanted them so bad so I begged my mother like there was no tomorrow. I even followed her around the house with the catalog telling her what amazing pictures I would draw for her if she got me that colored pencil set. Finally I broke her down. They were a bit pricey for a child but trust me I used those pencils down to the very nub. For the little artist in your family try Prismacolor Colored Pencils, they're more "sophisticated" than crayola without the price tag of the fancy Faber-Castell brand.
7. Mini Etch-A-Sketch - A toy every kid should have.
8. The Snowy Day - A classic tale with wonderful retro illustrations.
