Building lives through blocks: the history of building blocks from wood to Lego

Building lives through blocks: the history of building blocks from wood to Lego

Did you know one of your favourite toys as a child had a history worth hundreds of years? Building blocks have always played an important part in education, childhood development, and creative play for centuries. These simple yet profound learning tools have evolved from handcrafted wooden cubes to sophisticated digital and interactive sets, all designed […]

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Why toy libraries are sustainable and cost-effective for parents

Why toy libraries are sustainable and cost-effective for parents

In mid-2020, Bengaluru-based Vikram Madhusudhan found his home, and that of his friends’, cluttered with toys but their children glued to screens. The father of a 2.5-year-old son then, he decided to quit his job as a quality manager at Boeing to pursue his entrepreneurial aspirations in the child-learning space. Two years later, Vikram with […]

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People are turning cigarette butts, diapers and household waste into toys for children

People are turning cigarette butts, diapers and household waste into toys for children

Cigarette butts have no place in a nursery. The Vipul brothers disagree. They have been making toys from trashed cigarette butts under Code Effort since 2018. Kickstarted by Naman Gupta and his elder brother Vipul, the Uttar Pradesh-based enterprise recycles cigarette butts into fluffy soft toys, stationery, home decor, etc. “The tobacco is decomposed using […]

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World Wood Day: 6 Indian artists crafting everything from artefacts to toys using wood

World Wood Day: 6 Indian artists crafting everything from artefacts to toys using wood

Dancing deities @ Indian Haathi Launched in 2021 to support artisans impacted by COVID-19’s first wave, the Hyderabad-based Indian Haathi takes pride in its quirky creations that depict mythical and folk characters: Surabhi, a white cow, Ambhra the elephant, and Dawon the lion, among others. Their latest collection of dancing deities (upwards of ₹600) is […]

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