play + ponder.

a collection of gifts for kids of many ages.

Teach them to knit, help banish their boredom, read them an inspiring book, and if you’d like, check out these eleven beautiful gifts to inspire the young people in your life to play and ponder.

1. Something to finger knit. The very softest, most beautiful yarn, now Responsible Wool Standard-certified. The only hard part is choosing a color.

2. Something to argue over. Who slapped that spit pile first? Who can know? Maybe these NYC subway themed playing cards will quell the arguments. Probably not! These and so many more goodies at Art of Play.

3. Something to sit on. Or stand on. Or rest the glass of water you delivered after lights out. Best part: The kids can build it themselves.

4. Something to pass the time with. Train rides, car trips, rainy weekend days stuck inside a small apartment, all solved with artist-inspired activity packs from Majo Ideas.

5. Something to fly. So many beautiful Haptic Lab kites, absolutely endless time to fly them all. The sky’s the limit, let’s go fly a kite.

6. Something to scare the parents with. Sometimes everyone need a little something silly. (Update: No mice in store right now, but may I suggest a fish?)

7. Something to look forward to. The gift of a mail-delivered subscription is exciting for any kid, but when it’s Illustoria, especially so. The very best present for the slightly older kiddos in your life. Also available as single issues!

8. Something to practice. A beautiful calligraphy set for the young sophisticate in your life. They’ll learn a new skill and feel very grown up doing it. (The code readtealeaves gets you 15% off.)

9. Something to inspire confidence. While away the day with whittling! It scratches a making itch and carries just the right amount of risk to keep things interesting.

10. Something to help get dinner made for you. Phaidon kid’s books are always so beautiful and this one is no exception, filled with recipes and stories of food from around the world. Sit back and wait for your salata tomatim bel daqua to be served.

11. Something to wear to the tire swing. Hand-dyed vintage kid’s Levi’s, of course. The Playground has the most incredible tie-dyed duds, new and vintage, made right here in Brooklyn by Ashta Hunter.

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Where applicable or possible, I use affiliate links because that’s a small way I can generate additional income from my work in this place. I don’t include affiliate links for brands that I don’t think are worthy of your dollars and I don’t exclude brands that I do think are worthy of your dollars just because they don’t have an affiliate program.