11. 16. 2006
Community Playthings are built to last
If you're planning on a big family, it makes sense to look at professional preschool furniture: it's built to last, and often you'll get something with a real design aesthetic. I'd be glad to have this browser box from UK firm Community Playthings in my house, for example.
The clear sides are designed so that children can see what's inside, even at the very bottom, and the dividers can be moved to any position. How great is it that even in their own publicity photos, they've acknowledged that some children will be more interested in getting into it themselves than putting stuff into it? To me, that's a sign that this one will last and last.
Browsing the site reveals other exciting products like the Baby shelf (which doubles up as a toy boat, apparently) and the Me-Do-It chair, which just might be winging its way to our house this Christmas.
Posted by Myf
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furniture
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Community Playthings is in the US too -- here's that web site. The preschool I went to when I was little had a bunch of their stuff, and I still remember it fondly. In addition to the furniture, check out their nice wooden scooters. And the toys -- I believe that they're the inventor of the now-common "unit blocks" (where the different pieces are all related in a geometrically rational way).
Posted by: Matthew Miller | November 16, 2006 3:15 PM
Good to know, Matthew - if you still remember the furniture now, they really must be doing something right.
I went to check the branding on my daughter's nursery's furniture last night, and it's also all Community Playthings. And very lovely it is, too.
Posted by: Myf | November 17, 2006 4:46 AM
You can quite often find a lot of their toys on ebay...
I remember them from when I was pre-kindergarden(now 36)...
My father started collecting the toys about 5-6 years ago.. He has a ton of them, and a lot of them from the 40's-50's, and still in great shape!!
You should see some of the older community toys.. Planes that have 3 foot wingspan, big casters and a seat so that a child can fly(glide) around the house... Fire Engines to drive to all the emergencies he/she can imagine. Trucks, Car Haulers, Cars, Bull Dozers, Cranes, etc etc etc.. They make/made a lot of fabulous toys over the years! To top it off, they are made to last...
I cant wait for my 5 month old to be able to go into Papa's basement and play with all the "Community-Rifton" toys!!! After all, that's the point of these toys, for generations of kids to play with!
Posted by: Lee | November 22, 2006 2:22 PM
Lee, I have to confess extreme ignorance about the company's long and illustrious past, but your description has whetted my appetite and I will certainly be having a look on eBay.
What a great legacy for those toys, and a great testimonial for their longevity.
Posted by: Myf | November 23, 2006 8:04 AM