The preferred playthings among Waldorf schools possess the same qualities as tasteful home decoration: simple design, natural materials, and careful craftsmanship. These miniature creatures are born of Ostheimer Wooden Toys, the beloved German company established in 1939 as an educational resource. But one doesn’t need a tot in tow to enjoy their charms. Each is painstakingly coated with subtly colored, eco-friendly stain before getting a buffing of walnut oil for a satiny luster. Cue the “awwws.”
Larger pieces are $13 to $25 each, available at Amazon and Ostheimer Toys.
Amanda Rae Busch
Formerly senior editor of Berkshire Living magazine and a culture contributor since 2008, Amanda Rae Busch now lives in Aspen, Colorado, where she is a contributing editor to Aspen Sojourner, food columnist at the Aspen Times Weekly, and a frequent contributor to Aspen Luxury Life, Edible Aspen, Aspen Peak, Denver's 5280 Magazine blog, and more. Though she covers all food, Colorado artisanal cheese is her favorite topic. Follow her: @amandaraewashere
