Silky Goodness

The girl's birthday is Monday. She'll be five. I can't quite believe it. For one, it hardly seems as though enough time has past since she was born, and for two, I hardly feel old enough to be a mother of a five year old who will be registered for Kindergarten in less than a month.

But her birthday is coming whether I want her to grow any older or not, which means presents. This year, though five is one of those big birthdays, my husband and I decided to go light. We know she's going to get lots of stuff from her grandparents and aunts and uncles. She may not be the only grandkid any more, but it's clear the arrival of her baby brother won't stop her doting family members from spoiling her. She also just got a ton of stuff in February and March from well meaning friends and family who wanted to have a gift for her as well as the baby when they came to visit. All very nice, but we've officially accumulated more toys than a Toys 'R' Us warehouse. I really don't feel like adding to the hoard. 

Baby Brother modeling Big Sister's birthday gift

With that in mind, I decided play silks would a great gift. Now, these probably aren't exactly like the play silks you can buy on Etsy or through Waldorf-based toy stores, either online or in person. Those are a bit lighter, more scarf-like, and are way more expensive than the $24 I spent at Joann's Fabric. While searching for some to buy online I saw prices as high as $75 for six, rather small silks. I love my daughter, but there was no way I was spending $75. I also saw tutorials on how to hand dye your own silks with Kool Aide. Awesome idea, much less expensive, but I have a newborn - it would have never happened. 

So, as mentioned, off to Joann's I went and I bought six 2 foot pieces of satin in a variety of colors. Then I found a seriously adorable little wooden chest and a glittery foam crown, deciding this year, the girl was going to get a princess treasure chest filled with beautiful silks and a crown to match. 

I'm really excited. 

Okay, what's so cool about play silks? Well, if you're a four-almost-five-year-old girl, you like silky, shiny, pretty colored fabric (this goes for 25-year-old girls, too). They are filled with endless possibilities, from fancy dresses, super hero capes, baby blankets, or backdrops for Barbie's next fabulous gala. And since my daughter is constantly getting into my fabric stashes, I thought it would be great for her to have her own stock to play with. 

I first heard about play silks when researching the Waldorf philosophy of education back in college. While I'm not completely sold on all things Waldorf, there are definitely aspects I love, particularly the strong emphasis on imaginative play and storytelling. In my opinion, more than any other toy that's considered a "Waldorf toy", play silks are the best, most open ended, most easily recreated, and can translate with any kid, even if you have nothing to do with this particular style of education. 

Pieces of fabric are right up there with balls and sticks as kids' first toys, and they are certainly kids' first imaginative play toys. How many of us built forts or created costumes from old sheets and blankets? The silks take it one step further by adding a really nice aesthetic and texture that helps keep kids coming back for more and more. 

So this is my first Waldorf toy and the first gift I've made for the girl (though I really did absolutely nothing...I don't know how "homemade" it actually is). Next project I'd love to take on that's Waldorf based and hand/homemade?: 

These hand kites can be found here on Etsy. 

I think these hand kites look so cool and so much fun. I can totally see the girl having a blast picking out ribbon colors, helping me tie them to a dowel or other handheld wooden object, and then sprinting around our yard this summer like a little sprite.

Stay tuned to see how everything goes over on Monday. I'm hoping the girl is just as excited as I am!