Journal · The Fairy Shop
Notes from the toy shop
Choosing, storing and rotating learning toys, written on Newbury Street.
Jul 2026Rotating a toy shelfHow many toys should be out, how often to change them, and why a toy that has been away for a month comes back as a new one.Read →
Jun 2026Screen-free afternoonsNot a lecture about screens — a practical list of what actually fills two hours at home, by age, and why boredom is part of it.Read →
May 2026Alphabet toys and early phonicsLetter names, letter sounds and letter shapes are three different things. Which toys teach which, and the order that helps.Read →
May 2026A guide to magnetic tilesSet size, magnet strength, compatibility between brands and what to add second. The most durable purchase on an early-years shelf.Read →
Apr 2026Choosing toys by stage, not by ageAge bands are a safety test, not a developmental match. What a child is currently working on is a far better guide to what to buy.Read →
Apr 2026What “Montessori” means on a toy boxThe word is unregulated and appears on almost everything. What the approach actually implies for a toy, and what to look at instead.Read →