Old Freedom Train Alphabet Frieze

Old Freedom Train began when Shayne Jackman went searching for a Steiner / Waldorf alphabet frieze for her children's playroom, and couldn't find one…so she decided to make one herself.  Using colourful pencils in soft shades, to draw sweet images, was so soothing to the soul, energising and satisfying, that she decided to also make a book. Adding special words from her experience as a mother of children in a Steiner playgroup and pre-school seemed the perfect fit.

Steiner education introduces letters as “characters” that bridge from the picture consciousness of childhood to the abstract letters we know that symbolise various sounds.  This philosophy of reading has its roots in the way human beings developed a pictorial alphabet beginning with hieroglyphs and other symbolic pictures.  Children find it very easy to learn the alphabet in this way.  Watching my own children learn in this way has been richly rewarding.

 

Thank you Shayne, for creating such nourishing and alive images of the basics of language!

 

If you would like to purchase a copy you can find it in our website here and in store.

At last a natural pacifer for baby...

We are happy to announce the new arrival of the Havea Pacifiers into store today. Finally a pacifier that is made from pure latex which means you are not exposing your newborn to nasty BPA, PVC or phthalates.

Natural rubber is also biodegradable so Hevea are good for the environment too. What's more Hevea use soy ink on their packaging which is a renewable resource, using less energy to produce than other inks, & its post-production waste is not hazardous.  Hevea use recycled paper in their packaging too!

The Hevea pacifier is made ethically of 100% pure natural rubber from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis, hence the name Hevea.

 

So, Hevea wins on all three counts for us:  kind to your baby, kind to the environment and kind to the people that make them too!

Look what's just arrived!!!!!!!

We are very excited about these beautiful blocks that have just arrived in store. Still made in the USA by hand using an embossing process that makes it appear as if each letter and fine detail has been carved individually. These are truly superb!

They come in a range of languages too including: French, Italian, German, Dutch, Hebrew, Mandarin, Greek and many more.

These have been flying out the door in our Malvern store. They make a really beautiful Christening or newborn gift, and will be a truly heirloom toy.

Lovely new friends...

Look who popped in for a teaparty this week!!! I'll be adding them to our website over the next week or so, if you have a little person in your life that would like a special doll.