Magicforest’s favorite European toys inspire play for all ages this holiday {Moulin Roty wooden toy box set review}

They say that the best gift you can give your child is the gift of your time, and I wholeheartedly believe that is true. I give my children that gift in staying home with them so I can be with them all day long, in cooking for them, cleaning for them, packing their lunches, and trying to include them in many of the things that I do each day. But, the truth is that I could do better about stopping what I’m doing and taking a nature walk or two, swinging at the park, or starting projects with them that they are excited about, and my goal is to simply get better about playing with them at least a few times each day. It’s for this reason that I love Moulin Roty, a French company that makes toys that will inspire kids and adults to play together. How could anyone not want to play with these shadow puppets and stage or these adorable Les Mask’ottes masks?

Brought to the States by European toy importer, Magicforest, the Moulin Roty catalog is the kind of thing childhood dreams are made of. From pretend play and dress up to cuddly friends to snuggle with, as well as imagination inspiring toys that can teach everything from science to making your own toys, the Moulin Roty collection never disappoints.

While we own quite a few Moulin Roty treasures we’ve collected over the years, now that the kids are older I especially love their kids kits. Not only are these kits crazy cool with their classic and retro appeal that I love, I also adore that they teach children important skills that can grow with them as their abilities improve.

Tempting as it was to choose the Moulin Roty Sewing Kit as my daughter is really excited about the idea of sewing and creating clothing, stuffies, and more together, I couldn’t pass up the adorable wooden Moulin Roty Tool Box Kit. It comes with 14 different tools: a hand saw, hammer, gimlet, sanding block, plane, pliers, mallet, chisel, Phillips screwdriver, flat screwdriver, C-clamp, ruler, square ruler, and level. Designed in France and made from quality materials, this set isn’t just a first toolbox, this is an heirloom piece that is sure to be years and years of fun for your young builder. Plus, it's absolutely adorable, no? The tools are sized right for little hands but still very much real tools that can build and fix all sorts of things around the house. Of course that means adult supervision, but the bonus of that is that this kit allows us to learn and build together while bonding, which makes it simply priceless. "It's a REAL saw! Mama, look! A REAL saw!"

There is nothing cooler than letting the kids dream up some project to do together and then helping them bring it to life, except when the kids are using their own tools to help build it themselves. These are their creations that they envision, build, and then play with for hours, all while learning valuable skills. Right now it may look like play time, but I see them learning math and the basics of construction, all while watching them blossom knowing that they can truly invent their own toys and create them with only a little help from us. Magicforest has chosen to highlight the Moulin Roty Tool Box as the perfect gift to wrap up this Christmas, which isn’t surprising at all as I can already tell that this is going to be a well-loved toy from both of my kids’ childhoods. Along with the tool box, Magicforest has compiled a list of their favorite European toys to inspire bonding and playtime as a family, my favorites of which are listed below.
•         Les Mask’ottes
•         Monday’s Market
•         Sardine Activity Can
•         Chamalo and Kitten Chamalo
•         Brindle Activity Donkey
•         Vilac Organic Farm
•         Oven Safe Cookware Baking Kit
•         Sewing Kit 
•         Make2Play Vortex
•         Kaleidoscopes
•         Story Book Torch Le Jardin

For more information about Magicforest and their vast array of amazing European toys, visit their website at magicforest.com. They are responsible for bringing some of my absolute favorite toy brands of all time to the states and I think I could spend days perusing their online catalogs for their exceptional client list. Seriously, just take a look at this awe-inspiring collection of their clients' catalogs and consider your holiday shopping done.

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