Back To Basics

There is a breaking point for every parent – the moment when we swear we’ve stepped on our last Lego, crawled on hands and knees looking for the flashlight to that Playmobile policeman one too many times or heard the bleeping and buzzing of one battery-loaded toy or another until we have become numb to all audio stimuli. It’s in these moments that simple, handcrafted wood comes to mind. So we can all thank the toy gods for Tribeca’s Playing Mantis – “Toys and crafts made by hand from around the world with artistic and humane expression and gentle regard for nature and children.” And parents. Prices range from $7.50 for a cute wooden truck to $599 for a hand crafted Noah’s Arc from Hungary. Playing Mantis, 32 North Moore, Tribeca. http://playing-mantis.com