Educational Guide

Cherry Tree Lane Educational Toy Guide And Catalogue

On Cherry Tree Lane, we believe in PLAY, creativity, and always learning!

Cherry Tree Lane was born from a love of imagination and a passion for play. With roots in education and child development, Cherry Tree Lane knows how important developing a rich imagination is. 

Every supplier we work with shares our values of quality, aesthetics, and fun. We care about responsible business practices and, whenever possible, sourcing environmentally sounds materials.

Let us help bring these valuable toys into your classrooms, and spark your students’ curiosity, while encouraging the development of their cognitive, motor, social, and emotional skills. Let’s PLAY and LEARN together!

Learn more about some of our favourite education friendly toys below, or jump right to the catalogue here!

 

Loose Parts

Grapat

Grapat is based in Spain, and makes wood toys inspired by nature. Their toys are produced according to traditional manufacturing processes and with proximity sustainable materials sourced within the EU. All pieces are safety rated for 3+ years.

“Nature is both our clock and our muse. We live in rhythm with her, respecting her, and she is our design inspiration for every new piece we create. Our true, main inspiration though, is children. Our self-set philosophy is to work at the service of childhood. With Grapat, we want to make sure that every child has a free and respectful upbringing, filled with playtimes that are open-ended and free from expectations or judgement. The pieces should invite and incite their own genuine flair for creation. For this, we offer play material without instructions nor limits. Our duty as parents is to protect this sacred moment, without interfering, just observing and being present. Our motto is “be free, play open!”

  • The dyes are water based and non-toxic. The colours and their appearance might vary slightly, like nature itself.
  • The wood Grapat uses comes from sustainable forests and holds the certification PEFC 14-35-00485.
  • The finishes are made with wax and oils of vegetable origin.
  • Some Grapat products include cotton bags. All the fabrics have a GOTS Certificate (Global Organic Textile Standard)
  • All packaging is 100% plastic free. Grapat also produces the boxes with a heavyweight cardboard that ensures the life of the box for approximately 5 years. They consider the boxes as part of the toy.
  • Most of Grapat products are in one piece. In spite of this, some elements need the use of glue for their assembly. The glue used is 100% formaldehyde free.
  • All products are manufactured and tested in accordance with the safety requirements of the European (EN71 1–2-3), American (ASTM) Toy Safety Standards, and ISO8124.
  • To take best care for the pieces, they should be stored in a cool and dry place, they can be cleaned with a damp cloth and dried immediately. We do not recommend immersing parts in water, nor using disinfectants.

 

Stacking and Sorting 

Grimm’s

Grimm’s is based in Germany, and makes beautiful, artistically crafted, quality toys, made of natural materials, to help promote a sense of beauty and an understanding of quality. All materials are sustainably sourced and ethically produced in Europe. Many of their pieces are safety rated at 12+ months.

“The route is the goal.
Confucius taught us this, and this is precisely the point of childlike play.
When we provide our children with ready-made play and adventure worlds, which are worked out to the smallest detail, we take away the opportunity for them to develop their own creativity.
With their progressive development, children are always finding new ways to play with our wooden toys. The minimalist, open design make them permanent companions on their way through childhood.
The possible combinations of the individual items are limitless and open up a broad field of infinite playing possibilities, with which we deliberately want to create a counterpoint to the often rather passive digital and media world. 
Because childhood needs worlds of experience that can be understood and experienced with one’s hands!”

  • The wood Grimm’s uses comes from sustainably managed forests in Europe. Reforestation projects are always underway.
  • Green energy is used, including solar panels and green electricity.
  • Grimm’s  use of recycled materials and recyclable packaging.
  • All colours are non-toxic, water-based stains that are absolutely harmless and tested in-depth for colour fastness in contact with saliva. Of course, all colours and oils are certified according to the European and US- toy safety standards (EN 71 and CPSIA/ASTM 963)



Open Play

Sarah’s Silks

Playsilks are inspiring, magical toys that children will be drawn to play with time and time again. The simplicity and open-ended nature of Playsilks tap directly into the child’s creative potential. Silk and wood toys are Waldorf inspired, open-ended and inspire children to pretend. At Sarah's Silks, a wide variety of carefully designed natural Waldorf toys are available that will delight your child's imagination and be lovely to have around the house. The silks are all produced in fair trade, ethical factories in China, and all wood items are made sustainably in California. 

“Silk is imbued with folklore and stories, the spirit of silk is rich, made so by those that have been a part of the history. From the Chinese empress Leizu who guarded the secret of the silk worms, to the men, women and children, that travelled the silk road, one has a sense, of dedication, value, and importance from the fiber. It can be felt that it was this elemental integrity that drew Sarah to it herself.
A fiber that is strong, fine and lustrous, silk will last when taken care of, but as a natural fiber, it will return effortlessly to the earth. It could be said, that silk can be preserved or decompose for the health of the planet. If one were to know Sarah in person, you would feel the parallel nature between her and the material she has dedicated the most part of her life to. Beyond the virtues of silk, Sarah's penchant for play, make believe and for nurturing creativity has made Sarah’s Silks a meaningful thread in the fabric of many lives.”
  • Open-ended play with Playsilks allows children to express their imagination and support their independence.
  • Nourishing the senses with Playsilks gives the child an amazing tactile experience.
  • Growing with the child sets our Playsilks apart from any other toy, allowing for a limitless range of play possibilities, and years of lasting play value.
  • Playsilks have been a staple in Montessori & Waldorf homes around the world for 30 years.
  • Playsilks are made from 100% pure mulberry silk, that are painted and dyed by hand. They are light weight and airy, providing a wonderful sensory experience while also being easy for children to play and 'work' with.
  • Hand-wash with mild shampoo or dish soap and warm water. Hang dry, and iron on medium to restore shine.
  • Fun & safe for all ages: Safety tested by the rigorous standards of the U.S. & E.U.

 

Papoose

Founded in 1991 in Australia, Papoose Toys and Creative Wood Company produce natural toys and loose parts for open-ended creative play. Working with natural materials, production takes place in small communities in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Pure wool felt toys and loose parts are made by hand at fairly traded rates of pay.

  • Papoose Felt is made from pure 100% wool and therefore cleaned similarly to wool.
  • Wools is natural and renewable as it grows on sheep. It is flame retardant up to 600 degrees C. Wool is biodegradable and can be used as fertilizer due to its high nitrogen content. It is non-allergenic and does not promote the growth of bacteria.



Building

Makedo

Makedo is based in Australia, and has created a series of safe cardboard construction tools purposely designed for kids to imagine and build the world they want to see.

Cardboard as a building block: As a construction material, cardboard has a lot going for it. Here’s why we chose it as the building block for all Makedo creations:

  • It’s sustainable, fully recyclable and can be used again and again.
  • It’s sturdy but pliable enough for small hands to manipulate.
  • It’s versatile. Cardboard can be folded, sawed through and hole-punched all while maintaining its durability.
  • It’s free! Fantastic for those modest classroom budgets.
  • Makedo interrupts the waste stream by using otherwise discarded cardboard for making do.

Makedo is the perfect STEAM teaching and learning tool.

Addressing an authentic problem with the application of knowledge across Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math is fun and engaging with Makedo.

Think prototyping ideas for a stool that can withstand the weight of a classmate, or building a tower so tall and sturdy that it reaches the ceiling, or even exploring solutions for global issues like access to safe water. All this and more can be done with Makedo tools and cardboard.

And of course, STEAM learning with Makedo develops the four Cs; collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication, as well as design thinking; the skills to question, analyse, reason, evaluate, problem solve, and innovate. Important skills for now and the future because real world problems need big picture thinkers to help solve them.

Learning with Makedo is:

  • Fun: Makedo is a super fun, hands-on making experience that ignites open-ended, immersive play.
  • Collaborative: Makedo experiences bring people together to create memorable moments.
  • Sustainable: Makedo tools are reusable and the making material is upcycled cardboard.
  • Educational: Makedo tools promote imagination, communication, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.
  • Safe: Makedo tools are custom designed to be safe and easy to use (global safety standards tested to age 3+).

  

Experimenting

Copernicus Toys

Copernicus Toys designs science & nature-based activity kits, games, and toys. They create for students of the fantastic and collectors of the remarkable. Their toys and activities develop and exercise problem-solving, fine motor skills, organization, concentration, and so much more. Most items are recommended for ages 6+.

“Play for Joy—Our products have joy and whimsy that also happen to spark imagination and curiosity: Yay, science! We know that even a little science items opens up your inquisitiveness to learn more.
Play for All!—At its best, play is free from limits. So we strive for items that don’t box you in.
Play for Discovery—We see play as a way kids can discover themselves and the world. With these items, you can build a model, experiment with chemistry, forge new worlds with a bouncy ball, or brew your own soda.”

  • Multi-age appeal inspires generations to play and learn together
  • Gender-neutral design empowers people to pursue interests independent of stereotypes
  • Stretch the idea of what toys can and should be


    Please view our catalogue here! Interested in other brands? Here are some more to explore:

    Pretend Play - Janod, Le Toy Van

    Building and Creating - Lego, Oppi, Pixio, Playmobil, Plus Plus

    Experimenting - 4M

    Not finding what you're looking for? Please let us know! Most of our online inventory is available for order, and we can special order other items from our participating brands just for you. 

     

     

    How to Order

    Please email your order request to erin@cherrytreelane.ca. We’ll confirm availability and timelines—most orders can be fulfilled within three weeks. A 10% deposit may be required for new accounts. Final invoices will be sent once all items are in stock.

     

    Volume Discounts

    All school orders receive 5% off*

    Orders over $1000 receive 10% off*

    Orders over $1500 receive 15% off*

    *some exceptions apply

    Personal orders do not qualify for discount

     



    Check back often to see what is happening at the shop!