I’ve always loved toy shopping, even before I had a child. Choosing gifts for nieces and nephews and thinking about what I would have loved (or what I DID love) at their ages gave me a thrill. And I know wasn’t the only adult wishing I could spend an afternoon playing with that Barbie Corvette (well, now it’s probably a Barbie SmartCar) before sending it on its way to the lucky recipient. I know adults who drool over huge LEGO kits. Others covet their kids’ miniature musical instruments, hoping for an excuse to play that mini ukulele. We all have our secret childish longings.
For me, it’s fake fruit.
German toys are widely recognized as some of the most beautiful in the world, and I spent three years living in the toy capital of Deutschland, host to the world’s largest toy fair and an extensive toy museum. HABA, maker of high-quality games and wooden and fabric toys, was my obsession long before I even contemplated having a child. Its beautifully designed playthings appealed to my retro tastes – no licensed characters, simple aesthetics, sturdy construction – and I found that they were some of the few products that were actually less expensive to purchase in Germany than in the USA.
I often found myself straying from my usual shampoo-shopping in Mueller (a German chain that’s about as close to Target as it gets in Deutschland) over toward the toy area. And once I learned I was pregnant, I finally felt like I could indulge my childhood yen. I’d seen the bins of brightly-painted pears and string beans before; now I had an excuse to actually put some in my shopping basket. Each lovely bunch of grapes, each shiny apple cost just a euro or two. So every time I strolled through the store on a mission to find ballpoint pens or razors or, eventually, diapers, I found a bit of delight in picking up another piece of HABA toy food. I brought it home and stashed it all away, impatiently waiting for my son to arrive and then for him to be old enough for me…erm, I mean HIM to play with it.
You can imagine my excitement, then, when my son recently reached his second birthday and I realized he could understand and safely play* with these toys I’d been buying for him since before anyone but his father and I even knew he existed. I presented them to him, knowing that chances were good that he would take one look and turn his back on my favorite morsels in favor of his beloved cars. But, thanks to his healthy appetite, he fully embraced my favorite playthings, baking me a “cake” of carrots, sausage, and a green-leafed bunch of purple grapes.
HABA makes a huge array of wonderful children’s products, but their culinary delights were the first to capture my heart. Their toys conform to high safety and environmental standards. Now that I’ve left Germany, I miss being able to just pick up a sturdy strawberry or breakable egg on my regular shopping excursions. But the good news is that HABA food is widely available individually and in sets all over the world and all over the web.
Bon Appetit!
*As with all toys, especially playthings that look like they could be tasty, pay careful attention to size and durability before judging whether they are safe to give a small child.
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We love Haba foods in our house!
I’m looking forward to when Oliver is old enough to have them. He loves playing make believe eating with a little cooking set we got him, so fake foods would probably go over big.
I love HABA toys and wonder what kind of selection I’d be blessed with in Germany relative to the USA. I’m also a Kettler fan too! Our current favorite HABA toy is an animal stacking game – Tier auf Tier? The food would be cool. We like Melissa and Doug Toys (wooden) for a US brand.
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