Toys

Encouraging modern play.

KaleidoscopehouseMy little girl is way too young, but if she was older Ithink she might be getting this for Christmas – the Kaleidoscope House by Bozart. Designed by Peter Wheelright (chairman of architecture at Parson’s School of Design) and artist Laurie Simmons, it’s both incredibly modern and very play-able. The transparent colored walls slide away so that your little one can put all kinds of toy families and furniture inside, and then close the wall and imagine the fabulous setting. Plus lots of the accessories (furniture, people, pets, artwork etc.) are designed by big-name designers like Jasper Morrisson and Karim Rashid. It may not be quite as hardcore-modern as the Villa Sibi dollhouse I saw on Daddytypes, but it looks way more fun.

It’s not cheap, but also it’s probably not something you’ll be selling at a garage sale in a few years either. $250 for the house or a furnished version on sale for $360 at Unicahome.