Imagine a toy store where the toys all have a voice and like to share their stories of where they come from and who made them. Imelda McCain, the woman behind Playing Mantis, selects the toys for her store on the basis that their stories are pleasant to hear. She chooses items that are produced in an eco-friendly manner by small businesses all over the world. Hence, you can find carved wooden tree puzzles made by a school teacher in Hungary to help support his family, dolls hand-made by women in Argentina, or musical instruments from Sweden. Products here are picked with a steadfast idealism, centered on the nurturing of children's imagination and their sense for natural materials. Imelda McCain's son Lucas inspired this philosophy and her conviction that toys don't need to flash, buzz, or beep to entertain kids, let alone help them to grow. We couldn't help but inquire, and it turns out nothing in this store has batteries. It seems everything at Playing Mantis is powered by imagination.
