What is Kit'n'Tales?
In order to bring to life the magical friends that live in Leon & Lucy’s Garden of Wonders you can download complete pattern kits for imaginative toys & charming storybooks, right from your computer.
Make these toys, with your children, from materials, most of which you have at hand. Assemble illustrated story pages into delightful little books, about each toy, and watch how these toys & tales enliven your child’s creativity & imagination.
The Kit'n'Tales Story
In 1989, as a Waldorf teacher, and a single mom with two young children, I took a year off from teaching. Having always delighted in making up stories for children, it was time to write some of them down. Then, I had the idea of creating little toys to go with the stories. This led to my designing toy kits to sell. In no time Kit’n’Tales, with 4 kit designs and stories, were sold in Waldorf school stores and school events, nation wide.
Each kit contained all the materials, instructions and patterns needed for making simple little toys, easy enough for a child to make. Included were the small, self-published storybooks whose characters inspired the toys.
The 4 designs quickly grew to 11, plus two different party packs of kits that could make into multiple toys, to be used as party activities. Soon the kits were also available through the Ark and Hearthsong stores, as well as many catalogs.
After 8 years Kit’n’Tales was laid to rest. It’s hard to believe that the original children, who made and played with the toys, are now in their twenties!
When I became a grandmother, I realized that there was a whole new generation of children who could enjoy Kit’n’Tales. And, now with the internet, there was the technology to bring these toys to even more children. So Kit’n’Tales is again available, now to a much larger audience.
Now you can download the instructions, patterns and storybook, but it is up to you to provide the materials. You will probably find that you have most of what you need right there, at home, among your fabric and craft supplies. Each kit offers suggestions where to find any supplies that you don’t have at home. You can order some of the more “difficult to find” items, from Kit’n’Tales, to be sent to you through the mail.