Traditionally, fairy tales, also described as wonder tales, were spoken rather than written down, this oral tradition was eventually transformed into the written page. Fairy tale books remain universally popular and are now well supported by toys which encourage hours of creative and imaginative play whereby the child enjoys pretending to be part of a magical landscape. Tell a Fairy Tale Day (26th February) celebrates and encourages this tradition - it can be enjoyed in many ways, by sitting reading a story to children and then providing them with the toys/props to engage in their creative play afterwards. There are numerous toys available which tie into the themes of fairy tales and support imaginative play.
What Makes Fairy Tales & Creative Play So Popular?
Fairy tales and their associated imaginative play remain ever popular as they not only provide endless entertainment for children, but also support several developmental skills such as language, social skills, self-awareness, and physical activity.
The beauty of the fairy tale is that the magic need not end as soon as the reader has finished the story, they encourage children to explore and unleash their creative side. Playing with fairy tale type toys, such as figurines, castles, dragons, unicorns etc. allows children to transport themselves into an enchanted kingdom where magic exists, and the possibilities are endless.
Emotional Support
This type of play also helps children to make sense of the world around them. As whilst the imaginary setting and magical powers are complete fantasy, fairy tale-based play often provides a setting to re-enact aspects of human behaviour that the child may already be familiar with – they are able to act out scenes and become the subject of the fairy tale. They may identify with one individual character, choosing to be the hero/heroine or even the villain depending on the situation.
The use of props or toys is an essential part of this type of play, which can be therapeutic and soothing, helping the child to process occurrences of their everyday lives in a safe and non-threatening environment.
Play can help to relieve stress caused by any type of internal conflict, supporting the child to express any anxieties they may have through play, in a safe space. This can help them process their own emotions and allow them to relate their own stories as well as any frustrations. Role play and imaginative play therefore offers an important part of child development in terms of awareness and moral development, as well as helping to build emotional resilience and manage problems.
Le Toy Van Fairy Tale Toys
We offer a diverse selection of fairy tale toys, including castles, knights, and fairies, which provide hours of entertainment both individually and interactively with other children. Our imaginative toy sets offer have multiple purposes - castles and dolls house can be used as a setting for numerous creative play scenes.
Fairy Unicorn Carriage
The hand painted Fairy Unicorn Carriage is made from sustainable and durable rubberwood and intricately painted with non-toxic paint. This toy supports creative and imaginative play, which is ideal for fairy tales, this comes complete with a detachable unicorn and a Budkin Fairy ‘Fleur’.
Palace Dolls House
The Palace Dolls House is a beautifully designed 5 storey doll’s house providing plenty of space for extensive, imaginative play, comfortably housing several figurines, whilst offering inspiration for numerous settings. This award-winning toy is ethically made from sustainable rubber wood and finished with a touch of gold paint for a palatial feel.
Lionheart Wooden Castle
The Lionheart Castle is a detailed, fully painted castle which is perfectly scaled for figurines around 10cm in height. Children can allow their imaginations to run free in a magical land of knights, princesses, and dragons; the castle features turrets, towers, a turn-lifting drawbridge, a pull-up portcullis, prison ramparts, flags, and a ladder. This toy is well suited for both individual and interactive play, it is ethically made from sustainable wood and decorated with non-toxic paints.
Dragon
Dragons are a fairy tale favourite, our toy Dragon is made from repurposed rubberwood and hand painted in a bright red using non-toxic paints. The baby dragon has flappy elastic wings for extra fun and imagination - it is also perfectly scaled to use with our range of castles and even dolls houses!
Brown Wooden Horse
Created for an engaging and imaginative experience, the Brown Wooden Horse comes with reins and a saddle. It is compatible with all the wooden toy castles and can be enjoyed interactively or individually. Ethically made from sustainable rubberwood, the Brown Wooden Horse is a safe toy decorated using non-toxic paints.
Excalibur Castle
A detailed wooden castle which features unique artwork throughout, the Excalibur Castle encourages long term creative play and can be used to support a wide range of imaginary scenarios. Its scale means that a number of toys and figurines can be used for play within the castle.
Join in The Fun!
February 26th marks ‘Tell A Fairy Tale Day’, an informal event, dedicated to celebrating the magic and creativity of fairy tales - providing an opportunity for a day of storytelling and creative play with our children at home. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to celebrate the magical world of fairy tales with your child on this special occasion with a fun day for all of literature and play!