Shumee Toys – The eco-friendly toy store

As parents, we’re probably bombarded with decisions that we need to make for the health and well-being of our children. We choose nutritious foods, ensure that they get the required hours of sleep, work on the social skills and more. But as a parent, did you even once consider the toys you chose for your children? It is important that toys for babies and young children are not only fun to play with but are also safe. It is also important to choose eco-friendly toys that also stimulate child development.

My only source of eco-friendly toys were the wooden toys that I would come across occasionally at a store. The designs were the same and apart from being overpriced, I saw no value in them. So yes, my boys grew up with the set toys that every child gets.

What would cross your mind if you thought of eco-friendly toys? As a parent, we are so careful about what the kids use, but the thought of eco-friendly toys is something that was never really given a second thought. And though I am sad that I could never got to try these for my boys, I am glad that I can let it reach out to those who can still indulge in it.

Shumee Toys – The eco-friendly toy store

A chance introduction with the brand Shumee led me on a journey to explore toys that are engaging, safe and eco-friendly. Shumee has a very clear underlying philosophy ; “child drives the toy, not the toy driving the child”. It is this philosophy that ensures all Shumee toys are carefully designed to facilitate natural development of the child – providing a platform for open & creative play rather than closed & directed play.

Shumee amalgamates the modern developmental designs with the ethnic locally available child-safe materials to create an international range of fun toys that promote natural development of the child.

 Why would I recommend Shumee Toys?

All of Shumee toys are made from natural, high quality wood with water-based, safe (lead & chemical free) colours ensuring the highest quality & the safest finish for your child. As a parent, nothing is more important than the safety of my child. And when you are offered a chemical free solution, I would take it any day over the mass produced plastic toys abound.

Each of the toys have a list of the skill sets its going to help the child with. This helps to make a very informed choice about what you would want to buy for your child. The skill set ranges from sensory, motor, balance, gross motor, sharing and more.

Let me also add here that by choosing eco-friendly toys, you are reducing your carbon footprint on the planet. Sustainable living is the call of the hour to save the planet and when you make an informed choice, you are making the planet a better place to live in.

My top 3 picks from Shumee

1. If you’ve grown up with an overdose of Enid Blyton, you would have read The Magic Faraway Tree. Well, I’ve kind of hooked on the boys too on the different Lands on the clouds. So we have a story session at nights about the tree. Look up this super cute Doll Tree House.
2. Love bikes? Try this wooden bike  that helps to let your child learn how to balance a bike.
3. I love kitchen sets. And I am planning to gift this colourful pretend kitchen play-set to myself! Its completely colourful and vibrant!

About the creator of Shumee

Meeta is a computer scientist who worked in IBM Research labs at TJ Watson in computer architecture research prior to founding Shumee. As a mom to two young boys, she found a lacunae in the market for kid safe, environmentally sound toys that would enable development of young kids. When she realized that the Indian toy market did not offer any local made toys at reasonable prices that fit the bill, she worked on her ideas and created Shumee. Needless to say, the prototypes created were a hit and the brand was born.

Pricing and Availability

Shumee toys currently retail on Shumee, Amazon and FirstCry and HopScotch. Priced at ₹ 400 and above, Shumee is priced extremely competitive, especially compared to international brands available in India. More importantly, Shumee provides a wide range of toys which none of the comparable international brands in India offer.

Use the code PP15 to get a flat 15% off on your purchases. 

With over 70 SKU’s available in the store, the toys cater to an age group of 6 months – 7 years. The toys blend seamlessly most of the skills that children need to develop in these ages; be it physical, cognitive, and social & emotional. Which one are you buying today?