Swiss Open-Ended Play, Why Is It Important?
Swiss open-ended play and the concept of the broader principles of free play has been a popular movement in Swiss and European education systems for a long time, but it’s starting to gain clout in the UK, and we think it’s really very truly cool.
What is Swiss Open-Ended Play?
It’s very simple, it is the idea that toys and activities should allow children to use their imagination and creativity freely, without strict rules or predefined outcomes. This approach encourages cognitive development, problem-solving and independence. The toys are typically simple and versatile, allowing children to play in various ways, promoting exploration, role-playing and constructive
What is MOLUK?
MOLUK are a Swiss toy developer, and a new brand on our shelves. Driven by a passion for great design, MOLUK strives to create innovative, sustainable products that don't just entertain kids on a superficial level, but invite real interaction.
In a time where everything is getting more virtual, MOLUK offers toys that are totally manual, toys that get children to move and explore, toys that stimulate their senses and minds.
There are no ON and OFF switches, batteries or complicated instructions – MOLUK toys are powered simply by a child's imagination.
What makes MOLUK green?
If you know us, you know we’re big on sustainability. So why are we stocking plastic toys?
Can plastic toys be green?
MOLUK toys are made of fully recyclable materials like HD-PE (same as milk bottles). No painted pieces. No composite materials that cannot be recycled. No PVC, no phthalates, no BPA.
Most importantly: The toys are multifunctional and designed to grow with the kids, offering new play possibilities as they get older.
The resources and energy it takes to produce a toy always stand in relation to the play value and years of use you get out of it. In this regard MOLUK toys have a stellar track record and minimal ecological footprint.
Pluï Raincloud Bath
“I think I'm lucky to have retained a sense of wonder and a fascination for the ‘magic’ objects I had as a child,” says Alex Hochstrasser. His award- winning bath toy, Pluï, demonstrates this, turning bath time into a fascinating science lesson about the water cycle. Named after the French word for rain, pluie, this little cloud fills with water when submerged. Children can then lift it out of the water, controlling the flow of the rain shower by covering a small hole at the top of the cloud with their finger. Phthalate-, latex- and BPA-free, the plastic toy has a hidden latching mechanism that enables easy cleaning.
Bilibo
The multi-award winning Bilibo is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and versatile open-ended toys. Deceptively simple and magically attractive, Bilibo's iconic shell shape and bright colors immediately appeal to children. Bilibo arouses curiosity, engages the imagination and playfully trains basic motor skills and balance. Children find unlimited ways to play with Bilibo – using it to rock and spin in, hide under, sit on, tote with and peek through. Bilibo provides hours of fun, indoors and outdoors - all year round.
Oibo
Oibo is an elastic, stackable, rollable, squeezable, easy-to-grip sensory toy for babies and kids of all ages. Suitable from birth, Oibo’s geometry merges a sphere with a cube - combining the action and fun of a ball with the educational benefits of building blocks.
Like all MOLUK toys, Oibo grows with the child. It shines as an elegant grasping and teething toy for the baby. Toddlers will enjoy how Oibo bounces and rolls. Its soft material is perfect for first throwing and catching games. By stacking and aligning the pieces, kids learn about geometry while training hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Oibo collapses when you accidentally step on it and pops right back into shape.
Nigi, Nagi, Nogi: Tactile Teething Rings
Nigi Nagi Nogi are soothing your baby’s sore gums without being an eyesore. Made of 100% food-grade silicone rubber, MOLUK’s new teething rings are easy for small hands to hold and offer essential tactile and visual stimulation. Safety tested from birth, they remain interesting as multi-sensory fidget toys when the child grows older and work together with the other parts of the MOLUK family for years of open-ended, child-directed play.
Nello
Nello is a magic object and versatile, open-ended toy that quickly becomes an indispensable accessory for countless play activities, indoors and outdoors.
It is a colour puzzle, a nesting toy, a marble run, a floating island in the bath or a sand toy at the beach.
You can roll, spin and swing the rings, throw and catch them. Use them as targets for games like tiddlywinks or as beautiful props for role and pretend play.
Mox
Mox also enjoys rolling, being thrown and caught or even juggled. Unlike any other ball he has the ability to balance and form towers together with his siblings.
Mox is quite a character and has many secret talents that just wait to be discovered…
Oogi
Oogi is an irresistibly tactile and wonderfully expressive new figure toy. With suction cup head, hands and feet, and long stretchy arms, it connects to any smooth surface.
Oogis happily live on a Bilibo but they have also been spotted playing in the bathtub, on fridges or mirrors. Oogis are very social beings: They love to touch, embrace, form chains and do crazy acrobatic tricks. Their favourite hobbies are Oogi Yoga, extreme climbing or darting onto windows and other targets. Oogis are at home in any genre from cliffhanger to slapstick comedy and suitable for all ages.
Made from high-quality silicone rubber.
Safe, durable and easy to clean. Dishwasher-safe.
Why do we love this brand?
What we particularly love about MOLUK is that all the toys are compatible with each other, and can grow with the child. They can be added on like expansion packs, you buy the child a Bilibo one Christmas, then add on the Nello, then get them some Oogis, etc.
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