1. Do you offer a Home School or Home Learner discount?

Oh, how I wish we could! As a teacher and homeschooler, I get it. I know how tough it is to have to pay for all the material you are using, but the truth is that these goodies are what feeds our family, and we run our profit margins so tight that to reduce them would put us in a situation I’d rather avoid. Eek. I’m so sorry. We do run giveaways frequently through our Instagram account, and have done some flash free shipping events on Instagram to try to help everyone out. But do please remember that the post office and our suppliers don’t give us discounts, so anything that is extra comes from our pockets. The day we get discounted wood or discounted shipping is the day I will whole-heartedly share that worldwide with every one of you beautiful folks!

2. How do I wash my toys?

Fabulous question and one of my favourites. I’m a mom, too, so I get that life isn’t always Instagram or Pinterest perfect. Arms flail, feet kick, hands reach and fingers, um, “accidentally” draw. Because your toys have a natural seal (and not all of them do! Some are left in their raw condition to foster a deeper connection with wood and nature) do not immerse them in water or any liquid. Please remember that your toy’s previous job as a tree was to absorb water, and while the piece of wood no longer has roots, it is still porous. Spot clean the ones that have a natural finish to them by using a natural cleaning product (something like tea tree oil and lemon spray, for example) and dab gently. Keep in mind that for items like the ten frames or trays, where food can be used, berries will stain. We recommend dry food like crackers or biscuits, and dry sensory materials like dried beans, coloured (dry) rice, flower petals, or kinetic sand. For items without a finish to them (aka left in their raw condition) a little bit of sand paper can remove some marks in a matter of seconds. I’ve even managed to hand sand curry out of our climbing triangle! True story.

Understandably the world and play dates are different these days. If you have one of our Folding Climbing Triangles and are concerned about COVID-19 do not use bleach or harsh chemicals (like Lysol) on it. Instead isolate it until you feel it is safe. Verify with your local health authority or Centre for Disease Control how long that will be, as information about COVID-19 is new and constantly changing. WebMD states that COVID-19 can live on wood surfaces for up to 4 days, but that information was as of April 2020.

3. Do you offer discounts on large volume purchases?

Unfortunately, we’re just a husband and wife team trying to help out the world by encouraging children to learn through play (and save a few bears while we’re at it!) so we don’t have the capacity to make large volume purchases. This also means that right now, unfortunately, we cannot offer wholesale pricing (see FAQ #1 for the reason we can’t discount items).

4. I made a mistake with my order. Can I return my purchase?

Unfortunately, we can’t accept returns. Many of our items are custom made, and COVID-19 has made returns impossible at this time. Climbing equipment like the folding triangles and ramps are not returnable, either, for safety reasons. We are avid rock climbers and have both worked in the outdoor gear industry at various points in our lives, and we were always trained to put safety first. The truth is that once an item leaves our home, we don’t know its usage history and as a result, can’t take an item back and offer that to someone else and feel it is safe for them. Consider donating the item and paying it forward to a local charity, shelter, or children’s hospital. I know first hand that many of these places in the past have welcomed our items with open arms. 

5. I haven’t received my item yet. What should I do?

This is going to be tough to hear, but… be patient. To date, we have only ever had ONE package go astray out of the thousands we have shipped out, and that was a “stolen off the truck” situation. For what it’s worth, we no longer use that shipping carrier. So I know it’s hard because you want your goodie as soon as possible (and it’s coming!) but take a few deep breaths and wait. If you feel it has been an interminable amount of time since we sent our package to you, check with your post office. We have definitely had items come back to us that weren’t picked up at the receiving end. That’s always heartbreaking for both me and you, since all that time has passed and we’re right back to where we were the day you ordered, with me having your item and you wanting it. Eek.

Please bear in mind that postal services have been overwhelmed during holidays, and I suspect this year will see more of that as the world watches what happens with COVID-19. If you have tracking information (not all parcels will, depending on what service you chose) please check that first.

And last, while it pains me to say it, porch piracy is real. There are far too many stories of birthday gifts and holiday gifts gone within a matter of minutes from the front doorstep. If your tracking says that your package was delivered and you don’t see it, please contact your local carrier – or better yet, check with a neighbour to see if they picked it up for you. (Fingers crossed that’s what happened!)

5. Do you do collaborations?

We are currently not expanding our collaboration team at this time, but we’re really flattered that you’d want to partner with us. Inspiration comes from all around and we’d love to see how you use our goodies in social media. We’re primarily on Instagram, and if you’d like to tag us so we can take a peek in your world of creativity and learning, that would be fabulous. If not, that’s ok, too! We just appreciate the fact that you’ve found us and took a wander around to get to know us and what we do.