A child’s imagination is a wonderful thing. Calico Critters homes and characters are the perfect activity to light up the creative side in your child. Watching their interaction with the characters as they build a community is priceless. I love listening to the conversations between the family members, animals, and Miss Allie as she moves them around the town. Seeing how caring the characters are to each other shows me that she not only feels but understands the comfort of being loved. And isn’t that what we want for our children? Growing up healthy and happy, with a great sense of who they are when they become adults. These adorable little characters and houses promote a healthy, cognitive development through pretend play. As a child acts out their idea of a community and family, they have the practice using narrative and critical thinking processes.
About Calico Critters
Calico Critters is a line of miniature animal figures, with homes, furniture and accessories. The animal figures are unique because they are made of a special flocked material that gives them an endearing quality. They were introduced in Japan in 1985 and are distributed worldwide. Calico Critters are sold as families, with Mothers and Fathers, sisters, brothers and babies. The homes and furniture are quite life-like are have incredible detail. The Critters live in the community of Calico Village. All the citizens in Calico Village have hobbies and jobs. The underlying theme is giving, friendship and happiness. Calico Critters are wholesome, never trendy.
Red Roof Homes
Calico Villages are the perfect home for your Calico Critters. Designed to promote wholesome family values, these sets encourage children to use their imagination. Calico Critters are miniature characters that children can relate to in their life-like environments. Each of the Red Roof Homes are designed for a cohesive community. As your child’s collection grows, they will build their own version of the perfect town, family, and activities.
Red Roof Country Home Gift Set
Home to the Hopscotch Rabbit Family, this large home has working lights and has multiple set up options. The set includes two (2) Calico Critter characters and a ton of furniture. Hours of fun will be enjoyed as your child arranges, and rearranges the furniture in this beautiful country home. Both Heidi and Bell Hopscotch Rabbit, as well as a kitchen cart set, desk set, piano with bench, dining room set, bed set, and a stove are included.
You will need to supply two (2) AAA batteries to power the lights. With over 50 pieces, the Red Roof Country Home Gift Set will be a great start for building your Calico Critters dream community. This country home can also be connected to the Red Roof Cozy Cottage (sold separately – see below) to create a huge, three-story house.
Red Roof Cozy Cottage Starter Home
This sweet cottage home is already assembled for you and Bell Hopscotch rabbit to settle in. Includes over 15 accessories and furnishings to make a great start to your Calico Critters collection. Furnishings for the cottage include a bed with sheets, table and chairs, kitchen counter with sink and storage, and movable ladder to access the upstairs.
This Cozy Cottage Starter Home can be attached to the the Red Roof Country Home (sold separately – see above) or enjoyed as a stand alone. It is the perfect start to your Calico Critters collection.
Sweet Raspberry Home
As the latest release, this Sweet Raspberry Home expands the Red Roof Community. It includes the same charm with a pitched red roof as other homes (sold separately) in the Calico Critters community. With parquet floors and a front porch just waiting for the Calico Critter characters to move in. One of the rooms has been left blank on purpose. As your child adds characters to their community, they will decide how to use the room.
Little Grace, baby Hopscotch Rabbit figure comes with the furnishings for a nursery. A two-in-one bed with a slide provides little Grace with a place to relax or play. Your child will enjoy playing with this home as a stand alone or is can be connected with the Red Roof Cozy Cottage and the Red Roof Country Home (both sold separately – see above).
Blind Bag Series
Each of the blind bags contain a figure and at least one accessory. The current sets in the series include Baby Party, Baby Shopping, and Baby Band. There are nine (9) characters with accessories in each set but you don’t know which character will be in the bag until you open it. Let the excitement begin as your little one opens their Blind Bag to discover which character is coming to live in their community. These are so sweet. Miss Allie was beside herself as we opened each bag. “Oh I hope it is….” were her words as we opened the bag. And it was one she already had or if the character inside the bag wasn’t what she hoped for… she was still excited and couldn’t wait to put it where it belonged in their community.
Baby Party Series
With nine characters to collect, the Baby Party Series bags contain one (1) baby Calico Critters character along with a party accessory. These characters and their party accessories will add additional fun to the growing community your child is building. They are after all, the party crew! The complete set includes the Persian Cat Baby with Cake and Plate, Toy Poodle Baby with Piano, Sweetpea Rabbit Baby with Tricorne and Bell, Maple Cat Baby with Bouquet, Woolly Alpaca Baby with Jack-in-the-Box, Fluffy Hamster Baby with Balloon, Cuddle Bear Baby with Hoopla, Fisher Cat Baby with Bowling Set, and the Secret Baby.
Baby Shopping Series
The Baby Shopping Series includes a Calico Critter character and a shopping accessory. Each blind bag will add a new character to the community. The complete set includes Hopscotch Rabbit Baby with Bread, Buckley Deer Baby with Shopping Cart, Wilder Panda Baby with Popcorn, Outback Koala Baby with Shopping Bag, Polar Bear Baby with Ice Cream, Sweetpea Rabbit Baby with Eggs and Juice, Tuxedo Cat Baby with Shopping Cart, Silk Cat Baby with Cash Register, and a secret Baby and accessory.
Baby Band Series
The Baby Band Series characters are able to hold their own instruments for a more realistic experience. With nine (9) characters in the set, your new character will be a surprise until opened. The complete set includes a secret baby as well as Chocolate Rabbit Baby and violin, Walnut Squirrel Baby and tambourine, Milk Rabbit Baby and drum with sticks, Toy Poodle Baby and accordion, Bear Baby and cymbals, Yellow Labrador Baby and xylophone with mallets, Tuxedo Cat Baby and piano, and Maple Cat Baby and trumpet.
Calico Critters are available on Amazon and at most Walmart stores. For other locations near you, use the retailer search page on their site.
Miss Allie had a fit when she opened the boxes of her Calico Critters. She has played house for hours and hours. Each little item (and there were a lot of them) was wrapped in sealed in a plastic bag or protective material. Even that was exciting to her. She of course wanted to “do it herself” and she did! A note about all the pieces. There are a ton of tiny little pieces that make the homes life like – even a blender. But, caution should always be taken when little ones are playing with items that could be a choking hazard. Just make sure toddlers and pets are monitored when around the village.
Make sure to follow Calico Critters on social media:
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
About Aquabeads
The Aquabeads brand are the original water activated bead craft product that is fun for everyone. Each set contains everything needed to create cute animals, characters, and other amazing designs. Because the beads are activated with simply water (no heat needed), your creation is ready in only 10 minutes!
Aquabeads Beginners Studio
This starter set contains over 800 beads in 16 colors. Other included parts are a bead case, bead flipper with layout tray, water sprayer, pen, and template sheets. Designs are easily to create and when prepared, just spray your design with water to activate the beads to stick together. There is no heat or chemicals to mess with.
Aquabeads Deluxe Studio
With this deluxe set you can create over 20 beaded designs. Included are over 1,300 jewel and classic beads plus a bead palette, table tray, tool case, pen, a water sprayer, and several trays. Using the template sheets and instructions, you can create any design you can think up. Once you have completed your design, simply spray the design with water to activate the beads to stick together.
Once your child has created the examples included in their set, make sure to visit the template page on Aquabeads. These printable templates include clear directions and open up creation ideas for your child.
If your child loves Calico Critters, they can create with the Calico Critter Character bead set.
Add Aquabeads sets to your shopping list for the ones that would love creating their own designs.
Make sure to follow Aquabeads on social media:
Both the Calico Critters and Aquabeads make great gift ideas this holiday season. From building a community to crafting their own designs; light up the creative side in your child and just watch their mind grow! Something as simple as learning to be creative can bring out the skills our children need to be successful adults.
We’ve added Calico Critters and Aquabeads to our Magical Merry Christmas 2019 Gift Guide! #MegaChristmas19 Check it out here!
