The handcrafted toys at Katan let a child's imagination out to play

Katan is the Hebrew word for small. It's also a sliver of a shop on Mercer Island filled with toys that are so adorable and fun to play with that little ones won't even realize that they're also educational.

Opened in mid-September by teachers Shannon Cruzen and Sarah Adams, Katan carries toys inspired by the philosophy of Reggio Emilia and Waldorf approaches to early childhood education. Those philosophies use open-ended play, flexible thinking and imagination to foster children's individuality and independence.

"The toys and art supplies that we carry empower children to have a strong voice," explains Adams. "We're interested in helping children feel competent and capable."

Cruzen and Adams have chosen mostly wooden, nontoxic toys from brands like Plan and Spiel and Holz that are hand-sanded and dyed with natural pigments and vegetable dyes. The result is a store filled with soft shapes, naturally bright colors and soothing wood.

Expect to find castles complete with a fire-breathing dragon ($159), chunky wooden puzzles for all ages (from $22.50), an incredible treehouse made with bark-edged cherry and apple wood branches ($150), dolls (from $28), tea sets ($28) and many more interesting things to foster the imagination.

Katan's art section contains adult-quality materials ranging in price from $5 to $24, with a focus on natural ingredients like beeswax-based crayons and naturally pigmented pencils. Pick up an art kit for $14 for a thoughtful and inspiring birthday gift.

All the toys at Katan are open and available for children to play with when they visit, and Cruzen and Adams welcome parents to play as well. The duo often joins in, offering tips to parents on how to help their children express themselves through play.

Katan is open on Wednesdays from 1 to 5:30 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cruzen and Adams hope to extend their hours, as well as add classes for kids and parents, as the holidays approach. For more information about Katan, visit their Web site at http://www.katanchildren.com/.

Katan is located at 2856 80th Ave. S.E., Mercer Island, WA 98040, 206-399-2199.

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