the toys at the centre of our free play sessions

Meet The Nook, The Lantern and The Carousel by 1curiosity

Step into a 1curiosity Free Play Session at The Busylizzy Club and you might not even realise the toys are toys. There are no flashing lights or noisy buttons. Just soft shapes, textured materials and an open invitation to explore.

The Nook, The Lantern and The Carousel have each been carefully designed to support curiosity-led play for children aged 12 to 18 months.
Every toy is based on everyday objects babies are naturally drawn to – containers, bottles, lids, brushes and cups.

“Familiarity is a key driver of baby play,” says Professor Sam Wass, developmental neuroscientist and advisor to the 1curiosity launch. “These objects are meaningful to babies because they see them every day. When toys reflect real life, babies are more engaged.”

The sessions are completely baby led. There are no instructions, no songs, no structured activities. Just time and space to explore. Some parents are surprised at first. They look around and ask, “What are we supposed to do?” But that is part of the experience. In these sessions, the babies take the lead.

What follows is fascinating to watch.

The Nook
Inspired by trays, containers and lids, The Nook encourages babies to line up, stack, nest and combine. The soft base adds just enough resistance to make pulling pieces out satisfying. There’s no single way to use it – babies return to it again and again to test, explore and create.

The Lantern
With its clear sides and soft materials, The Lantern invites babies to reach in, grab, return and repeat. The textures are based on familiar items like soap and metal. Each object can be used in countless ways, encouraging open-ended, hands-on discovery.

The Carousel
Designed for movement and experimentation, The Carousel is all about tipping, spinning, shaking and pouring. It helps babies explore cause and effect, develop coordination and build focus.

“Babies are wired to seek out actions that produce results,” says Professor Wass. “When they drop, tip or shake something and something happens, they learn.”

These toys are at the heart of our Free Play Sessions not because they entertain, but because they encourage exploration. They don’t give answers – they invite questions. At The Busylizzy Club, that’s the kind of learning we value: calm, curious and child-led.