A few weeks ago, Schuyler received a gift from a reader (with no way to get in touch with them; if this is you, I have a thank you note ready to send to you), an octopus, to go with the rest of her little Schleich animals, which she has been collecting for a while. We like that they're not expensive, they're realistic and introduce her to the natural world, and they don't look like prostitutes or shoot lasers or advertise television shows. She treats them with reverence and takes care of them like they are real.
Schuyler doesn't just collect them haphazardly, though. She builds little families, and beyond that, a community. She picks them out in little family groups if possible, and when she brings them home, she put them in a little line and introduces them to the rest of her animals. It's a complicated process, and I haven't quite figured out all the social dynamics.
When Schuyler received her octopus, she named it Henry for some unfathomable reason but almost certainly related to a penguin character on Oswald, one of the few octopus references in her world. (We're probably lucky she didn't name him "The Kraken".) Schuyler wasn't immediately sure what to do with this new creature. He's the only sea creature in the collection, so he has no obvious colleagues. He tended to hang out with the dinosaurs, but it wasn't a good fit and Schuyler seemed to realize that.
Over the weekend, we were in a hobby store looking for frames, and Schuyler quickly found a display of Schleich-wannabe animals. Earlier, she had surprised us with a statement on her Big Box of Words, totally at random. "Alligator eat rabbit." Now she found an alligator and had me look for a rabbit so she could show me how this brutal natural act would actually go down.
I found the rabbit, and she treated me to a dramatic interpretation. Yikes.
A few minutes later, as I was looking at frames a few feet away, Schuyler came running up to me excitedly. She held out an octopus, smaller than Henry but otherwise very similar.
"What do you have there?" I asked.
She pointed as if to indicate some place far away and signed "boy", then wiggled her fingers in a very octopus way. She then held up this new octopus and signed "girl" and "friend".
"ER-ehn!" she said.
"Wait a minute," I said. "Are you saying you want to get a girlfriend for your octopus?"
"Yeah," she said and then jumped happily.
I can only assume that Henry is in a happier state of being now, thanks to his octopus pimp hookup.
19 comments:
Well, you're certainly introducing her to the natural world, alright. Better start looking for an octopus chapel and some bebe octopi.
I don't know if Schuyler ever watched it when she was younger, but Henry the Octopus is a character on The Wiggles.
Of course! I must have been mentally blocking out the Wiggles. Not a bad idea, really...
How very cool! Nothing is sweeter than Octopus love. You know, if you're into that. Which I'm sure a brief search would reveal that some people are.
Uh, what? Oh! We have lots of the knockoffs from Michael's (including many sea creatures, a kitty, several horses, a kimodo dragon and a very very coveted sea turtle). Dang, those things are expensive - it's a special treat around here. I didn't know about the real deal Schleich ones, and I'm a little scared to find out what they cost. My nature-loving kid would flip for them though!
They range from like two bucks to five, depending on the size. I guess it doesn't seem all that expensive because she never wants to get more than one kind of animal at a time, and she takes such good care of them.
They're cheaper than Barbie, at least in one sense.
Oh wow, that's not bad at all! Now I'm disturbed that hand-painted animals can be designed, produced, shipped and distributed. Still, thank you - I'll look for those.
Have you seen the little red headed elf in the Schleich Elves Collection. My kidlets love the dragons and elves.
http://www.schleich-s.de/cms_schleich/shop/index.php?partner=standard&lang=2&startnode=1&mod=det&wo=news&do=news&id=333&okat=133
She is far more red-headed in person. Just made me think of Schuyler and her penchant for hair colors.
Hope Schliech comes up with babie Octs soon since I am sure Schuyler's little family will need to keep growing.
Cindi
She's all about the elves, and for some reason, she really digs the knights on horseback. I haven't gotten her any yet because they are sort of pricey, and once we start down that path, there's no going back.
Do octopuses even have babies? I should watch more Discovery Channel.
When it comes to the collecting bug I have two little people who are absolutely devoted collectors. For my son it is pirates, all of them, doesn't matter maker, affiliation, etc. All things pirate. He memorizes everything he gets and will sit down with the little catalogues that come in the packages and remind us what we have failed to purchase for him. I am glad I am not the only parent who is a chronic collecting enabler.
Cindi
That is very funny and creative.
Beverly
I got the elfen range for my 3. To go with a fairy collection that they have. Some knights as well. Although need to put the room back together as my youngest turned it in to an indoor snow arena with the help of a bean bag bed.
We love the Schleich animals -- and the zebras have been on clearance this week at Target! Half-price zebras, my friend!
My three-year-old also creates complex (for someone three) interactions and frequently we have to make a bunch of tiny party hats because she's determined it's someone's birthday.
And the detail on those animals is quite impressive. I had to explain to the kids that *those* were not, in fact, an udder hanging down from the Texas Longhorn bull...
TOO cute !!
My son loves collecting those lil animals too. He gets them for a reward.. I love those toys too ! they rock for all the reasons you said.
My son got the baby polar bear one day and kept signing DAD DAD DAD.. we figured out he wanted to buy the adult polar bear too, so the baby could have his Daddy.
Rob! Rob! Has anybody told you about the squishable.com spherical stuffed animals? They're awesome. There's an alligator and an octopus. I just found them, and you were the first thing I thought of.
Spherical.
Hi Rob - I just sent Schuyler some whales so Henry and his girlfriend have some friends to hang out with. Hope she enjoys them.
And just where did Schuyler learn about love ? My guess? From feeling loved and secure from her parents. This is a great story, that little girl is the coolest kid.
Octopi do have babies. Well, eggs that turn into babies.
However, the male octopus dies shortly after mating (he uses a specialized arm called a hectocotylus to insert spermatophores [packets of sperm] into the female's mantle cavity. Sexy, no?)
And the mother starves to death while protecting her eggs before they hatch.
I have a friend who will tearfully tell you all about the amazing love mother octopi have for their eggs, but usually only while intoxicated.
I also just discovered that octopi have three hearts.
Go Wikipedia!
I heard an alligator eat a rabbit in the dark of night once. By a river, about ten years ago. I was headed to the car soon after that.
Schleich is only one of several figurine makers covering toy animals, toy dinosaurs, wild and farm life figurines.
There is Bullyland, Papo and Safari LTD who also produce some wonderful figurines. Schleich does a great job creating their figures but give the others a try.
They are all comparable in price and size for the most part. Safari LTD does produce a series called "incredible creatures" which is a larger scale but the detail and play value is equally impressive.
I have been doing very well with these figurines over the past few years. I cannot begin to tell you all how nice it is to see so many children accepting these toys as something special and using their imaginations to explore the world and what these creatures are.
Remember - Kids Always Love Classic Toys!
Gideon from ToysNYC.com
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