SIMPLE WONDERS: “I wanted a unique toy shop that represented my view of play as well as reflecting the community. The mission of sticks and stones is to provide children of all ages the tools to creatively explore their world and to embrace the simple wonders of unstructured play.” Jennifer Ghannam, owner of sticks and stones in Hopewell, is shown with a butterfly net over her shoulder and a “Nature House” for “collecting insect specimens, which you capture, observe, and then let go.”

The “young at heart” of all ages will not want to leave sticks and stones! This charming toy shop, located at 16 Seminary Avenue (just off Broad Street) in Hopewell, is filled with a variety of intriguing items guaranteed to pique the curiosity and imagination of all who enter. “Nature-inspired Toys and Playful things” is sticks and stones’ motto, and it reflects owner Jennifer Ghannam’s concept of what children’s play should encompass. “We are unique in what we offer,” she explains. “It’s things that I have very carefully and thoughtfully chosen. And it provides kids with the tools to discover the world around them.” A mother of twins and a former teacher of elementary and middle school students, Ms. Ghannam initially had an on-line toy business, started in 2012, but she had always hoped to open a shop in Hopewell. “There were no other toy stores here, and there is so much value in face-to-face dialogue with the customers. I enjoy meeting everyone, and we have all ages coming in.” Newborns and Up Customers will find items for newborns on up, with a focus on products made of recycled materials, including wood and fabric. “Also, I try not to put firm ages on everything,” she points out. “Because everyone is different in what they like, and it doesn’t depend on age.” Indeed, there is a plethora of items for young explorers, artists, gardeners, inventors, builders, actors, and naturalists of every age! Items, which cover a price range of $5 to $160, with everything in between, also cover a wide spectrum, from bird and bat houses to model-making kits to assorted arts and crafts to books, blocks, and board games. The variety appeals to customers of all interests, and all the categories are popular, reports Ms. Ghannam. “I seek out things that are unusual, and people have really responded. There seems to be something for everyone.” Fun is a key word, and it underlies much of the inventory. It helps combine learning and education with a real sense of play. When the kids come in, they are very much engaged — as are their parents. Insects and Airplanes Two very popular items are the Needle Felting Kit and the Fairy-Making Kit. With the former, explains Ms. Ghannam, “You shape the felting fabric with the needle. It is a lot of fun, especially for ages 10 and up. They can make all kinds of little animals, and even adults enjoy it. “The Fairy-Making Kit includes wood, felt, and pipe cleaners to make the fairies. This is a favorite for kids from five and up. There are also recycled cardboard kits to make trees, animals, insects, and airplanes. A Pirate Map-Making kit is another favorite, as are the Lille Huset recycled cardboard houses from Grow Studio in Chicago.” Also available are “Edible Chemistry kits”, which kids can use to concoct root beer and bubble gum. “Glux Glow” (Glow-in-the-dark Putty) and Gels and Slime Kits are other favorites and are very popular birthday gifts at $15. In addition, the Yellow Owl Workshop from San Fransisco offers stamp and ink pads, stamp carving kits, jewelry, note pads, etc. Blocks and marbles stand the test of time, and the block sets include themes with insects, nursery rhymes, and the classic alphabet. “We also have a block and marble building kit, with which the kids can create towers and buildings,” she adds. “It’s from the Amish, and is really beautifully made.” Among the many irresistible items on display are “Chalk Rocks” created by Ms. Ghannam, who made them out of sidewalk chalk. The rocks are in all colors and are fun to look at, and then can be used as sidewalk chalk for hopscotch and other games, she explains. Giant Bubbles OGAS sailboats, handmade in Germany, do indeed float; special kaleidoscopes that can be taken apart and then put together for different images; magnifying glasses, telescopes, and “Optic Wonder,” which combines binocular, monocular, signal mirror, compass, and magnifier; and “Bubbles” which creates giant bubbles are all appealing to many ages. The “artists” among the customers still opt for old favorites, such as colored pencils, oil pastels, sketch pads, and modeling beeswax. And 32 Ways to Dress A Cat (or Bunny, etc.) features partly drawn pictures, which the kids can complete. Books, often focused on nature, are available on the second floor of the shop, and appeal to a variety of ages. A Strange Place To Live (Where Animals Live) by Marilyn Singer and On a Beam of Light, A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Byrne are two favorites. Wooden puzzles and board games are also available. “We have cooperative games, ‘Play Together, Not Against Each Other’, where the kids play as a team to reach a common goal,” says Ms. Ghannam. “And we have competitive games as well.” Finger and hand puppets are very popular, she adds, and charming little stuffed animals from Moulin Roty in France are irresistible. Larger items include a Balance Bike, and Ms. Ghannam points out that electronics are not a focus at sticks and stones. “There is one battery-operated toy here. We are kind of ‘unplugged’ in the store.” “Make and Take” arts and crafts workshops are held at the shop the second Saturday of every month, she adds. “The kids come in and participate in a specific project that has already been planned out. For example, they can make little bird houses out of toilet paper rolls and little birds out of paper, etc. I put out the materials, and am here to help with instruction. “I also plan to have birthday parties here. The crafts idea is very popular. Kids really like to make things. I enjoy it when they come in, and have such fun looking at everything and get excited.” In addition, Ms. Ghannam has a display of “Happy Faces”, photos of many of the children who enjoy coming to her shop. “I love it when people send over photos of the kids, and when they have made something from the store. We have lots of pictures, including one of a boy who got a pond kit, then went to the pond in the park, caught a fish, and came back to show me. It just made my day! “I look forward to the shop, not as just a toy store, but evolving into a destination for people to do creative things, such as workshops, parties, puppet shows, etc. As sticks and stones evolves, it is my goal to provide, as much as possible, products that are friendly to the environment. You will find more and more products created by hand, made of recycled materials, and made right here in the U.S.A. “I also want to be community-based. I want the shop to become part of the fabric of the Hopewell community.” Sticks and stones offers on-going sales, gift bags for all purchases, and can be easily identified by the decorative colored yarn adorning the nearby trees outside the shop. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday noon to 5 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 5, Friday and Saturday 1 to 6. Sunday hours will soon be established. (609) 466-6536. Website: www.sticksandstonesshop.com.