French Knitting | Tolletjie Brei
French knitting, known as tolletjie breiwerk in Afrikaans, is a timeless, hands-on craft that keeps little fingers busy and little minds calm. Using a simple spool and yarn, children loop and pull their way to creating a long, colourful cord that can be coiled into all kinds of treasures. It's the kind of activity that asks nothing of a screen and gives everything back, focus, patience, pride, and a finished product to show off. Perfect for children who need a calming, purposeful outlet, and equally loved by adults looking to unwind.
What's included:
- 1 x french knitting doll
- 1 x ball of 4ply knitting wool. Approx 98m.
- 1 x plastic blunt needle
What our OT says:
French knitting is more than a craft, it is a deeply regulating activity. The repetitive, rhythmic motion of looping yarn over each peg creates a predictable, soothing pattern that helps calm an overactive or dysregulated nervous system. Much like rocking, humming, or deep pressure, this kind of repetition signals safety to the brain, making it an ideal tool for children who struggle with anxiety, sensory overload, or emotional regulation. Because the hands stay busy with a consistent, low-demand task, the mind is gently anchored in the present moment without the pressure of performance.
From a sensory perspective, French knitting offers rich tactile input through the texture of the yarn, the smooth resistance of the spool, and the satisfying pull of each loop. This proprioceptive feedback through the fingers and hands is grounding and organising for the sensory system. The added reward of watching a cord grow with every row provides a visible sense of progress and accomplishment, which in itself is regulating. Children who find it hard to sit, focus, or transition between activities often find that having something purposeful to do with their hands makes everything else feel a little more manageable.
View a tutorial here: https://www.wikihow.com/French-Knit
Let customers speak for us
All three of my girls are loving this simple addition to the outside play area. Seems quite strong as I absolutely launch them. Love the fact that the height is adjustable. Great product - Happy.
We absolutely loved the gorgeous gift that we received of the cutest black & white flower bouquet with Afr & Eng gift tags for Mother's Day of 2026!
It was simply lovely and só spot on!
Thank you Tiny Tree Toys! ⚘️
I absolutely love this puzzle, and have purched multiple ones as gifts. It is well crafted, and the wood is neatly rounded off. I'll be honest I've never played the game guidlines included, and rather use it as a catalyst in my creative processes. I love the fact that there are no rules to this, and the opportunity to use it as an expressive tool. My tiny human loves it too, and can play endlessly with captivated imagination.
Absolutely love the wooden stacking toys, I am trying to move away from plastic and purchase better quality educational toys for my baby and this is the perfect shop for that!
Great addition to our light-box and there are more than one of each letter in this set. This gives you more word building opportunities.
What a great fine motor beading set. They give nice resistance when children push them together and pull them apart, which helps strengthen the fingers and improve hand control.
My nearly-4-year old daughter loves playing 'doctor' with this doll. She took it to school show and tell and it was a hit!
Another great buy from tiny tree toys <3
The Humpty Dumpty wall game is a firm favourite with our toddlers. It’s a simple cause-and-effect activity that immediately grabs attention and keeps little ones engaged. While it’s a plastic game and not the most durable piece in the room, the value for money is excellent. The amount of fun, repetition, and learning we’ve had from it makes it well worth it for early play and therapy sessions.
The rope ladder brings instant adventure into the OT space. It invites pretend play while quietly working on grip strength, shoulder stability, core control, and bilateral coordination. Climbing rung by rung challenges motor planning and body awareness, while the imaginative element keeps children motivated and engaged. It’s a brilliant way to blend functional movement, confidence-building, and play in a way that feels exciting rather than therapeutic.
The trapeze swing is always a hit in the OT room. It builds strong arms, shoulders, and core while giving the kind of movement input kids love. Swinging, hanging, and climbing all support coordination, body awareness, and regulation without it ever feeling like hard work. Big movement, big smiles, and loads of therapeutic value packed into one piece of equipment.
I was so excited to see something new in educational games. This can be used in many different ways. Perhaps it would be useful to list the different ways it can be used from simple to complex.
We are using this in therapy and I think the size and challenge is perfect for many of the kids we work with. One suggestion would be to add an extra one of each colour to make it more challenging - so if they get to the last one, it’s a bigger challenge to choose the correct colour when copying a pattern. Also in case any get lost. But overall, good quality and a lovely game
Well made and cute. Exactly what you expect
