What are Play Silkies?
Play Silkies are soft silk play cloths designed to become whatever a child imagines. A single piece might be a superhero cape in the morning, a river through a wooden animal world after lunch, and a blanket for a favourite doll by bedtime.
That simplicity is the point. Unlike a toy with one obvious purpose, a play silk gives children a material to interpret for themselves. It can be worn, draped, wrapped, waved, hidden beneath, built with or added to another play setup.
Play Silkies is an Australian family business based in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges. Founder Kate created the brand after seeing how naturally silk scarves became part of everyday play with her own daughter. The company describes its focus as creating strong, soft and silky open-ended toys that encourage family interaction and imaginative play.
What makes Play Silkies different?
The most distinctive feature is the material. Play Silkies says its regular play silks are made from 8 momme Habotai silk, with its Rainbow Play Silk described as 100% pure mulberry silk. The fabric is lightweight and flowing, but the brand has deliberately developed its silks to withstand the knots, pulling and enthusiastic handling that can come with children’s play.
The brand also offers several sizes rather than a single standard format. This changes how the silk can be used and makes it easier to choose one that suits the kind of play your child enjoys.
Play Silkies states that its silks have been tested to Australian and European toy standards, including physical, mechanical, flammability and chemical testing. Individual product listings should always be checked for the exact age guidance and safety information that applies to the product you are buying.
Which Play Silkie size should you choose?
The regular Play Silks measure approximately 90 × 90 cm and are the most versatile starting point. They are large enough for dress-ups, landscapes, peek-a-boo, dancing and small cubbies while still being manageable for young children.
Mini Silks are approximately 45 × 45 cm. Their smaller size lends itself particularly well to doll play, small-world scenes, colour play, dancing and games such as peek-a-boo.
Jumbo Silks measure approximately 180 × 90 cm. The extra length opens up larger-scale play: roofs, canopies, longer rivers, costumes and bigger collaborative scenes.
Giant Silks are larger again at approximately 270 × 110 cm and can transform a much bigger area of the playroom. They can become substantial cubby coverings, dramatic landscapes or large movement-play props.
The Little Silks range measures approximately 60 × 60 cm and includes high-contrast designs developed with babies and younger children in mind. As always, follow the specific product’s age and supervision guidance.
Why do play silks work so well for open-ended play?
There is no picture on the box telling a child what a silk is supposed to become. That gives the child control over the meaning of the object.
A green silk might represent grass, a forest, a dragon wing or a picnic rug. Blue can become water one day and a cape the next. The same silk can move between role play, movement, sensory exploration and small-world play without needing to be replaced by a different toy.
That flexibility also means Play Silkies pair easily with toys children already own. Add one to wooden animals and it can become a landscape. Drape one over furniture and it becomes a cubby. Wrap a doll or teddy and it becomes a blanket or carrier. Wave it through music and movement play and the toy becomes something completely different again.
Ways children can play with Play Silkies
There are dozens of possibilities, but some of the simplest are often the best:
- Wear them as capes, skirts, scarves or simple dress-ups.
- Create rivers, oceans, fields, skies and other landscapes for small-world play.
- Drape them over chairs, play stands or furniture to create cubbies and hideaways.
- Wrap dolls, soft toys or pretend parcels.
- Use them for dancing, music and movement.
- Explore colour, layering, light and transparency.
- Play peek-a-boo and simple hiding games.
- Combine them with blocks, wooden figures, animals and loose parts.
The real value is that children will usually invent uses adults would never think to prescribe. Leaving the silk accessible rather than setting up a particular activity can be enough to start the play.
Are Play Silkies suitable for babies?
Play Silkies states that its silks are safety tested to Australian and European toy standards from birth. The company also offers its Little Silks range with high-contrast patterns intended for early visual play.
That does not mean a silk should be treated as bedding or left with an infant unsupervised. Always follow the safety instructions supplied with the individual product and use age-appropriate supervision, particularly with babies and very young children.
How do you care for Play Silkies?
Play Silkies’ Rainbow Play Silk product information states that its silks can be hand washed and hung to dry. Because care requirements can vary between products, we recommend checking the care instructions on the exact Play Silkie you own before washing it.
Silk is part of what gives these toys their distinctive movement and tactile quality, so gentle care helps preserve that feel over time.
Why Little Worlds loves Play Silkies
Play Silkies capture something we look for in many of the toys at Little Worlds: a beautifully simple object that does not decide the play before the child begins.
They take up almost no room in a toy basket, pair with an enormous range of other toys and can move between sensory play, storytelling, dress-ups, movement and small worlds. The same silk can remain relevant as a child’s interests change because its purpose is never fixed.
We also love that Play Silkies is an Australian family business with a clear focus on quality and play value. For families building a smaller collection of toys that can be used in many different ways, play silks are a particularly versatile place to start.
Where to start
If you are buying your first Play Silkies, a regular 90 × 90 cm silk is the easiest all-round choice. Choose a colour or design your child is naturally drawn to rather than trying to build a large collection immediately.
Mini Silks are particularly useful for smaller-scale play, while Jumbo and Giant Silks make more sense if cubbies, movement play and larger constructions are likely to be part of the fun.
There is no ideal number to own. One good silk can already become dozens of different things. That is exactly what makes it such a Little Worlds kind of toy.
