A visit to Monon Toys & Crafts provides a unique local selection on the world of children's toys at 6510 Cornell Avenue.

Alla Kapchunova described her store's global inventory. "We are a Broad Ripple area toy and craft store that sells sustainable items from natural resources where they have been designed and manufactured. We have wooden dolls made in Austria. A version of Russian nesting dolls (also known as Matryoshka) were designed in Florida. A Montessori toy, 'wooden counting trays' have numbers from one to nine that small objects can be placed in to match their numbers that is manufactured in California. A lot of craft kits that we sell are made and designed in France. A tree house was made in Poland. Mushrooms are made in Germany. We also have Eco-bricks that are made out of bamboo. There is a wooden elephant mobile made in Denmark. Tassotti makes wrapping paper from Bassano del Grappa, Italy. Kiko makes wooden rotary phones from Osaka City, Japan. There are micro puzzles made by Londji, located in Barcelona, Spain, which contain as many as 600 pieces. Israel-based Sozo makes a variety of needle point kits founded in the shop. Plan Toys makes fruit and veggie trays manufactured in Thailand. Indonesia-based Tender Leaf makes wooden faces where the expression can be changed to help a child express their emotions. The toys in the store are designated by ages for children," she explained.

"As for other toys, we have a lot of dolls from France and have sold out of most of them. The high-end toys are from there include a Theatre of Adventure backdrop manufactured by Vilac, located in Moirans-en-Montagne, France," she said.

"We opened on Friday, May 14th. Our hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday," Ms. Kapchunova mentioned. Questions about their items can be answered by calling (317) 749-1567 or by e-mailing monontoysandcrafts@gmail.com with additional information available at www.monontoys.com.

Monon Toys & Crafts mission and philosophy is thoughtfully described on their website. "When we decided to create a toy store, we had to ask ourselves a lot of questions: How can we make a child's playtime special? How can we make it better? What defines a really superb toy? What toys are out there that aren't getting the recognition they deserve? Can they be beautiful and fun at the same time? And we discovered that the answers were pretty simple. We will offer Eco-friendly, sustainable toys made from natural materials and renewable resources, whenever possible. We'll present durable toys that stimulate the imagination and foster creativity. We love it when playthings can be passed down for generations. There's a special joy in watching kids play with toys that you loved as a child. We will offer toys that require a child to be actively involved. Something clever and useful, yet with a playful sense of fun as they learn to problem-solve, play with others and generate original ideas. We want our kids to see that a toy can be a beautiful work of art, even as they play with it again and again. Beauty becomes part of the experience, and that excellence becomes their standard. We want children to understand that quality and aesthetics can be in every aspect of their lives, so why not start with toys? Play is the foundation of all that is to come. So we went looking -- all around the world -- for the toys that could bring joy, artistry, learning and inspiration to our kids and to yours."

Like the store she owns, Alla's background is also creative and international. "I was born and raised in Russia. I have a degree in psychology and have worked with kids for several years. We moved to India and lived there for few years, prior to coming to the United States in 2011. We landed in Cleveland, Ohio, because my husband was about to start residency in the Cleveland Clinic. After my kids were born, I became a home staying mom. However, I was always interested in art, theatre and photography and I tried my hand at drawing, painting, and textile art," she mentioned.

"One of the things I enjoy the most about operating this store is seeing the looks on the happy faces in children and their parents when they see the toys here. When I'm looking for a toy, I always pay close attention to material and design. I think people are looking for something more sustainable," she noted.

Children and their parents can rediscover the art of play at Monon Toys & Crafts in Broad Ripple.