Toy Treasures

Monon Toys and Crafts Has Gifts That Run the Gamut

Writer / Amanda Gibson
Photographer / Michael Durr

There’s no doubt that toys can create special memories. That’s what Alla Kapchunova, owner of Monon Toys and Crafts, is all about.

“I’ve been playing with my kids a while, and during the pandemic, even more,” she says. “I realized I knew a lot about toys.” With her house already filled with toys, she decided it was time to procure toys for others.

Kapchunova has a background in psychology, with a lot of knowledge in the art of play, especially regarding children and young adults. When she knew it was time to open her toy store, she found the perfect place, available for lease, in her very own neighborhood right off the Monon Trail.

The toys she stocks aren’t items you’d find in a typical big-box store. They’re high-quality, open-ended toys that children won’t get bored with. They’re sustainable, beautiful and memorable. One of her goals is to offer toys that last and can be passed on – not just played with for a few months, pushed to the back of a closet and later donated to second-hand shops. She doesn’t purchase toys that she wouldn’t choose to put in her own home.

“It’s important to see a bigger picture,” she says. “While I purchase my own taste, I pay attention to the diversity of people who buy from us.” As soon as you walk through the door at Monon Toys and Crafts, you’ll notice how thoughtfully curated her selection is, with toys chosen from makers all around the world.

Toys can have a greater purpose outside of just play, and here are Kapchunova’s top five must-have toys that you can find in her store:

• Blocks. Both fine and gross motor skills are needed for block play. Children’s problem-solving, mathematical, language and reading skills are all improved by using blocks. Additionally, building block creations can boost confidence.
• Stuffed animals. Kapchunova mentions this one for older children, because stuffed animals often help in transitional times, and can be used to develop critical sensory and emotional abilities – a “buddy” to help feel protected and secure.
• Play mice. These help in pretend play, and getting into the world of imagination. In pretend play, young children can interpret their everyday observations. This is often one of the earliest methods for discovering likes, dislikes, hobbies and skills.
• Puppet theater. This is a great tool to start children in storytelling, because they often relay their own emotions through this type of play, and it can be very therapeutic.
• Baby dolls. Having a baby doll, no matter the child, teaches them self-help skills. Before using these abilities on themselves, children frequently find it easier to exercise them on someone else or something else. Outside of learning how to do tasks by themselves, it’s an introduction to caring for someone besides themselves.

With holiday shopping approaching, Kapchunova will be stocking plenty of inventory for customers to pick from. This will be her second holiday season with the store, and it’s a time that Kapchunova is excited for. She loves Christmas herself, and finds it incredibly special to help customers find the most thoughtful gifts for their loved ones. At the end of the day, what brings her the most joy and makes owning a toy store worth it are the memories she’s able to hear about, stemming from the toys she sells.

Monon Toys and Crafts is located at 6510 Cornell Avenue in Indianapolis. For more info, call 317-749-1567 or visit monontoys.com, where you can shop at any time of day and have unique toys delivered to your door, or select items for store pickup.