Joni is a gem, and also the face behind Little Adventure where she handcrafts each wooden toy. We recently partnered up to promote her business together, and I really am excited to share with you what she has to offer. I originally found Joni on Modern Parent’s Messy Kids, where her creations were being shown to help teething, and in an all natural way! I knew right away that I had to try one out. So, we did. Along came a cute little T-Rex that Nolan unfortunately only got about three seconds with until our fatso bulldog ate it. Thankfully, another T-Rex found himself, along with a cute truck to our mailbox.
I was amazed how soft, and well manicured each toy was. The wheels on the toy truck don’t stick when you move them about on the ground, and they aren’t heavy as I expected. Nolan can pick them up and handle them without a fuss. Currently, our T-Rex is taking a nap with him right now, and lately he’s been going with us out and about for errands. It’s been a relief as a teether and I’m thrilled to be apart of Little Adventure with Joni.
Hi Joni! First, tell us a little about yourself.
Hello! My name is Joni and I am a wife to Mike and a mom to our four year old son, Miles. My husband and I both grew up in West Michigan and after getting married moved to sunny California for 7 years. Just last summer we decided it was time to come home to our roots and we now reside back in West Michigan in the beautiful beach town of Grand Haven. We love spending time together as a family, traveling, adventuring and being outside!
What inspired you to start Little Adventure?
Ever since I was a kid I have always loved to create. I have fond memories of afternoons constructing things in my grandfather’s workshop, building houses for the birds, toy boxes, creating something out of nothing. This fueled my interest in not only creating but in woodworking. Having a little one myself, my desire is to bring imagination and creativity to play time. I love toy design and love that wooden toys are not only eco-friendly but have antibacterial properties making them a safe and natural choice. Thus Little Adventure was born! My desire for Little Adventure is to help other kids develop and grow in their own creativity and imagination. Each toy is designed, created, and packaged in my workshop.
What kind of process do you go through to insure safety of your products for the wee ones?
Each piece of wood is handpicked by me at our local lumber yard. I use only high quality woods. For the teether’s I use a hard rock maple, which is not only a beautiful hardwood but it also has anti-bacterial properties and doesn’t splinter, making it a safe toy for your baby to teeth on and chew. Little Adventure Vehicles are also made from a hard wood, and can either be left natural or painted with a non-toxic, AP Certified paint. Each toy is sanded smooth and then sealed and protected with an organic beeswax and olive oil finish.
Your products are great for teething and imagination. Is there a special way to keep them clean?
A Care Instruction card is placed inside each handmade drawstring bag with every purchase giving information on how to clean and care for your wooden toys. A mild soap and water are best for your toys. It’s best not to fully immerse them in water and make sure they are completely dry before use. To disenfect your toys you can use a solution of vinegar and water.
Last but not least, what is YOUR absolute favorite product you create? Thank you Joni, we love Little Adventure!
Oh man! What a tough question. 
I so enjoy creating each and every product. Little Adventure Teether’s are the perfect size for your child to play with, teeth on and use their imagination with! If I had to choose my favorite teether would be the T-Rex. At the same time vehicles are an important part of play time and the Mini Car’s are the perfect vehicle to encourage pretend play!