shumee's Modern Twist on Traditional Indian Toys #madeinIndia

  • Aug 15, 2020
  • shumee's Modern Twist on Traditional Indian Toys #madeinIndia

    When we see hashtags like #vocalforlocal and #makeinIndia trending, we feel a particular joy. Know why? 

    Because at shumee, we've believed in this and have been doing it for years! An alumna of IIT Delhi and Harvard, our founder Meeta Sharma Gupta returned to India after a long stint in the US to raise her two boys. When she realised that there weren’t enough toys being made in India that were safe, simple, and fun for children, she wanted to do something about it.

    So she launched shumee to create toys for today’s children that are entirely made in India and bring back the joy of free play!

    shumee toys had the honour of a special shoutout from our PM Modi on #MannKiBaat this month! Listen in and celebrate with us.

    Designs inspired by Indian culture  

    Enjoy Little Krishna's adventures with a fun illustrated book peg dolls + memory cards set!  

    Each toy at shumee is specially designed keeping a range of things in mind. This includes the developmental needs of a child at a particular age, their skills and capabilities at the time, and even their possible interests.

    Our team of in-house designers spend months ideating, sketching, and fine-tuning a concept before bringing it to life as the toys you see. While our toys are not conventionally ethnic, they often have roots in Indian storytelling and play.

    Bring in India's 75th Independence Day with an awesome India-themed card game. 150 cards, 30 states, 5 cards for each state! Ready to play?

    From our wide range of adorable handcrafted rattles to our wooden stamps, we add a modern touch to traditional toys. With toys like our Peppa Pig collection, we take some of the children’s favourite characters and design them into traditional wooden play blocks. We even retain some nostalgia with classic toys like the Wooden Rocking Horse and Stacker while adding a funky feel to others like with our Collector’s Chess and Animal Spin Tops! 

     The age-old spin tops just got an adorable makeover with shumee's animal spin tops!

    Our toys are all about inspired innovation that makes learning new concepts enjoyable for your child. For instance, our Thirsty Crow Board Game takes the famous Aesopian fable and turns it into a super fun game with relatable Indian touches like a matka of water. 

    5 cards per state, 30 states, 150 cards. Ready to explore India?

    We are especially proud of our toys that focus on Indian culture and heritage, such as our Little Krishna and Ramayana combos that come with peg dolls, cards, and story books! Our brand new set of Indiascape toys include puzzles, cards, and activity books that take you across each of the Indian states. 

    Toys made in India by local artisans. 

    Every shumee toy is handcrafted by a local artisan using age-old Indian toy-making tools and techniques. Our toys are specially cut by skilled craftspeople who are masters of their work, ensuring a smooth texture and well-rounded edges. They are made of sturdy and long-lasting wood – from neem to birchwood to ivory – and can be passed in the family through generations.  

    shumee toys - made in India by local artisans

     Have you wondered who makes your child's toys? Meet the talented local artisans who make our toys at shumee!

    shumee toys are hand-painted with great care, paying attention to the little details that bring their unique designs to life. From traditional motifs to funky spins on age-old toys, we offer a wide range of designs that pay homage to our rich and diverse culture of art and play!

    Our chess set doubles as a collectible item with a cool Pirates vs. Royals theme!

    Our toys are all painted with non-toxic water-based colors and polished using eco-friendly substances like beeswax or almond oil. So when you buy from shumee, you not only get a safe all-Indian toy but also get to invest in our country's talented artisans!

    A new generation of Indian artists 

    Does Indian art end with local artisans? We don’t think so! Our Wooden Stamps are a contemporary take on traditional Indian block printing. 

    We're excited to bring this art form a little closer to a new generation of Indian artists. Inspired by this ancient intricate art, our blocks are designed in exciting patterns and themes such as monsters, dinos, and Peppa Pig that your child will love. You can create cards, stamp drawings, or even use them to pretend play and tell stories – the possibilities with these are endless! 

    wooden art stamps shumee toys

    Make your own block prints with shumee's hand-carved wooden stamps.


    These stamps are made from sheesham wood and come with water-based non-toxic paints for your child to create with. They are a wonderful way to tell your little one about Indian art forms and our incredible culture, all while having fun with their favorite cartoon characters.

    From conceptualization to design to production, we are a homegrown company that makes toys with love and care. We are proud to be a brand made in India and hope to carry forward the legacy of Indian toys with everything we create!

    Have a question? Leave a comment or message us on Whatsapp.



    Leave a comment

    Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.