AlmondRod Toys

Website Contact the business

AlmondRod Toys Inspirational toys for kids and tots that encourage prayerful play throughout the liturgical year - prayerfully created by Lindsey, a Catholic mom of 9. Hi!

Lindsey here. I'm on a mission to create all the Catholic catechetical tools that I wish existed. So far I have Patron Saint Blocks, Nativity and Easter Block sets, Craft Sheets, Wooden Mass Kits, and DIY Mass Kits in my shop. For me, this is just the beginning. I want to continue to add to my Patron Saint line-up with plenty of stickers, coloring sheets, posters, and maps. We're now in the homeschool club so I'd love to incorporate my artwork into maps and timelines etc. What about board books with the patrons of your family? I'm dying to make a picture book with a page for each prayer of the Rosary - how cool would it be to sit down to "read a story" to your child and at the end of it have finished a rosary? WOODEN MASS KIT----------------
We love the Montessori Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and it inspired me to put together a wooden mass kit. Kids (and all of us) learn by doing and touching. They connect with what they can hold and use and "work" with. I have 3 rough and tumble boys that are 2 year, 4 years and 8 years old and this set can be used by all of them. I've scoured the internet and found the best pieces to pull together to make a mass kit that is a good scale, durable, and beautiful. My husband is the Director of the Office of Worship for our diocesse so he helped make sure everything was just right. PATRON SAINT BLOCKS------------
My blocks are designed to be easy to clean, hard to break, beautiful, educational, inspirational and versatile (for tots, little kids, or big kids). Best of all they give the opportunity for prayerful play. I have nearly 100 saints to choose from so far! These blocks are just the right size for little hands. They can be used for imaginative play, building, stacking or collecting. I have a print of my original watercolor art on the front. On the back there is a quote or a prayer chosen to inspire little ones and the one that cleans up behind them. The saint's name, feast day and patronage are also listed - I didn't just want these blocks to be cute, I wanted to give a tiny glimpse of the saint's inspiring story. It is so hard to choose just a few words for each of them, but I hope there is just enough information to be a reminder and an inspiration for further learning. NATIVITY-------------------
I have a 15 block nativity and a 5 block nativity. These aren't the "no touch" kind of nativity for display, they are for playing and learning. They have my original artwork on both the fronts AND backs of each block. They are kid friendly and yet still beautiful to inspire meditation on the meaning of Christmas. EASTER BLOCKS----------------
Since a nativity helps you imagine the Christmas story, I decided I could make a set of blocks to help kids play out the Easter story. It's a set that helps kids understand the joy of the resurrection.

Luke was a friend and helper of St. Paul, and it was Paul who gave him the title "the beloved physician." Luke's Gospel ...
10/18/2026

Luke was a friend and helper of St. Paul, and it was Paul who gave him the title "the beloved physician." Luke's Gospel is often called the "Gospel of Mary" because much of its early chapters are told from her perspective. He is also credited with painting an icon of her. (Penning historical accounts, painting, and practicing medicine--he probably had an eye for detail and some great fine motor skills.)

Ever walk into a room and realize you've completely forgotten what you're supposed to be doing there? Yep, there's a Sai...
10/17/2026

Ever walk into a room and realize you've completely forgotten what you're supposed to be doing there? Yep, there's a Saint for that. John Colobus was so preoccupied with heavenly thoughts that unless he repeated aloud what he was supposed to be getting, he'd forget his task.

In his earlier days as a hermit, John was tasked with walking miles to a river in the Egyptian heat so he could water a walking stick. And after three years, it grew leaves and produced fruit!

Another fun fact: his name literally means "Little John."

During Eucharistic adoration, Jesus spoke to this French Visitation nun and asked her to take the spot John the Apostle ...
10/16/2026

During Eucharistic adoration, Jesus spoke to this French Visitation nun and asked her to take the spot John the Apostle had at the Last Supper. He then placed her heart inside of His and gave this quiet, clumsy sister a mission: to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart.

Now the image of the Sacred Heart is one of the most popular Catholic symbols! Comment with a heart if you're part of a Sacred Heart parish, school, co-op, or other group. I'll throw one in for my church❤️

The little Spanish girl who ran away in an attempt to be martyred (don't worry--she was quickly retrieved!) grew up to b...
10/15/2026

The little Spanish girl who ran away in an attempt to be martyred (don't worry--she was quickly retrieved!) grew up to be a Carmelite nun, writer, convent reformer, and mystic. St. Teresa of Avila is the first woman to be named a Doctor of the Church.

"Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing make you afraid. All things are passing. God alone never changes. Patience gains all things. If you have God you will want for nothing. God alone suffices."

St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us!

Here's a few of the Remembrance Blocks that we will send to their homes today. Seeing these blocks all laid out on the c...
10/14/2026

Here's a few of the Remembrance Blocks that we will send to their homes today. Seeing these blocks all laid out on the counter waiting to be shipped stirs up a much different feeling than a stack of my blocks usually does.

Last night I cut out 15 tiny names and put them in place. Once they were all complete, I arranged them into a neat row and had to pause for a few moments to think about what they all stood for. They are little names. Little names that left big marks behind on the hearts of their families. I prayed for each little one and those that are missing them now. May God bless you all with the deep and lasting peace that comes with knowing God is *bursting* with love and mercy for every big and little one of us, and one day He will make all things right again.

I truly hope you don't have any need for one, but Custom Remembrance Blocks are available again at the AlmondRod shop for the rest of this month.

*Hopefully this resolves soon, but if you place an order, please note that there may be a slight delay for the block to appear in your cart. Please let me know if it takes more than 30 seconds to update!


These medieval English figures always have such great names in their stories: his dad was King Aethelred the Unready, an...
10/13/2026

These medieval English figures always have such great names in their stories: his dad was King Aethelred the Unready, and during his childhood England was threatened by Vikings like Sweyn Forkbeard. Edward was the last Saxon king, since his successor, Harold, was the king who lost the Battle of Hastings, where the Normans took over England.

Edward might have seemed like a failure, since he wasn't a very strong ruler (although he was said to be just) and didn't have any children (possibly because he took a vow of celibacy). Thankfully for him, you don't need worldly success to be holy.

Last summer, my teenage son was in Rome and happened to buy a couple of Pokemon cards from a vending machine, just for l...
10/13/2026

Last summer, my teenage son was in Rome and happened to buy a couple of Pokemon cards from a vending machine, just for laughs. (No word on why Italian vending machines sell Pokemon cards.) Later, his group visited Carlo's tomb. He saw a woman in line in front of him touch a rosary to the tomb to make it a 3rd class relic.

My son: That's a good idea. I should touch something to the tomb. What do I have on hand? Aha...

*whips out Pokemon card*

So now he has a Pokemon card (in Italian) in a little display case hanging over his bed. As one does.

Last summer, my teenage son was in Rome and happened to buy a couple of Pokemon cards from a vending machine, just for l...
10/12/2026

Last summer, my teenage son was in Rome and happened to buy a couple of Pokemon cards from a vending machine, just for laughs. (No word on why Italian vending machines sell Pokemon cards.) Later, his group visited Carlo's tomb.

My son: I should touch something to the tomb. What do I have on hand? Aha...

*whips out Pokemon card*

So now he has a Pokemon card (in Italian) in a little display case hanging over his bed. As one does.

Today we celebrate St. John Henry Newman! He was a brilliant Anglican scholar whose studies lead him to become Catholic....
10/09/2026

Today we celebrate St. John Henry Newman! He was a brilliant Anglican scholar whose studies lead him to become Catholic. A couple of his books are featured in this picture of his Saints Around the World spread.

"Cor ad cor loquitur," "Heart speaks to heart," is a quote he adapted from St. Francis de Sales, and also the motto of my kids' school. Christ's heart speaks to ours, and we, transformed by His love, speak to others. Comment with other John Henry Newman quotes or cool facts!

October is the month of the Rosary, and I thought it fitting to provide you with some quotes from JPII's letter Rosarium...
10/07/2026

October is the month of the Rosary, and I thought it fitting to provide you with some quotes from JPII's letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae:

"The Rosary has accompanied me in moments of joy and in moments of difficulty. To it I have entrusted any number of concerns; in it I have always found comfort."

"To recite the Rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ."

"Today we are facing new challenges. Why should we not once more have recourse to the Rosary, with the same faith as those who have gone before us?"

Totus Tuus!

Address

Grand Rapids, MI

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when AlmondRod Toys posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to AlmondRod Toys:

Shortcuts

Share