Nothing says “play” quite like a set of wooden blocks. These classic toy box staples are absolutely timeless. Timeless – but not Times New Roman-less. At least not since Michael Asire got his hands on them. A lover of toys, design, and all things wood, Michael wanted to take typography and stack it in a new way – using children’s alphabet blocks to put a kid-friendly twist on the art of the letter. Cool, right? Whether learning your ABC’s for the first time or just digging deeper into design, these handcrafted wonders are sure to inspire every member of the family.

To give you a better understanding, each letter of the alphabet A-to-Z is matched with a typeface starting with the same letter. For example, “A” is for Avant Garde, “B” is for Baskerville, etc. The blocks of course feature the name of the typeface, but also its designer, the year it was created, and its classification in the world of type. Our set came in a lovely little carrying bag with a leather drawstring, wrapping it all up in a pretty package and making it perfect for gift-giving!

These are quickly stacking up around our house. My kids and I have even started conducting nightly typeface memory games! (Think of them as fun typeface flashcards that you happen to be able to build really cool things with.) My older guys get such a kick out of seeing who can remember the most information about each typeface, while the littles are still working on conquering all 26 letters. Who knows – maybe these will be the building blocks to futures in design?! And when they grow up to become the greatest typographers of their generation, maybe just maybe they’ll attribute it to our after-dinner memory games. (A design-loving mom can dream!)

Learn more and order your own at the AsireStudios Etsy Shop.