family games

Dressed in a variety of colorful dresses, 12 Guatemalan worry dolls are here to preserve ancient Maya traditions. Legend has it that the Maya Sun God gave princess Ixmucané the gift of solving people's problems. With time people started making dolls in Ixmucané's honor and they would tell her their woes, hoping she would solve them through the dolls. "This tradition is still alive," says Ana from the Lopez Garcia Family. "The idea is to have many worry dolls and trust each one with whatever troubles you. Once you've told them, you put them under your pillow. It is said that during the night, while we sleep, the dolls will whisper the solution to our troubles. For us, crafting the worry dolls - muñequitas quita penas - is our main source of income.It allows us to provide our children with an education as well as a job for all of us." The set of 12 arrives in a pedal-loomed cotton pouch.

Please expect slight variations in color and size as each doll is crafted by hand with available materials, rendering each one unique.

Guatemalan artisan Julio Molina handcrafts a desktop soccer game out of pinewood. The green field is set with red and yellow pegs representing the players from each team, which are fixed into position. Two recycled wine cork discs serve as the soccer balls. Players take turns flicking the cork ball with their fingers toward their opponent's goal. The first player to score two goals wins.

Those parties with family and friends can now be full of joy thanks to a set of three hacky sacks knit by Sebastiana Guarcas in Guatemala. Working with cotton in a palette of intense hues, these little items come with geometric and animal motifs, all traditional in the country.

Those reunions with family and friends can now be full of fun thanks to a set of three hacky sacks knit by Sebastiana Guarcas in Guatemala. Working with cotton in a palette of vibrant hues, these little accessories come with geometric and animal motifs, all traditional in the region.

Whether with friends or family, this set of three hacky sacks will fill your free time with fun. Handcrafted by the Maya Artists Group in Guatemala, each item comes with a crocheted design in emerald and red tones, all made from cotton. The plastic pellet filling allows them to have the perfect weight and shape for a challenging match.