Children From Around The World Showcase Their Favorite Toys In This Heartwarming Series (22 Pics)
They say a picture is worth a thousand words but what about tens of pictures? From over 50 countries? Well, that's a book, and it's called Toy Stories: Photos of Children from Around the World and Their Favorite Things.
For about two years, Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti had been visiting boys and girls around the globe to capture their portraits with their most prized possession — toys. From Texas to India, Malawi to China, Iceland, Morocco, and Fiji, Galimberti recorded the spontaneous and natural joy that unites kids despite their diverse backgrounds. Whether the child owns a veritable fleet of miniature cars or just a single stuffed monkey, the pride that they have is moving, funny, and thought-provoking.
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Chiwa, 4, Mchinji, Malawi
That's the way every child looks into a camera when they've been told to hold still 2 or 3 times.
Load More Replies...ohhhhh, baby boyyyyyyy....... IM LITERALLY CRYING RIGHT NOW I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SEND TOYS TO THIS CHILDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Material things should not be valued the way we value them in America, but , I, too, would like to know how to send toys to this child. Give us an address.
Load More Replies...it breaks my heart. I just wanna hug her and spend all my money on her and her family.
The number of toys a child has doesn't make her life bad or good. It is health, parents, community, friends
Load More Replies...If I knew the address of the little boy, I would mail him a box taller than he was full of toys.
"I started this project almost by chance!" Galimberti told Bored Panda. "The first photo that I took for this series was in Tuscany, it's the one with the girl and the cows in the background. She's the daughter of one of my best friends. He asked me to photograph her, so I went to their house and she was playing with the cows. I thought that situation was really nice and so I decided to take a photo of that moment. I asked her to pose together with her toys and with the cows in the background. Then I really loved the result and some months later, when I had the possibility to start my trip around the world, I decided to take the same kind of photo in every country that I was going to visit."
Rivaldo Fesna, 5 , Port-Au-Prince , Haiti
Put a bit of kerosine, in the last can, hold a match to the small hole and WHOOSH! ... rocket powered truck! I did it when I was a kid and I'm still alive.
Galimberti traveled the world in 2012-2013. At that time, he was working for one of the biggest Italian magazines, D La Repubblica. He was doing a story for the magazine about CouchSurfing and visited 58 countries using the Internet platform. Every week, he had a page on the magazine to report his trip and was publishing a portrait of the couchsurfer that was hosting him at the time.
"All the children that I have photographed are somehow connected to the couchsurfers that have hosted me. They are their children, their nephews, or simply their neighbors."
Tangawizi, 3, Keekorok, Kenya
I had a monkey plush that I pretended was a kangaroo Joey... memories!
Load More Replies...I think my monkey just found her lost sister ... IMG_202010...f63a55.jpg
The quality of one's life is measured in love, not in goods.
Load More Replies...Notes say kids look comfortable and relaxed, but don't miss that not until the fourth picture is the child smiling. Certainly says volumes about their lives.
The kids look comfortable and relaxed in the photos and that's probably because Galimberti took the time to earn their trust first. Mostly by playing with them. "I was really surprised to see how easy it was for children to understand my project!" He would spend anywhere from a couple of hours to a whole day getting to know the children before taking out his camera.
You can see a lot of differences in the photos but the thing that all of them have in common, according to Galimberti, is that they just love to play.
Maudy, 3, Kalulushi, Zambia
I like how the sunglasses are arranged into one big pair of sunglasses, it's really creative!
That is quite the collection! Bet she has one to go with every outfit!
Kafele, 5 , Mkanda, Malawi
that's the same looking dino and in the same place
Load More Replies...I think the brother and sister share the dinosaur. Now I know why I keep making knitted bears to send to kids in Africa. They don't have many toys.
That's the same dino... with the broken tail and dirt on the hip. Guessing these 2 are siblings
the triceratops is the same from the picture in #1 Chiwa, 4, Mchinji, Malawi. Same missing horn and wear and tear. Why photoshop that?
Bothe, 4, Maun, Botswana
She’s really proud of it. I’m happy sheisn’t down because she has only one. :)
Arafa And Aisha, 4, Bububu, Zanzibar
Its so interesting to see these girls with so many stereo-typically "boy" toys. Would be interesting to learn about gender socialization in Zanzibar and how it differs from the US or Europe
Walrus Man defeats the dynamic duo, Skeletor & Chewbacca, saving his friends, then he & Lego Lady, along with their newborn baby & dog Snoopy, will ride into the sunset in the Mystery Machine look-alike. . . where they all lived happily ever after. Except for Lego Man since his wife divorced him to be with her hero Wally Walrus Man.
Walrus Man's name is Turmagar from Thundercats. :)
Load More Replies...Porjai, 3 , Bangkok, Thailand
Virginia, 5, American Fork, Utah
Alessia, 5, Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
A current farmer, looks like! Or... farmer’s helper... that looks like something for the cows in the wheelbarrow.
Load More Replies...Bethsaida, 6, Port-Au-Prince, Haiti
And Barbie has what looks like a seriously complicated hairdo ... you go, Tiny Fashionista!!!
Bethsaida,I never had a doll like that when I was little, I had a horse. . You have an awesome collection of dresses for her.
Zi Yi, 3, Chongquing, China
Just taking a moment to tell you all that she isn't a bratty rich kid. This is how a lot of kids are raised in urban China, I'm not saying this is the case for all Chinese kids but it is quite common to have doting grandparents :)
Taha, 4, Beirut, Lebanon
Cool car! I bet it goes really fast. Also, how did my grandmother's couch wind up in Lebanon?
At first I thought his favorite toy was the couch and I was like "he must like jumping on it!" XD
Ernesto, 3, Firenze, Italy
Just gonna say I get that reference.
Load More Replies...I wonder why the map on the wall is in German. It says "children's world map"
An Italian kid with a German world map on his wall.. no wonder he starts shooting cans
Naya, 3, Managua, Nicaragua
Those look like tiny laundry baskets, and its as cute as I don't know what! I'd play with that now.
Load More Replies...Lauren, 6, Muskoka, Canada
Minor thing I'm sure, but I wish when they posted, they said the province. They include states after a city for the US, no reason why they can't do the same with Canada. It's Muskoka, Ontario.
It is an American Girl doll...they frequently sell matching outfits for the doll "mommies" to go along with their dolls.....
Load More Replies...Callum, 4, Fairbanks, Alaska
He has it pulled forward. I believe when it hangs at its natural point, he would be able to step his foot up into the loop and hold the upper portion of rope to swing.
Load More Replies...No.way. i am toooooo!! This brings back so many memories
Load More Replies...Child: Can I invite my friend to go sledding with me? Parent: Callum up!
That's a buck pole to hang and butchers animals. That's all, not a noose, nothing to worry about people.
Talia, 5, Timimoun, Algeria
I hope I'm not being jerky by pointing out that her dolls look NOTHING LIKE HER ... and yet, she's so beautiful. Wouldn't it be wonderful if ALL little girls around the world had dolls that made EACH OF THEM feel seen?
Maybe she chose those dolls, or maybe that was what was available. Most children DO NOT CARE. They only want to play and be children!
Load More Replies...Aww, I think it is sweet in an odd sort of way. It just looks very well-loved. I had couple of plush animals when I was younger that I hugged so much that they started to fall apart.
Load More Replies...Allenah, 4, El Nido, Philippines
Puput, 4, Ubud, Bali
The title - why it's not Bali, Indonesia? I'm pretty sure, Bali is not a country
Julia, 3, Tirana, Albania
I love it but it’s kinda sad to see that girl having many barbies and toys but the other kid only had one
Some of them had more toys, they simply aren't displayed in the photos
Load More Replies...I don't think some realized it was only suppose to be the favorite toy. It is ok though. The little one loves them all.
Norden, 5, Sidi Benzarne, Morocco
Absolutely LOVE that he thinks of his bookbag and notebooks as "toys" ... they give him joy!
The photographs of children with their treasured possessions remind us of the universal language of play.
While the vibrant portraits tell stories of childhood joy, they also resonate with deeper themes explored in Kid's toys revealing cultural tales. There, the photographer uncovered not just the children's playtime preferences but also insights into global parenting styles and family dynamics.
Why is this considered sad? I might understand the poor conditions that some live in here, but I don't see how having fewer toys is sad. They seem ok with it. Maybe I'm missing the point.
I was just about to type the same comment until i saw yours XD
Load More Replies...this is ted, my moms had him since she was my age, he's about to be 32, my very favorite and well love with a hole on his head and one on either side of his neck. IMG_202010...50afb4.jpg
Love all these kids, they have wonderful imaginations and kids being kids can turn anything into a toy
I love this series-- I think that it is fascinating to see what children around the world consider to be their favourite toys. It also shows a lot of the economic disparities around the world.
there was something similar to this a few years back. so thought provoking...
Children are children no matter where they’re from. Simple things could make them happy. I see it In their faces,. God bless them all. Amazing pics!!
Can donate give more old toys, clothes or others to poor children.
There often are local charities in your area if you look it up. Charities like that everywhere.
Load More Replies...Why is this considered sad? I might understand the poor conditions that some live in here, but I don't see how having fewer toys is sad. They seem ok with it. Maybe I'm missing the point.
I was just about to type the same comment until i saw yours XD
Load More Replies...this is ted, my moms had him since she was my age, he's about to be 32, my very favorite and well love with a hole on his head and one on either side of his neck. IMG_202010...50afb4.jpg
Love all these kids, they have wonderful imaginations and kids being kids can turn anything into a toy
I love this series-- I think that it is fascinating to see what children around the world consider to be their favourite toys. It also shows a lot of the economic disparities around the world.
there was something similar to this a few years back. so thought provoking...
Children are children no matter where they’re from. Simple things could make them happy. I see it In their faces,. God bless them all. Amazing pics!!
Can donate give more old toys, clothes or others to poor children.
There often are local charities in your area if you look it up. Charities like that everywhere.
Load More Replies...
