Gus + Mabel

Hopalong Hollow Lily Pad Felt Habitat

$116.00

Shipping and tax calculated at checkout.

Pre-order open

Ships in early August. We will email you the moment it ships.

A hand-felted lily pad world with the whole frog family living on it through every magical stage of the journey: tiny eggs, wriggly tadpoles, brave little froglets, and the grown frogs they become. Everything pictured is included, a complete set ready for endless storytelling. Made from 100% pure New Zealand wool by skilled artisans in Nepal and dyed with non-toxic, azo-free color, it is thick, soft, and strong, the kind of small green world a child leans over and narrates for an afternoon.
Material100% New Zealand wool felt
IncludesComplete lily pad set with frog lifecycle pieces, everything pictured included
Size38 cm diameter (15 in)
CertifiedAzo-free, non-toxic dyes
Pair withBusy Bee Tray
Origin DesignedAustralia MadeNepal

Age Recommendations

3456

From age three through the early school years. Open-ended small-world play across the Pre-K to Grade 2 window.

Why it lasts.

Most lifecycle toys are diagrams; this one is a place. The eggs, the tadpoles, the froglets, and the frogs all live on the same lily pad, so the science arrives as a story a child tells with their hands, over and over, in any order they like.

Hand-felted from thick New Zealand wool by a women-led collective in Nepal, it takes years of dragging, folding, and daily handling without thinning. A three-year-old hops the frogs from pad to pad; a six-year-old narrates metamorphosis. It stays in the basket because the pond keeps changing.

Who it's for

For the parent
A pond your child narrates: the frog family grows up a hundred times, in a hundred different orders, all before dinner.
For the educator
The frog lifecycle unit made touchable, with a felt piece for every stage: ideal for Pre-K to Grade 2 science, sequencing, and narrative language work.
For the gift-giver
A complete, heirloom-feeling world in one gift: hand-felted New Zealand wool, everything pictured included, ready for storytelling on arrival.

Ways to play.

Lifecycle storytelling (egg to tadpole to froglet to frog), pond small-world play, counting and sequencing games with the frog family, and quiet sensory play. Sits beautifully in the Gus + Mabel Busy Bee Tray, sold separately in three insert layouts: <a href="/products/busy-bee-tray-tray-2-half-inserts-and-lid-set">2 half inserts</a>, <a href="/products/busy-bee-tray-4-quarter-inserts-and-lid-set">4 quarter inserts</a>, or <a href="/products/busy-bee-tray-6-sixth-inserts-and-lid-set">6 sixth inserts</a>.

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Details

Materials & construction

100% New Zealand wool felt, ethically handcrafted by a women-led artisan collective in Nepal that receives living wages covering food, education, and healthcare. Colored with non-toxic, azo-free dyes and finished in a safe, toxin-free workshop. Complete set: everything pictured is included. Small variations between pieces are a mark of handwork, not a defect.

Skills it builds

Sequencing and lifecycle science vocabulary, narrative language, fine motor control, and focus.
Care & storage
Wool is naturally self-cleaning, so most days a spot clean and fresh air is enough. For a deeper refresh, soak ten minutes in lukewarm water with a little wool wash or baby shampoo, rinse cool, press flat in a towel, and dry flat in the shade away from direct sun. Keep water temperatures consistent (lukewarm wash, cool rinse) so you don't shock the wool into shrinking.
Shipping & returns

Shipping

In-stock items ship from LA in 1–3 business days, plus 1–6 in transit (contiguous U.S.).

  • $10.95 standard, free on orders $150+ (after discounts, before tax)
  • Partner-warehouse items can take up to 2 weeks, check the product page
  • Pre-orders follow their own timeline; mixed orders ship together when the pre-order arrives
  • Local LA/OC delivery, Quick Ship, Hawaii/Alaska, and international at checkout

See full shipping policy →

Returns accepted for 30 days from delivery. If the toy isn't right, send it back. Free returns on damaged or defective items.

Gus + Mabel Gus & Mabel is an Australian brand founded by Chanelle, a mother set on sustainably designed, ethically made felt play. Pieces are designed in Melbourne and handcrafted by skilled artisans in Nepal, working with women-led collectives that earn living wages covering food, education, and healthcare.
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