We are excited to announce that our Co-Founder and COO Alicia Wallace and her husband have just welcomed their second child into the world - say hello to baby Eden Vienna!

This got us thinking - African baskets aren’t just a great way to add some unique decor to your home, they’re also great for kids! Our baskets are works of art and functional storage around the house, and we love finding new ways to utilize these artisan-crafted masterpieces.

In fact, to celebrate the end of summer, we're offering 25% OFF everything with promo code ENDOFSUMMER - now through August 30th.

What better way to compliment a bookshelf or warm up your kids room than a gorgeous woven basket? Here are 5 ways to use your African basket with kids.

1. Chair-side Mama Bowl

The first few weeks of having a baby are a blur. The baby needs to be fed, changed, put down for a nap, and all the while time feels relative. During this chaotic time, we like to set out a chair-side bowl of knick knacks specifically for feedings. One-handed snacks like Larabars are a Godsend, and baby nail clippers help you utilize the elusive newborn stillness to clean up their little paws while they sleep.

2. A Portioned Fruit Bowl

Speaking of, we don’t know about your kids, but ours ask for one thing above all else: snacks. All day, all afternoon, after playing, before nap time, right after lunch - it doesn’t matter what time of day it is - they want snacks and they want them NOW. Rather than figure out a new snack each time they ask and having to do the math on how soon dinner is, we like to set out a designated “snack bowl” that they are free to grab from throughout the day. Fill it with bananas, apples, or oranges, and let them snack at their own pace. Once the bowl is empty, that’s it - no more snacks for today! Letting our kids grab snacks at their own pace not only gives them a sense of control, but also helps us not go crazy with the near-constant nom requests.

Also, KAZI baskets are made with organic dyes, making them food safe - and the perfect bowl for your little one’s snack rations.

3. A Chic Bowl for Small Toys (or diapers!)

The train set has its own plastic tub, just like the Legos have theirs, but what do you do with the other, smaller things? The Mr. Potato head - the finger puppets - the small plastic dino whose compatriots have all apparently gone extinct? Your African bowl will give these toys a place to live instead of being strewn all over the carpet just asking to be stepped on. Place your toy basket on a bookshelf so it’s easily accessible and your littles know where Rex sleeps at the end of the day.

An alternative to this is using your round baskets, woven planters or catch alls for diaper storage. It’s a cute fun way to have the needed diapers and wipes around the house and handy without looking tacky.

4. Stunning Wall Decor

African baskets make a great wall statement, and not just in your living room! When Actress Lucy Liu set out to design a nursery for her son, Rockwell, she went for soft surfaces, chic storage, and a wall display of KAZI baskets! The result is a cozy, playful kids room that her son loves. Check out more photos of this incredible nursery here.

5. A Colorful Handmade Animal

Alright, this last one isn’t a basket, but like all our baskets, it’s handwoven by an artisan in Uganda, and it’ll make a great addition to your kids room. These beautifully decorated toys are sophisticated, timeless, and SO adorable. And also like our baskets, they make great accent pieces for kids and adults alike!