Our Story

Understory was born at the intersection of motherhood and humanities education.

As an educator, I saw how essential narrative, critical thinking, and creative skills are for young minds—and as a new mom, I discovered that early childhood play is the perfect canvas to cultivate them. I founded Understory to bring those lessons from my classroom into the hands of little explorers. Drawing on years of teaching, I set out to design toys and kits that do more than entertain. My vision was for items that can teach children to become authors of their own adventures.

At Understory, we believe that every child has untold stories waiting to unfold. By blending narrative with play, our products invite kids to craft characters, build worlds, and solve mysteries through hands-on exploration and the cultivation of their unique imaginations. Each piece is rooted in literary principles, yet built for little hands and rapidly developing minds.

As a mom, I understand the importance of toys that grow with the child—encouraging language development, critical thinking, and social play. As an educator, I know the transformative power of stories to shape empathy, creativity, and lifelong learning. Understory is where these two passions converge: beautifully designed, thoughtfully curated play experiences that spark curiosity and foster linguistic, narrative, and critical fluency.

Join us beneath the canopy of possibility—we can’t wait to see the stories you and your child will bring to life through play.

Warmly,