Our Story

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

As an educator, I know the transformative power of stories to shape empathy, creativity, and lifelong learning. 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.

Understory is dedicated to bringing you and your child 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,