Lovevery The Playshelf review

If you live in a home with limited toy storage, you’ll know only too well the frustration of trying to find a home for all of your baby’s paraphernalia, especially when it comes to things like their toys which you want easy access to. This was a problem I ran into far earlier than I expected, my son wasn’t even one yet already we had plenty of playthings but nowhere to put them.

Lovevery's Playshelf is a thoughtfully designed, Montessori-inspired storage and play solution to support early childhood development through organisation, simplicity, and independent play. For parents like myself, navigating the balance between a functional play space and a calm, clutter-free home, the Playshelf is a clever hybrid of toy display and storage.

You may or may not have heard of Montessori before. An educational philosophy developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 20th century, the Montessori method emphasises child-centred, self-directed learning, allowing children to explore and learn at their own pace in a prepared environment. Montessori environments are typically structured to support independence, choice, and hands-on learning, with materials and activities designed to align with developmental stages. This philosophy has naturally, spurned many inspired products aimed at parents and their little ones, just like the Lovevery Playshelf.

The Playshelf came in two boxes, filled with lots of parts. You can download an app or simply read the accompanying instructions which we opted to do. The instructions were easy to follow and on the whole, it’s all very straightforward. There’s a little bit of force required at certain steps but my husband was able to put the Playshelf together alone for the most part except a couple of steps. It took him just under two hours to put together but this would realistically be quicker with two people.

While I initially wondered if the colour was too pale to match the rest of our living room decor, I quickly got over this as I admired just how high-quality the Playshelf is. It’s constructed with high-quality materials, including FSC-certified Baltic birch wood.

The Playshelf is built to be both safe and sustainable, ticking the boxes of parents everywhere. Lovevery has integrated child-friendly features such as rounded corners and soft-close drawers, that make it easier for little hands to use independently. The design has a minimalist aesthetic that appeals to modern interiors, helping it to blend seamlessly with various home styles while supporting an organised environment conducive to child-led play.

The central feature of The Playshelf is its open shelving concept, encouraging a Montessori approach where only a limited number of toys are displayed at once. This design helps reduce visual clutter, making it easier for children to select activities while storing additional items within the shelf’s two chest-like compartments at the rear of the shelf. At 22.9cm deep, this toy box offers plenty of room for chucking in toys. There are also two storage tubs which sit neatly in each side and can be easily removed. We found this ideal for storing smaller toys.

The combination of open and hidden storage facilitates toy rotation, a Montessori principle that supports focused, prolonged engagement with fewer, well-selected toys. By making some toys accessible and others tucked away, the idea is that children naturally explore their choices, helping foster autonomy and creativity without the need for constant adult intervention. This is something we’re personally really keen to instil in our son even from a young age.

Beyond its aesthetic, the Playshelf’s durability makes it a lasting investment for families. Although it’s of course suitable for any toys, it works well with Lovevery’s Play Kits, allowing for a cohesive and thoughtful system of age-appropriate toys and activities, reinforcing Lovevery's commitment to supporting developmental milestones in early childhood.

Even though our son is not old enough to ‘choose’ his toys just yet, he already takes such an interest in looking at the shelf and taking in the different toys and books I’ve arranged for him. At the moment I’ve been rotating the ‘display’ every month but I love the idea of taking on different themes for the likes of Christmas and Easter.

Final thoughts

For families keen to encourage independent play while keeping their spaces organised, the Lovevery Playshelf stands out as a practical, beautiful, and Montessori-aligned solution.

I love the Playshelf for its clever design, quality materials, functionality, and the ways it fosters autonomy in children. From its sustainable construction to its safety features, the Playshelf is clearly crafted with both children and parents in mind. Yes, it’s pricey, but it’s clearly built to last and I can see us making use of it for years to come, lasting multiple childhoods.

A journalist since 2015, Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for seven years. First-time mum to Theodore, Emily writes about everything from the top baby products to pregnancy, fertility and maternal mental health. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.