Introducing Nokotoko

Wildly, I somehow ended up with three little humans.

And somewhere along the way, I started thinking a lot more about the things we bring into their lives.

There’s an absurd amount of cheap, disposable stuff made for kids. The bigger thing for me is what that teaches them: use it, break it, replace it, move on.

I want the opposite.

Things with enough quality and character that they’re worth caring for, keeping around, and maybe even handing down.

So I Made Nokotoko

Nokotoko is a hand-curated collection of great things for the small people in our lives.

Toys, books, art supplies, room stuff, and other things that feel thoughtful, well made, and built to last.

The bar is pretty simple: it should be something kids can genuinely enjoy, but also something with enough design and craft that you’re happy to keep it around. Ideally, the kind of thing that eventually becomes a little family artifact.

Books Are Probably My Favorite Part

Bedtime stories are one of the best rituals I share with my pups.

Most Sundays we hit the library for a weekly re-up, then work through a couple stories each night.

I love children’s books that are layered, emotionally rich, beautifully illustrated, and just as interesting for adults as they are for kids.

If nothing else, Nokotoko gives me a place to keep track of and share our family’s favorite books, writers, and illustrators.

Check out the Nokotoko Books Category

A Bit on the Build

This was a fun app to design and build. Here's a bit on the technical details:

• Next.js + MDX for the site and editorial content.

• Client-side search with Fuse.js, tied into a persistent search/filter layer that acts as the main way to move through the catalog.

• A custom discovery algorithm for rotating and mixing products without needing some giant recommendation system behind it.

• Light View Transitions API work to make navigation feel a little more polished without getting too fancy.

• An accountless wishlist backed by Redis, so you can save things without creating an account.

• Cursor skills for product production, including quickly adding new products, shaping the data, and handling image processing along the way.

Nothing too exotic. Mostly a stack designed to stay fast, simple, and easy to keep feeding.

Check It Out

It’s still very much an experiment, but it’s live. Go poke around, make a list of your favorites, and send me anything you think belongs there.

I hope you find something your family loves enough to keep around for a long time.

nokotoko.co