Puzzling discovery

As a young girl I regularly visited my Aunt Erika. What was great about Aunt E. was that she truly understood children and had the BEST toys. I spent hours creating patterns and figures with her colourful wooden shapes. For ten years I've been looking for them and this Spring I found them on a visit to a Granville Island toy shop. Now when I create patterns with this puzzle, I think of Aunt E. and her irrepressible giggle. 


This puzzle play had a profound influence on my future, since one of the things that I do now is create repeat patterns. What toy or childhood activity influenced your career?