About…
Wild Woodland Toys is a bright and vibrant retail business based in the mid north country town of Kapunda in regional SA, owned and operated by just me!
I am a mum to 2 beautiful little girls, Georgia and Hayley. They are my inspiration and constant joy. Together, with my husband, we reside on a sheep and cropping property.
I am truly grateful that our children have the opportunity to play and discover in the great outdoors and see the stars at night. Our days are busy with farming duties and they love helping dad, feeding lambs, collecting eggs from our gorgeous chooks, riding in the tractor and attending their country area school.
The Story…
After the birth of our second child in 2011, I began to take notice of the massive pile of plastic toys acquired in the space of 3 years. The ones that sucked batteries dry and were too expensive to constantly replace, sat in a discarded pile. What I was really seeing was how a shiny, plastic, singing, flashing, whirring, battery exhausting toy took away every ounce of imagination my children had. They just stared at it in wonderment. These toys should be labelled ‘no imagination required’.
I had a small collection of old wooden toys I found in second-hand shops and games my grandfather had made tucked away in a cupboard so these came out and oh wow, the difference they made! Georgia actually ‘played’ with them!
I embarked on a journey of discovering and then sourcing affordable wooden toys that inspired a child’s imagination. Along the way I discovered so many other families on the same wavelength as myself. It just seemed natural to take the next step and open up a little at home business which, of course, over the last 4 years evolved into Wild Woodland Toys.
My Vision…
To provide an alternative to the mass produced plastic, battery operated, children’s toys found in the mainstream shopping centres. Toys that are easily broken, become disinteresting and discarded into landfill.
My mission is to inspire a child’s imagination through the use of beautiful, unique and quality wooden toys. Ones that don’t need batteries. Toys that educate and allow them to experiment, explore and learn new skills. Only then to be stored away and handed to the next generation. I aim to provide a high quality range that’s affordable, sustainable and creates everlasting memories of imagination fueled delight and happiness.
Into the future…
On September 10th I opened the doors to my very first bricks and mortar shop! How wonderful it is to be able to display everything under one roof where customers can visit and play. After 8 years of markets and being an online retailer, it was time to spread my comfortable at home wings and take the plunge with a store! Believe in yourself. Follow your passion. Work hard and don’t let others pull you down. Your dreams, too, can come true.
Mummy and Wifey
Founder and Operator of Wild Woodland Toys .
Amanda x
