Ballina siblings launch toy business with a difference
Rebecca Connor-Wood and John Connor, owners of Little Oak Toys.
A new family-run business has launched in Ballina, with siblings Rebecca Connor-Wood and John Connor hoping to offer parents an alternative to the mass-produced plastic toy market.
Little Oak Toys launched online yesterday, with education, safety, sustainability and inclusion at the heart of the new business.
The idea behind the company came from Rebecca and John’s desire to create a different kind of toy shopping experience, focused on nurturing a child’s development.
Rebecca told the that the pair wanted to offer parents and grandparents something different, with education, safety and sustainability at the heart of the business.
“As a mother and uncle duo, we’ve become all too aware of the limitations and sometimes dangers of the widely available plastic and mass-produced toy market,” she said.
“We wanted to bring something different to parents and grandparents; to give them an alternative option where all toys we stock are educationally valuable, safe and sustainable.”
“Ultimately our kids are our future, and the aim of Little Oak Toys is that what kids play with should be nurturing, not distracting.”
Little Oak Toys allows customers to shop by age, from baby toys through to toys for children aged eight and above, as well as by category. Its range includes educational and STEM toys, pretend play, sensory toys, arts and crafts, puzzles, books and outdoor toys.
However, one shopping feature that is not commonly seen when shopping for children's toys is the option to shop by skills rather than age.
Parents can search for toys aimed at developing fine motor skills, language and communication, cognitive and problem-solving skills, social and emotional development, as well as sensory and creative skills.
Rebecca, who has a background in Autism Studies, said inclusion was a key inspiration for running the store differently. Both she and John are also qualified Disability Equality Training Facilitators.
“It’s something that just made sense to us, shopping by age category is a great option, but not every child develops skills at the same rate. So if you’re buying a toy for a child, you want it to meet the child where they’re at, not where they “should” be at based on age group.”
“Our Skills categories help guide parents to toys that will enhance both their child's development through play."
Sustainability is another key focus for the Ballina business, with Little Oak Toys aiming to make it easier for customers to make more considered choices when buying toys.
They said that, as the climate changes, businesses like theirs have a responsibility to "step up and offer transparent ways to shop more sustainably."
Quality and safety are also central to the business, with Little Oak Toys stocking products that meet safety standards and can stand the test of time. The siblings say they believe in “fewer, better toys that can be passed down”, while also focusing on the developmental value of the products they stock.
For Little Oak Toys, the aim is to make choosing toys a little easier for parents, while helping them support their children’s development through play in a way that is safe, sustainable, and educational.
