John Johnson

Toys sculptured from English hardwoods

Toys for Children was established in 1985 with the intention of making hand crafted toys to inspire imaginative play in young children. Working in quality English hardwoods we keep detail to a minimum to allow invention and emphasise the beauty of the material.

The variety of woods used, including Beech, Ash, Oak, Elm, Walnut, Sycamore and Chestnut often enable us to match the colour and character of the wood to that of a particular animal. Painting of the wood is kept to an absolute minimum (details such as sheep heads and birds beaks only) with most of the toys simply being dipped in linseed oil to enhance the natural grain and provide protection.

Our range has steadily expanded and now includes farmyard animals, British wildlife, wild animals, building blocks, vehicles and a Nativity set. This is complemented by a range of accessories including walls, fences, pig-sty and byre.

Over the years Toys for Children has received a number of awards such as the Charles Bolton Cup for Best Toy of the Year (1986 and 1994) and The Marjorie Abbatt Award for the Toy Most Likely to Inspire Imaginative and Creative Play (1998). We have also received the Ogle Design Trophy for the Best Toy for a Child Under Six (1998) and the British Toymakers Guild Toymakers Cup (2002).