Hannah Okafor
Founder
A former early-years teacher who opened Wonderkin after years of seeing which toys children actually played with, and which ones gathered dust.
About us
A small shop with a big belief in play
Wonderkin started with a simple idea: the toys children love most are rarely the loudest ones on the shelf.
How we started
After ten years teaching in nurseries and reception classes, our founder Hannah had watched thousands of children play. The pattern was always the same: the simple things came out every day (blocks, stackers, figures, fabric) while the flashing, talking toys were abandoned within a week.
Wonderkin opened on 48 Gloucester Road to make those simple, lasting toys easy to find. Every toy we stock has been tested by children in our workshops before it earns a place on the shelf, and we would rather sell you one good toy than three you don't need.
Today we are a team of three, a play space, and a growing community of families who pop in for advice, a workshop or simply a chat.
What we promise
Chosen for play, not for the box
Every toy is tried by real children before it reaches our shelves. If it is ignored after a week, we don't stock it.
Natural, safe materials
Solid wood, organic cotton, wool and water-based finishes, from makers who test to European and UK toy standards.
Advice from people who play
Tell us the child, the age and the budget. We'll help you find the right toy, and wrap it for you.
The team
Say hello when you visit
Tom Whitlock
Buyer & workshop lead
Tom finds the makers, from family workshops in Germany to a felt-maker in Somerset, and runs our Saturday Little makers sessions.
Priya Shah
Shop manager
Priya knows every toy on the shelf, remembers every regular's children, and wraps the neatest parcels on Gloucester Road.
Where our toys come from
We work with a small number of makers, from family workshops in Germany and Denmark to independent makers in the South West. We ask every one of them about materials, finishes, packaging and how their toys are tested, and we only stock toys we would give our own children.
Read more about how we check what we sell on our toy safety page.