Shopping Small for Small Ones
To follow on from yesterday’s post, showcasing a few of my favourite homeware shops, I thought I’d do the same for children’s shops. M is four, nearly five, and very firm in what he likes and doesn’t like, but I still have a little bit of influence, and shops like these help enormously. (I will never stop resisting Paw Patrol…)
OSKOE LIVING, online
Oskoe Living has been my favourite children’s shop since M was born. He’s edging outside their age range now, but I still go straight there for gifts. Georgie & Stu relaunched a year ago, working closer to their ethos: limiting their footprint by making sure that none of the products they sell are made in China, none contain hidden plastic, and all of their soft toys are free of synthetic fibers. They’ve also launched a new children’s furniture line, Sprig, which went straight onto my wish list. Over the years I’ve had such joy from buying M really beautiful toys from Georgie, and I’ll keep going back for as long as I can get away with it.
MOLLY MEG, London
Molly Meg are another go-to for me, stocking wonderful toys and gifts, but also really beautiful, whimsical homewares for children’s rooms. The Nobodinoz lampshade went straight to the top of my list, as did most of that range. They also do the best party bag gifts, and stock one of my favourites for Christmas or indeed any event, Meri Meri - that paper chain is made of velvet. Velvet.
OTIS & THE WOLF, online
Otis & the Wolf is the perfect meeting of Scandi and children’s design, making it easy to have a clean, modern space that your children love. By now you know that that sums up my approach - I try to make sure M is stimulated but never overwhelmed, and that his toys are educational and beautiful as well as fun. Of course he does still have an impressive collection of Bluey and Octonauts figures… but in a perfect world, my home would look like it came out of Otis & the Wolf’s imagination.
AVERY ROW, Bath
When M was a baby, Avery Row always won out for the most beautiful but practical things. They are inspired by nature, both in their designs and their organic dyes, organic cottons, and recycled fillings. Their beautiful print collections are everything you could want for a wholesome babyhood and early motherhood, and I always treat the new mums around me, because cleaning up after a baby is just nicer with the Grasslands muslin. Whilst researching for this, I’ve just discovered that they do beautiful Christmas pyjamas for older children…
BAGS OF BOOKS, Lewes
I am a self confessed children’s book addict. M has more books than C or I put together, and even though we have no shelf space left, I will never stop buying them. Clothes and toys are wonderful, but nothing beats books at Christmas, and so I couldn’t leave this wonderful, whimsical bookshop off the list. If you have a four-ish year old, I cannot strongly enough recommend anything illustrated or written by Jon Klassen.
If you too love beautiful bookshops, The Petworth Bookshop is another of my favourites, in Petworth town. I would have featured them but they are pleasingly off the grid.
All photography courtesy of the respective artists, makers and retailers
