One of our favourite suppliers is Canadian manufacturer Hape, who make wonderful wooden toys which are both good quality and made of sustainably forested wood.  Their pre-school range has proved to be popular in our Manchester toy shop with their shape sorters, peg puzzles, wooden blocks and musical toys in particular being best sellers.

Now we have even more reasons to like them as during 2016, which marks their 30th anniversary, they have developed a give-back program that has already sent thousands of its 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Block Sets to kids living in at-risk situations in Syria, Nepal and China.

Launched in January, Hape’s “We Care We Share” program is fuelled by the support of its retail customers.

For every 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Block Set purchased by a retailer through the months-long promotion, the award-winning company in turn will donate one of the specially designed block sets to a child suffering in communities where there’s war, poverty, natural disasters and lack of resources.

Since its launch, the program has distributed 100,000+ toys. In April alone, 700 of the special sets were sent to Syrian children living in a refugee camp in Berlin.

Nearly 2,200 sets went to kids with autism at rehab centres in China and 300 toys went to four kindergartens in Nepal. In May, kids in Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will begin to receive the beautiful sets that include 30 blocks made from solid beechwood.

Here at Giddy Goat Toys, we are proud to support Hape in this initiative and have four products available from their We Care We Share range.

1.  Walk Along Puppy - a lovely pull along wooden dog whose tail and ears will waggle as he is pulled along and which can also be placed into a sitting position.  Recommended from 12 months this beautifully made wooden toy makes an ideal first birthday gift and will help your child develop fine motor skills and dexterity as well as imaginative play and nurturing.  

£14.99

3.  Dynamo Dominoes - a set of 100 wooden dominoes plus a bridge, bell, rails and assorted tracks.  Set up your domino trail and then knock the first one over and watch the rest come tumbling down.  Great fun and a wonderful way to help develop your child's fine motor skills and problem solving and one which we reckon the adults will want to get involved and play with too!  

Recommended from 3 years.

£29.99.

4. Wooden Building Blocks - set of 30 wooden blocks in various shapes and sizes.  This is a staple of toy boxes and playrooms around the world and it is this set which Hape are donating to less fortunate children.  Build towers, create arches, buildings and bridges.  Perfect for developing fine motor skills and problem solving ability.  

Recommended from 12 months.

£19.99

When you purchase an item from this range you are able to trace where your donation has been made to as each toy has a unique five digital serial number - visit the Hape webhsite and enter the serial number to see where your donation has gone to make a difference in a child's life.  

It's a truly wonderful way to help support less fortunate children.  Happy 30th Anniversary Hape and well done for developing wonderful toys and this wonderful charitable initiative.