About Us
Giddy Goat Toys background
Giddy Goat Toys is a traditional independent children’s toy shop located in the suburb of Didsbury in south Manchester. It opened in September 2012 and it is a treasure trove of wonderful toys, books, puzzles and games for children of all ages from new born babies right through to teens.
We have wonderful toys, teethers and soothers for babies, a range of quality wooden toys for pre-school children - such as Le Toy Van dolls houses, Big Jigs wooden rail sets and lots of shape sorters, hammer benches and first puzzles. We stock a wide of gorgeous gifty arts and crafts sets from Djeco and Janod as well as basic art supplies from Galt and the Top Model range of fashion design books. We also have all the things you'd expect to find in a children's toy shop, such as Lego, Playmobil, games and puzzles from Orchard Toys, toddler toys from Wow Toys and a fun range of pocket money toys including collectables and crazes.
We visit Toy Fairs and work with over 30 suppliers to ensure that we have a wide selection of toys for all price ranges as well as ages and we aim to have something for everyone. We have made a particular effort to have an interesting range of party present priced gifts for the 4-9 year old age group when children get party invites cropping up regularly.
Giddy Goat Toys is run by Amanda, with the help of Ruth who does all the card and gift wrap buying, as well as the fantastic window displays. Yvonne keeps our busy shop running smoothly at weekends with the help of Lorna and Jane. Karen is our social media guru plus helps update the website and helps Ruth with window displays, Lydia looks after our book department plus packs online orders, as does Sarah, who also helps out in our shop on Saturdays whilst Connor also packs online orders plus unpacks and prices up stock deliveries.
Our staff are friendly, helpful and approachable and always happy to offer advice to customers based on the interests of the recipient they are buying for and the budget of the customer.
We aim to give excellent customer service to both our in-store and online customers. Our easy to use secure website offers delivery across the UK and we accept all major credit cards as well as PayPal, Apple Pay and also Clearpay, Klarna and Laybuy which allows you to spread your payments via interest free instalments.
Staff are happy to offer help and advice to customers over the phone as well as instore to help you find the perfect present - contact the team during shop hours on 0161 445 1097 and we will do our best to help or email info@giddygoattoys.co.uk with your requirements and we will get back to you with recommendations and advice.
Meet The Team
Amanda
Amanda is the owner of Giddy Goat Toys. She lives in nearby Chorlton and is Mum to two teenage boys who have road tested many of the great toys and board games in the shop. Always ready for a chat with customers, Amanda will give help and advice to those who want it and leave alone those who want to mooch quietly. She believes passionately in providing excellent customer service and in selling toys which are both value for money and which provide good play value.
Amanda writes a bi-monthly column for industry magazine Toys n Playthings based on the day to day life of running a small toy shop.
Ruth
Ruth is Giddy Goat Toy's card and gift wrap buyer and is also the lady responsible for the amazing and innovative window displays. Ruth has worked in Giddy Goat Toys since opening and prior to that worked in our predecessor Rumpus for several years so she is an expert in the world of toys and is always ready to offer help, advice and a friendly chat. Ruth has one daughter and lives in nearby Withington. Ruth also makes and sells unique hair clips and headbands, and is queen of all things crafty. She loves painting, knitting, crocheting and has a massively soft spot for guinea pigs. Ruth is powered by Tetley Tea and is a committed night owl so you'll rarely find her working the morning shift.
Yvonne
Yvonne is Giddy Goat Toys's very own dancing queen having trained and performed as a dancer in London before returning to her Didsbury roots to teach Dancing, eventually finding herself working in Giddy Goat Toys. Yvonne has three grown up children and lives in Didsbury though when not in work will generally be taking advantage of all greater Manchester has to offer as she waltzes off on the bus to explore such areas as Cheadle, Stockport, Stretford, Bury, Hyde or the city centre. Yvonne likes a chat and a gossip and will always offer help and advice to customers young and old. She always arrives in work super early with a smile on her face, a bottle of water and a packet of sweets.
Lorna
Lorna is a whirling dervish who spends every other Saturday whizzing around Giddy Goat Toys doing the jobs the rest of us put off - stamping our logo onto bags, tidying the Papo stand up, cleaning the dust bunnies from under the pocket money stand, filling up the rail letters stand, tidying the stock room and keeping us generally spick and span and tidy. Lorna has worked for Giddy Goat Toys since opening , she has one grown up daughter and a young granddaughter. Lorna is a fashion diva and her clothes sparkle as much as her smile.
Jane
Jane helps out in our shop at weekends and as well as being super helpful and friendly she is a darned fine giftwrapper. Jane is a Didsbury girl and she has one young son so has a handle on the must have toys for the under 10's. As well as working in a proper job during the week, she also runs a parenting and lifestyle blog in her free time (yes she's a busy bunny!)
Karen
Karen is responsible for our amazing array of social media posts on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and You Tube. Coming up with new ideas and filming as well as taking part in clips herself. Karen also helps keep our website up to date, adding new products and information. Karen, with Ruth also creates most of our vibrant window displays. Karen is creative and crafty and recently admitted she had always wanted to work as a shop window merchandiser so we're delighted that we've made her dreams come true!
Sarah
Sarah helps out in the shop at the weekend plus picks and packs online orders, and unpacks and prices new stock that has arrived in. She is also studying music at the RNCM and is an amazing singer.
Lydia
Lydia organises the book corner, choosing new books to stock and keeping it ship shape and tidy. She also helps out with the online orders, picking and packing orders to go out and helping with adding new stock onto our website. She has recently completed a Masters degree in Illustration and wants to specialise in creating graphic novels for children.
Connor
Connor helps out with the online orders, picking and packing orders to go out and unpacking new stock that has arrived in. He also helps update our website with new product information. He is also undertaking his A levels.
Charity Donations
Giddy Goat Toys is proud to support local Didsbury schools with gift vouchers to raffle at school fairs and other events. We will also help publicise events via our facebook and twitter pages or by handing out leaflets and displaying posters in our shop.
Giddy Goat Toys has also supported Buttercup Sanctuary for Goats, The Society for Abandoned Animals in Stretford, the Chorlton Oxfam Group, The Christie Hospital and St Ann's Hospice. We are also proud to sponsor two actual giddy goats - Gandalf and Frodo who live in Pets Corner, Longford Park, Chorlton.
Whilst we do our best to support local schools and charities please be aware that we are just a small shop and simply not able to support all the charities that contact us asking for donations.