Here at WiLD THiNGS, we’re big believers in shopping locally, sustainable and ethically. We’ve put together this little guide to give Santa some inspiration and shine a light on some of our favourite small, local and conscientious businesses around our lovely city! Whether you’re looking for a last minute option that can be purchased online, or something that’s handmade and extra special… we’ve probably got it covered on this list. Go on… have a browse and see what takes your fancy!
When it comes to last minute gifts, you can’t get much better than a gift that can be secured in a quick click of a button! Our membership options can be found on our Special Offers page and there is a range of options to suit a whole host of budgets, starting with our Midweek Monthly Membership for £12.50 to £19.90 depending on age. This is an ideal gift for families who already love WiLD THiNGS or families who have yet to explore our fantastic indoor adventure playground at Cribbs. Get in touch with a member of our friendly team at cribbs@wildthingsplay.co.uk and they will process your desired membership for you.
When it comes to gifting, we’re not only big believers in shopping local, we also think shopping sustainably and consciously is the right way to go! Freddie & Friends is a Bristol-based curated children’s clothes store that selects gorgeous secondhand garments for ages 0 to 3+. Orders are packaged and presented with much more care than buying firsthand fast fashion – which makes for a fantastic gift!
When you adopt an animal at Bristol Zoo Project, you’re helping to protect threatened wildlife across the globe. With every adoption, not only will you receive an official adoption certificate, Bristol Zoo Project also provides a 3D model of your chosen animal made of eco-friendly materials.
Bristol’s We The Curious offers a wide range of ethically sourced gifts and toys, including some delightfully fun and educational wooden games like this Happy Veggies puzzle. This is a fantastically cute way to teach children the colours, shapes and names of different veggies, and also helps to develop concentration skills. If you’ve visited WilD THiNGS Play Project at Cribbs, you’ll know that we opt for wood over plastic wherever possible – so this toy is right up our street!
Cadbury Alpaca Farm is a private working alpaca farm in North Somerset that has a shop (Alpaca Emporium) full of the most luxurious alpaca wool goods – including baby blankets, booties and toys! Not only is alpaca wool an especially warm, strong and soft material, when you buy from Alpaca Emporium you know that your woollen goods have come from a lovingly run farm environment. Check out their website to get to know each alpaca in their herd and of course, to browse their fabulous shop!
Magpie and Me creates colourful, comfy and ethical handmade kids clothes in Bristol. We love them because they are designed to not hinder movement and play, and they come in the most fantastic colours and patterns. See for yourself and have a scroll through the online shop!
We LOVE Frankly‘s less wasteful, more ethical approach to gifting. Every brand they stock is selected because of their shared vision of the world, providing beautiful, ethical and sustainable products that also give something back. Each product comes from an independent small business with a story, including these adorable hand crocheted rattles from Pebble Toys – a really special gift for parents to be and families with newborns!
Smaller Footprints is a zero waste supermarket in Clifton Village and we can’t get enough of their ethos. Single-use packaging is everywhere, but shops like this make it easy to be more environmentally friendly – especially with a voucher!
Help save our badgers and gift a friend an official certificate of badger adoption! Avon’s badgers need protection, and the Avon Wildlife Trust’s adopt a badger scheme helps pay for the essential vaccinations, training and equipment necessary to keep our local badgers happy!
Bristol Cloth uses local regeneratively farmed 100% lambswool from the Mendip Hills near Bristol to create throws and scarves with an especially luxurious look and feel. We love how Bristol Cloth champions British wool and process their products without any harmful synthetic chemicals, and this throw would make an extra special and cosy gift for someone you love!
If you’re looking for soft play in Bristol, why not try something a little bit different, more modern and enriching?
Our all-natural play area has been designed with lots of wood, sand and bark to provide a play experience more akin to outdoor adventure play than plastic soft play. Taking inspiration from the Montessori theory of play, we’ve also got a wooden kitchen to fuel imaginative play, and a crafty corner where kids can get hands-on with natural materials to make masks, medallions, puppets and rafts. It’s the perfect place for kids to explore, challenge themselves, build confidence and resilience.
Our play cafe also has a focus on local, ethically-sourced snacks, sandwiches, cakes and drinks, with barista coffees that parents are sure to appreciate!
Find us in The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, right next to Nando’s!
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