The Toy and Story Workshop
Creating unique Inspiring Resources
Written stories, worksheets, games, hand crafted wooden toys and props all superb resources to add to the storytelling experience.
Richard is a talented traditional wood carver and toy maker see below for some of his creations.
All of them can be used to inspire children to tell and create their own stories and writing. Please note that all of the wood for the toys and other items is either grown by us or friends in sustainable way, rescued from garden clean-ups or storm damaged trees or builders skips. A number of Richard's wooden toys have been commissioned by schools, art galleries and world class museums.
Somewhere in Lancashire on the edge of an old mill town the storyteller has his workshop; it's a place where stories, wooden toys and spoons are made. It's a workshop full of wood and words both just waiting to be made into something that can be enjoyed.
As Richard the storyteller travels around the country going to wonderful places he meets lots of fantastic people who give him ideas for stories and wooden characters.
Getting all the willow and other wood together, he then chooses the piece he needs. He then spends a lot of time getting them just right-you can’t rush when you make things by hand. Sometimes when you are making something you make a mistake and it has to be thrown away. Richard starts again and doesn't give up until he's made something he's really pleased with
While he’s working on wooden characters he often gets ideas for stories, so when he stops working on the wooden characters he writes down the ideas that will become his new stories.
Our new dancing doll 'Little Geordie' is proving a huge hit with children and adults alike.
As a result it looks like there will be a whole family of dancing dolls in the future.
As a result it looks like there will be a whole family of dancing dolls in the future.
Out there in the countryside perhaps not so far from where you live is Ugly Wood, never mind for now why its called that, all you need to know is that the wood as Ugly as it might seem, can be made into amazing toys.
You'll see some of those toys in the picture above, many people think the toys are ugly, many think the opposite but whatever you think about the way they look, we can assure you that the story of how they came to be is an interesting one.
Introducing WoodBot and friends; more wonderful creations from wood, new and recycled. A huge hit at the Manchester Science Museum 'MakeFest'.
The Tree Babies, Tree Buddies and Branch Buddies a range of tree living characters, inspired by a boy who was concerned that the trees would be lonely when their leaves fell off for winter.
You can download instructions for making your own Tree Buddie from a Pringles type carton.
Introducing another brand new resource 'SpoonEds'
Richard makes wonderful spoons out of willow and cherry wood, but wanting to make the traditional carved spoon a little more interesting he has created SpoonEds no one has ever made spoons like this before.
Flat faced Frankie and Friends
Thanks to the inspiration from schools in Barnsley Yorkshire, and children who attended the ‘AEMS’ courses at the Conway centre on Anglesey. We have a brand new range of characters to add to the extremely popular ‘Flat Faced Frankie’. Originally created to try and encourage children to keep away from danger, especially during school holidays, Frankie, (based on the younger brother of a pupil in a Barnsley school) has become a firm favourite, and the safety message put across in a really fun way seems to have struck a chord with children of all ages. The added advantage is that the story has also helped to encourage a greater understanding of the joy as well as annoyance that younger and older siblings can bring.
Frankie had a very dangerous habit of sticking his head out of windows, and on one fateful Sunday afternoon on a country lane travelling in his uncle’s car, well let’s just say his brother saved him from the huge milk truck's wing mirrors.
Thanks to the encouragement and support of children and teachers Frankie now has his own song. He also appears in Richard's book of weird and wonderous tales.
So began the collection which now includes Cone Head Callum, the boy who just pushed it a bit too far with the teachers new electric pencil sharpener.
Brick Head Brittany, the girl who thought it was cool to play on the local construction site, despite reading the warning sign that even the proper builders had to wear a hard hat, there’s an old saying about a tonne of bricks, Brittany knows what that feels like.
Coming soon, Fire Bug Finlay and many more.
Flat faced Frankie and Friends
Thanks to the inspiration from schools in Barnsley Yorkshire, and children who attended the ‘AEMS’ courses at the Conway centre on Anglesey. We have a brand new range of characters to add to the extremely popular ‘Flat Faced Frankie’. Originally created to try and encourage children to keep away from danger, especially during school holidays, Frankie, (based on the younger brother of a pupil in a Barnsley school) has become a firm favourite, and the safety message put across in a really fun way seems to have struck a chord with children of all ages. The added advantage is that the story has also helped to encourage a greater understanding of the joy as well as annoyance that younger and older siblings can bring.
Frankie had a very dangerous habit of sticking his head out of windows, and on one fateful Sunday afternoon on a country lane travelling in his uncle’s car, well let’s just say his brother saved him from the huge milk truck's wing mirrors.
Thanks to the encouragement and support of children and teachers Frankie now has his own song. He also appears in Richard's book of weird and wonderous tales.
So began the collection which now includes Cone Head Callum, the boy who just pushed it a bit too far with the teachers new electric pencil sharpener.
Brick Head Brittany, the girl who thought it was cool to play on the local construction site, despite reading the warning sign that even the proper builders had to wear a hard hat, there’s an old saying about a tonne of bricks, Brittany knows what that feels like.
Coming soon, Fire Bug Finlay and many more.