Local Christmas Shopping: Children’s Gifts

Alcester and Bidford residents are spoilt for choice when it comes to gifts and stocking fillers for children.

There’s sustainable and eco-friendly gifts, beautiful clothing, soft toys, personalised items and even Christmas Eve boxes available from some wonderful independent businesses that are based in the area.

If you still need ideas for children’s Christmas presents (or upcoming birthdays!), take a look at our favourite local stores:

1. Hillers Gifts & Interiors, Dunnington

Find beautiful gifts for a range of budgets in the gift shop of this fabulous farm shop, based about 5 minutes outside Alcester and Bidford-on-Avon.

Items like juggling balls and mini ‘Spiromania’ kits (think along the lines of the 80’s classic Spirograph), air-drying modelling clay and small wooden toys all make great value stocking fillers.

For inquisitive children, there’s some brilliant “discovery” style toys, such as the Archaeological Discovery kit or the ‘Build your own solar system bedroom mobile’ space enthusiasts.

You can also shop the utterly gorgeous range of Moulin Roty soft toys, as well as baby gifts, board games and books.

If you want to buy locally, but are worried about visiting stores with too many shoppers, you can book a private shopping experience at Hillers Gifts & Interiors by calling 01789 773057.

Find them on Facebook.

2. Molly’s Cotton Tails, Alcester

Featured recently in ‘Vogue’, this small-but-perfectly-formed children’s store is home to a rainbow of beautiful, eco-friendly, organic and sustainable clothing brands such as Piccalilly, Kite, Fred & Noah and Toby Tiger. The store owner, Sara, has a passion for supplying high quality pieces that don’t cost the environment and will last for years (and younger siblings!) to come.

Our particular favourites are the Piccalilly ponchos, and the Fred & Noah festive leggings. You can also sometimes find matching garments for grown ups too, if you like co-ordinating with your mini-me.

It’s not just clothing at Molly’s Cotton Tails. You can shop for a variety of bright and colourful wooden toys, including the popular Lanka Kade characters, some of which come in gift packs with matching books. And future doctors, mechanics and barbers can live out their dreams with Plan’s wooden role play toys. Plan also make wonderful learning and pull-along toys.

You can find these and more either in the shop on Alcester High Street or in the online shop. Keep an eye out for their hand-painted window displays too. The Christmas one is spectacular!

Find them on Facebook.

3. Little Birdie House (online).

Charlotte’s lovely personalised children’s gifts get to travel far and wide as she’s nurtured quite the international following for her web store from her local home business. With an array of ragdolls, traditional toys, playhouses and pyjamas (to name but a few), there’s gifts for nearly every budget.

We are in love with the personalised embroidered frames, which would make a thoughtful gift for a family, with designs including wellies, button families and ducks. The ‘Jack Pirate’ ragdoll is also rather cute, and would make a lovely cuddly present for a lucky child.

Find them on Facebook.

4. Rascals Toy Shop (online).

Specialising in quality toys for 0-5 year olds, Rascals really does have gift options for every budget. The online store is under the new management of Claire and her family, and has been really well thought out with great value stocking fillers, exquisite Blossom & Bear wooden learning toys, fun plush puppets and Steiff soft toys. There’s even more to be found online.

We’re ogling the Steiff llama (because who doesn’t love the latest llama craze?), but the Sass & Belle bamboo tableware range is also a firm favourite and sure to be loved by any tractor or animal loving tots.

Find them on Facebook.

5. PSW, Alcester

Whilst most locals will know PSW for their arts and stationery supplies, they are also a treasure trove when it comes to popular children’s games, toys and puzzles. It’s the kind of shop in which children will be spellbound by the array of fun products on sale. To be honest, I dread taking my own children in because I know that they will want to leave with EVERYTHING! But if you are looking to buy for children you know, you really can’t go far wrong here.

Crafting and arty children will also love PSW gifts. Hama bead enthusiasts can find a range of colours and design boards. For less than £5, you can get hold of FIMO stocking fillers, because who wouldn’t want to make funny-faced food items out of modelling clay? And for stationery enthusiasts, there’s lovely pencil cases to keep colouring pencils or felt tips pens.

Find them on Facebook.

6. Grey Octopus (online).

An absolutely gorgeous little online store to be found on Etsy, selling a small range of hand curated and personalised children’s gift boxes.

The ‘Natural Hare Mail’ box contains a certificate, bespoke letter and miniature Christmas cracker with joke and a teeny Christmas hat for the rather handsome, homemade hare nestled inside. I’m smitten!

The shop owner, Daisy, also sells personalised Christmas book and seed gift sets. Such a thoughtful, good value present for younger children.

Find them on Facebook.