About Me

New to the Nurture Tribe, I, Steph, joined in June this year (2026), eager to carry on Mount Evelyn's most treasured children's toy shop. 

I have a background in Counselling & Psychology. I believe in the importance of play, the connection it can bring to families, and I am looking to help parents thrive in their role. I want to use my knowledge in mental health to better aid families through the early years of parenting and beyond. 

Play is how kids make sense of the world; it's how they process. It is a skill that needs to be nurtured and taught. I honestly believe it's a skill we are losing because of the ease of screens and rushing around from one thing to the next. I have nothing against screens, but like with anything, if you use them too much, it can lead to other problems. Setting kids up with this skill of play will help them later on in the highs and lows of life. But it requires us to slow down. To be present - and that can be hard!! 

Kids don't need a lot of new toys; they just need a few good, well-made toys that they can play with and treasure for life. Luckily for us, kids gravitate to their likes early on in life. So it's easy to know what they enjoy. For my ealdist, it was cars. He always had a car not very far from him. He would also drum on absolutely everything. As a 12-year-old, he still drums on everything, but now he gets lessons. And his car obsession has grown to posters, building cars, and learning how they operate! My youngest has always been more musical, imaginative, and whimsical! Little figurines, dress-ups, and music have been his go-to! 

My kids are older now, 10 & 12, and while they might be good at playing, I can see the struggle they face with the transition from child to teen. It's a hard process, but it doesn't have to be dreaded. The connection you build when they are little will be the foundation for when they grow older. After all, they are still the same kid! They are just finding their place in the world. 

So moving forward, I would love to continue to stock our well-loved brands, Tiger Tribe, Connetix, Q toys, and more, while also bringing in some new brands! I would love to continue to stock our clothing brands, but hopefully looking to add some older kids' brands too. And I would love to provide resources for parents to help them on their journey! 

I'm looking forward to growing with you all! 

Blessings, 

Steph xx