SOCIAL VENTURES
on the business in the evenings after the children had gone to bed. Then I decided to quit my job and do this full time.” The company’s first product is a curvy balance board, inspired by the Waldorf education philosophy developed by Rudolph Steiner. This is taught at independent schools around the world, including one in Cambridge. A simple design made of beech, the board can be used in a variety of ways as children grow up. “We think less is more, and something that’s simple offers more play value and more opportunities to learn,” Maria says. “A toy car is just a toy car, a game has rules and instructions, there’s not much room for imagination.
The balance board promotes creativity. If you teach children to be creative when they’re young, it’s a skill they keep for life”
Both Maria and Warren are electronics engineers by trade, and while the latter still has a full-time job alongside his commitments to Young and Learning, Maria has no intention of returning to the tech world any time soon. “I love that I can run my business and be with the kids as well,” she says. “They enjoy testing the boards out and seeing what we’re working on.” She is also driven by her company’s mission. “According to British Heart Foundation data, 25% of parents have thrown away toys which are in perfectly good condition, and on average children have four toys at home that they’ve never touched,” she says. “As a parent you always want to get new things for your children, but for us it’s about making better decisions and choosing something which will last. “We hope that by choosing toys from Young and Learning, parents can feel good about doing something for the planet as well as aiding their child’s development.” Find out more at youngandlearning.co.uk
“The balance board, on the other hand, can be a seat, a table, a bridge, or a slide. It’s good quality and it’s going to last, so you can use it at many different ages. It promotes imagination and creativity. If you teach children to be creative when they’re young, it’s a skill they keep for life. Some people think creativity is just something artistic, but it’s more than that; it’s about being able to think outside the box when you have problems.” An initial small batch produced by a supplier in Maria’s native Spain sold out quickly, and Young and Learning now offers three different sizes which it sells to parents as well as nurseries and childminders. Other products are in the pipeline. Maria, who is part of the Cambridge Social Ventures programme, says: “It’s grown organically. At first it was just me with my baby going out and knocking on the doors of nurseries and playgroups. Lots of them loved it and bought one for each room. Our sales are split 50/50 between nurseries and childminders, and parents.”
IMAGES Maria was inspired to set up the company by her interest in the environment and her research into child development
ISSUE 06 40
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