There’s a real buzz about Le Toy Van HQ thanks to the recent addition of our new bee hive. It’s no secret that doing all we can to help protect the planet is at the very heart of our family run brand and saving the bees is no exception.
As a big hearted, honest talking, hardworking business, you can rest assured that when you purchase a toy from us, our focus is always on keeping environmental impact to a minimum. You can read more about our sustainability and Plastic Free Promise.
How are Bees important to our planet?
Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem. Without them we simply could not survive. Those fluffy winged friends do a brilliant job of pollinating our food crops - so without them there would nothing to eat. In the UK, many of our crops depend on this, including broccoli, apples carrots, raspberries and tomatoes to name a few. And, whilst there are other methods of pollination, bees are the ultimate champions, and are able to do so on a much wider and efficient scale. They are huge money savers too, as it is estimated that it would cost farmers in excess of £18 million a year to manually pollinate our crops.
In fact, one in every 3 mouthfuls of our food depends on those petit pollinators – amazing!
Not just food for human consumption, bees also help to pollinate animal feed, and directly impact the production of meat, egg and dairy production too.
Our little striped crusaders are the key component to our entire food chain. Bees pollinate our wild trees and flowers, which in turn support other insects that animals such as birds, bats and mammals feed on.
There’s little wonder then that these amazing insects are so important to us. Plus, honey is absolutely delicious. Full of nutrients and antioxidants, it has many health benefits including promoting heart health, boosting immunity and even helping to heal wounds – magic!
Save the Bees
Our bees are being threatened due to loss of habitat, climate change and intense farming methods which includes the use of pesticides.
There are lots of simple ways we can play our part and help sustain and protect our beautiful bee population. Teaching the next generation is a great place to start too.
Bee Hotel
Why not make a bee hotel with your little ones by upcycling a large plastic bottle, cutting off the top and packing with bamboo canes cut to size. Hang it up in the garden by attaching some string and tying securely. You can buy ready-made versions from most garden centres too.
Need some more inspiration? take a look at the great ideas the RSPB offer - Build a Bee Hotel
Bee Friendly Flowers
Planting bee friendly flowers is an easy, effective and fun activity that little green fingers will really love. Why not dedicate an area of your garden or grow in pots. Scatter some seeds, water regularly and watch them grow. Then sit back and watch the bees as they busy away collecting the pollen – a wonderful way to teach children and really get them involved.
Need some help? Gardeners world are perfect for advice - Best Plants for Bees
Bee Creative
It’s no surprise that our love of bees and nature has filtered through to our toy range. Take a peek at these timeless bee themed classics, created to inspire imaginations and encourage learning through play.
Suitable from 12 months plus, this delightful Gears and Cogs Busy Bee Learning toy makes an ideal addition to your little ones play collection, Mounted on a wooden board with colourful cogs drawing on a bee and nature theme, this sweet set supports cognitive development and colour recognition.
How about this Petit Activity Cube - the ultimate multi-sensory experience for growing imaginations. There’s a different activity to discover on each side, featuring an adorable nature theme in bright cheerful colours. This sturdy, sustainable toy is perfect for practicing fine motor skills and dexterity, plus its compact size makes it perfect for portable play.
Don’t forget to eat your greens! Serve up some fun with these delicious looking Stacking Veggies. Little learners will love stacking and sorting with this lovely educational toy, perfectly sized for little hands.
Crafted from sustainable wood and painted in lovely vibrant colours using natural, water based stain. All finished off with beautifully hand-sewn fabric leaves.
Brilliant Bee Facts
The Le Toy Van Story
Our story began almost three decades ago, back in Winter 1994, when Georges Le Van created the first ever Le Toy Van toy, our beloved Wooden Dolls House.
His vision was simple. To create beautiful, unique toys, lovingly made with intention, to stand the test of time. When Georges first son Jonathan was born he soon became the inspiration behind the brand and three years later he was joined by Steven. Throughout their childhood they had the fun of testing and playing with their father’s wonderful creations. Today Steven proudly carries on his father’s legacy as ‘Chief of Fun’.
We’re happy to have picked up a fair few awards along the way too, covering everything from design, quality, safety, sustainability and educational play value. We’re always striving to improve our products and adhere to the highest industry standards.
Today, our toys continue to spark young imaginations through learning based fun, ready to be cherished and enjoyed for a lifetime of play.
We hope you feel inspired to explore our toy shop, bursting with imaginative treasures that bring the magic of play to life, today and for generations to come.
Thank you for being a part of our journey.
