Shops in Gosport: Creative learning supplies business My Amazing Little Learner opens shop on Stoke Road

My Amazing Little Learner opened at 91 Stoke Road on Saturday, March 11 with Gosport Mayor councillor Jamie Hutchison cutting a ribbon to mark the occassion.

Entrepreneur and mum of three Michelle Duffy saw her dream become a reality as she welcomed children and parents into her shop for the first time at midday.

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Michelle, whose mother ran a preschool for 26 years, said she first started making eductational activities when her now 12-year-old daughter was a toddler. She began making activity sheets and creative educational aids in during lockdown and they proved so popular among her friends and family that she began to sell them on Etsy.

Michelle said: ‘My son, who came along a bit later, is an August baby and because of Covid he couldn’t start preschool, so I started to combine my crafts with looking at educational stuff. I made him a little starter pack with him name he could practice, the alphabet and numbers which I then ended up doing as birthday presents and now I end up selling thousands of the things. Hopefully I can help lots of other families, not just my own and all of my friends.’

The shop will sells activity mats, reward and routine charts, bilingual activities, create and learn sheets and activity boxes. The 42-year-old also hopes to host arts and crafts classes for children at the shop in the future and provide activities which engage children with special educational needs.

Michelle added: ‘I’ve literally outgrown being at home doing a little ‘mummy business’ to the point of securing 91 stoke road and I’m hoping to bring something a bit different, a bit new and community based to Gosport. The shop allows a small retail space where people will be able to look around, kids will be able to have a go with some display mats and practice writing their names.

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‘Sometimes as a mum, you don’t always want to get all of the messy stuff out at home, but popping along to a class where they can make something for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day or any celebrations, my backroom hopefully will allow that.

‘Hopefully, in time, I can also build some commuity around STEM related activities to help non-verbal children communicate. And parents likewise if they feel they need extra support, one-to-one, creating cards that are individual to their children, then hopefully my business will allow that to happen.’

Speaking ahead of the official opening, Cllr Jamie Hutchinson said: ‘I’m extremely keen to support any new businesses that are opening on Stoke Road or the high street to get it back up after the number of shops we’ve had going. I’m very excited for Michelle with the business and I know it was a big step for her. I wish her every success there and we’ll give her as much support as we can.’