A WELSH language toy company has seen an increase in sales as households looked for educational resources to home school their children during the pandemic.

Mwnci, which designs a line of eco-friendly, Welsh language toys and resources, has seen a 250% increase in sales as over the last year, as Welsh and non-Welsh speaking households looked for educational resources.

Despite a global pandemic and additional Brexit challenges, Mwnci has thrived as demand for its Welsh language toys were much sought after for their educational focus for children.

Company Director, Aled Powys Williams, from Ammanford said: “During the first lockdown our business was fortunate enough to benefit from the introduction of home schooling, and because our toys have an education element, they were just the resource parents needed.”

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Their Alphabet Abacus was a firm favourite with families learning the Welsh alphabet with an emphasis on recognition of letter. The playful and colourful designs make it fun to find a letter or character tile. There are also useful resources for practising to form and write the letters or enjoy colouring, encouraging good pencil grip.

Something suited for a slightly older child is their Teaching Clock which has proved to be invaluable whilst supporting home schooling.

Mwnci launched in 2019 by Aled and his wife Liz, who were inspired by their young children and saw the value of incorporating the Welsh language into their children's playtime, as well as the advantages of bilingualism in the family.

The couple said they were surprised and disheartened to discover that tactile, educational products in Welsh were scarce and as a result, they developed a vibrant and attractive line of eco-friendly toys and resources. Pronunciation guides are also available for non-Welsh speaking parents to assist with their children's learning.

With the entertainment industry decimated due to the effects of Covid, Aled, a professional singer and former member of Only Men Aloud, had more time to devote to this venture, which was much needed in order to fulfil the increased demands on the company.

Aled said: “It’s been lovely being at home, spending time with our children during lockdown. I feel incredibly privileged to have watched Gwen and Morgan grow in confidence.”

The company is already gearing up for Christmas, preparing for festivals and markets, including a pop-up shop in John Lewis, Cardiff.

For more information, visit their website at www.mwnci.co or visit Mwnic’s social pages - @mwncicymru on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.