Create&Wonder is a Tasmanian small business creating eco-friendly, nature-inspired felt finger puppets and play mats that encourage imaginative play. Founder Lucy Jenkins, a creative mum of two, designs each collection in Tasmania before it is ethically handcrafted by artisans in Nepal. Inspired by Australian wildlife and a love of storytelling, their toys invite children to explore the natural world and create stories of their own. Here, Lucy talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind Create&Wonder, the challenges she has overcome, the pros and cons of running her own business, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
I’ve always been a creative person, and Create&Wonder began as a creative outlet long before I became a mum. At the time, many of my friends were starting families, and I found myself searching for thoughtful gifts that encouraged imagination instead of adding another noisy plastic toy to the playroom. Everything I came across seemed to light up, make sounds or tell children how to play, and I wanted something completely different.
When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I decided to design it myself.
My first collection was a set of Australian animal finger puppets, inspired by our incredible native wildlife and the belief that children don’t need batteries or flashing lights to create magical play. They simply need beautiful, open-ended resources and the freedom to use their imagination.
That vision has never changed. Today, every nature-inspired felt finger puppet, play mat and habitat is designed here in Tasmania before being ethically handcrafted by talented artisans in Nepal. My hope is that every collection becomes part of a family’s story, passed between siblings, packed into holidays, brought out at bedtime and remembered long after childhood.
What started as a creative project has grown into a business that allows me to share my love of nature, storytelling and imaginative play with families across Australia.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Create&Wonder started with one collection of Australian animal finger puppets, a lot of determination and absolutely no experience in running a business.
I’m actually a trained Oral Health Therapist, so everything about business was completely new to me. I had to learn product design, photography, social media, bookkeeping, customer service, marketing and wholesale, all through trial and error.
In the beginning, I spent weekends travelling to local Tasmanian markets, chatting with customers face-to-face and packing every single order from home. Those early conversations shaped the business into what it is today. They taught me what families were looking for and reinforced that there was a place for high-quality, nature-inspired felt toys in a world increasingly filled with disposable plastic.
Years later, I’m still a one-woman business. I design every collection, answer every email, pack every order and run every part of Create&Wonder myself. Looking back, that’s something I’m incredibly proud of because every milestone has been built one step at a time.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
Without a doubt, growing our wholesale network has been the biggest turning point for Create&Wonder.
As a small online business, you quickly realise you can’t reach every family yourself. Seeing my finger puppets sitting on the shelves of independent gift stores, museums, wildlife parks and educational spaces across Australia has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
Some of my proudest moments have been partnering with places that genuinely share my values, organisations that encourage children to learn about Australian wildlife, conservation and the natural world through play.
Knowing that a family might discover one of my felt finger puppet collections while visiting a museum or wildlife sanctuary means so much because it feels like the products have found exactly where they belong.
Looking ahead, I’d love to collaborate with even more museums, zoos, wildlife parks and conservation organisations to continue creating collections that inspire children to explore and appreciate nature.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
I’m not convinced balance really exists when you’re raising two young children and running a business!
Some weeks the business needs more of me, while other weeks my family comes first. I’ve learned to work in the pockets of time I have, during naps, after bedtime and in the quiet moments throughout the day, and I’ve had to let go of the idea that everything needs to be perfect.
One of the unexpected joys of running Create&Wonder is that my children are growing up alongside the business. They love helping me count stock, pack orders and watch new deliveries arrive. While they’re still little, I hope they’re learning that building something meaningful takes patience, creativity and persistence.
I’m incredibly grateful that this business allows me to stay home with them while doing work I genuinely love. It’s certainly not always easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Like many small business owners, I’ve discovered that some of the biggest challenges are the ones you never see coming. Having my finger puppets manufactured overseas has taught me to expect the unexpected. I’ve had suppliers disappear after producing samples, experienced lengthy shipping delays and navigated situations that were completely outside my control – even receiving other people’s stock.
Those experiences have changed the way I run my business. I’ve learned not to promise timelines I can’t guarantee and instead focus on creating products that are worth waiting for.
At the same time, I’ve been learning how to grow a business while becoming a mum of two. There have been late nights, plenty of self-doubt and moments where I’ve wondered whether I was capable of taking the next step.
Looking back now, every challenge has made me more adaptable and more confident. Running a business has taught me resilience in ways I never expected.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The greatest reward is knowing I’m creating nature-inspired felt finger puppets and play resources that invite children to use their own imagination.
My collections don’t light up, make noise or tell children what to do. Instead, they encourage storytelling, curiosity and connection with the natural world. They’re designed to become heirloom pieces that can be loved by siblings and, hopefully, even future generations.
Personally, I’m also incredibly thankful that Create&Wonder has allowed me to stay home with my children. That’s something I never take for granted and something I’ve worked incredibly hard to achieve.
The downside is that running a business never really switches off. New ideas appear at bedtime, emails are always waiting and there’s always another project to dream about. I’m still learning how to balance being fully present as a mum while continuing to grow Create&Wonder, but I think that’s something many business-owning parents understand.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
Honestly, I have far more ideas than I have time!
There are so many more nature-inspired finger puppet collections I’d love to bring to life, from New Zealand wildlife to space, and educational themes that encourage children to learn through imaginative play.
As Create&Wonder continues to grow, I’d love to see our felt toys in even more homes across Australia, while also expanding our partnerships with museums, wildlife parks, zoos, botanical gardens and educational organisations that share our passion for connecting children with nature.
More than anything, I hope more families choose timeless, open-ended play over plastic toys that are quickly forgotten. If Create&Wonder can help children spend more time creating stories, learning about the natural world and using their imaginations, then I’ll feel incredibly proud of what I’ve built.
Visit the Create&Wonder website to find out more, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
