SO, YOU’RE looking for something to buy for the younger members of the family and you want to support a black business? The Voice has got you covered.

During Black History Month we caught up with the owners of Little Scholars Playground, a diverse children’s book publishing company and early years hub.

The founders Natalie and Denhue, below , are on a mission to encourage parents to embrace Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) for their children early on.

The couple have 20 years experience working in the STEM industry. Denhue has a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering while Natalie works as a product designer (web and app) and developer and has a master’s degree in web design and content planning.

Underpinning their passion for STEM is the couple’s core belief that the industry spawns the leaders, inventors and innovators of tomorrow.

Speaking on their passion for creating high quality toys, books and learning resources that help children to develop and grow, Natalie enthused: “The company started after we had our daughter in December 2019.

“We call her the lockdown baby as we were on lockdown three months after she was born. Like most babies she liked books where she could lift the flaps, but when we were looking for those types of books with a black protagonist we couldn’t find any.”

She added: “I’m a designer by profession and Denhue is a writer in his spare time and we had some time on our hands with a newborn, I was on maternity leave and we were in lockdown, so we thought we can do this ourselves. So, we created our first book, Zara’s Caribbean Adventure , and as you do you show friends and family first.

“Everyone liked the quality and said it was amazing and it kind of took off from there.”

Denhue says it was attempting to understand why more black people didn’t penetrate certain STEM fields that prompted him to become proactive about changing the narrative.

“I’m an aeronautical engineer by training. I got into engineering at university and entered into the airline world where I do compliance monitoring, so I make sure passengers are safe.

“So Natalie and I are both in STEM fields but from my point of view when I look at people around me they are all white males. That just makes me think, what is it about why we don’t penetrate these industries?

“STEM fields are the most rewarding in terms of pay and benefits so when I look around, why can’t I see more people like myself?”

Denhue says whenever he gets the opportunity he encourages young people to get into STEM.

The couple genuinely believe the earlier that introduction comes the greater the chance of turning the child’s head to an area of vocation that can literally change the world.

The couple have already pulled together a ‘Christmas gift bundle’ consisting of some of their best sellers and most loved products. The full bundle is a great gift for little ones to enjoy reading and learning.

The bundle includes: Zara’s Caribbean Adventure, a lift-theflap board book, Emmanuel’s African Adventure, a lift-the-flap board book, ABC First Words board book, a bundle of six educational posters, one Zara sticker, one Emmanuel sticker, one Santa sticker, one Sienna sticker and two sheets of our brown or blue Christmas gift wrap.

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