North East partner duo launches UK-first sensory play mat business to boost child development

The first company in the UK to specialise in sensory play mats for children has launched with ambitious plans to expand its reach throughout the UK and abroad over the next three years.

Founded on Tyneside by a pair of former professional athletes - the soon to be married, Anthony Miley and Marketa Klemmova - Happy Feet Play Mats promotes the importance of barefoot stimulation with a range of textured play mat tiles.

Designed to aid healthy foot development and to strengthen muscles and joints in both children’s and adult’s feet, sensory mats are a staple physiotherapy tool found in medical centres across the world. Research shows that textured mats can help improve balance, core strength and coordination.

Now, for the first time in the UK, Happy Feet Play Mats is bringing this cutting-edge technology into the homes of Britain in a bid to assist healthy feet development in small children.

Despite the company still being in its infancy, the founders have been blown away by the reception to their products which are now shipping to countries across Europe and further afield, including the US, Australia and The Philippines.

Based on its current growth rate, the company is forecast to turnover £250,000 in the next three years.

“We’ve had an amazing start as a business,” Marketa says.

“We’re 4 months in now and things are going from strength to strength. The main highlights are undoubtedly the feedback we get from happy customers. When starting out we just wanted to get the mats out there and hopefully make some extra money while doing some good, but nothing prepared me for the reviews we’ve been receiving.

“Our customers are telling us that we’ve changed their son or daughter’s life. Some of the feedback we’ve had has been quite emotional.”

Having recently started work with a new manufacturer, Happy Feet is now planning to double its offering of patterns and textures and aims to expand its customer base, targeting physiotherapists, chiropractors, nurses and schools.

The science behind the mats

The sensory mats available on Happy Feet's new online store has been developed under the supervision of leading Orthopaedic experts, physiotherapists as well as sports therapists and simulate the wide array of different terrains that young children experience when exploring the outside world.

This can prevent and correct a range of common issues such as flat feet, knock knee and bowed legs.

Happy Feet Play Mats co-founder, Marketa Klemmova, explains: “The mats are unique. Aside from the many health benefits, kids are finding them amazing fun as open-ended toys and sensory stimulation. They’re all cool colours with a lot of bright and contrasting colours. We have some amazing textures and patterns, too. We have mats with acorns, pinecones, twigs, grass, the list goes on. There’s nothing else like them on the market in the UK. ”

The mats aren’t just designed for children. Sensory mats can help soothe tired, swollen feet and improve sleeping patterns, stress and anxiety in adults too.

Marketa continues: “As adults, we live in cities, going from building to building, flat floor to flat floor. We are no longer the child we once were, experiencing the world through touch.

“We forget the days of our childhood where the outside was our playground, before the days of big cities, modernisation and technology. We used to run on the stones by the river, through the forests with nature under our feet.”

“All of our mats are designed to be natural to stimulate the feeling of walking barefoot outside like our ancestors.”

Happy Feet Play Mats' story

The company was founded by Anthony Miley and Marketa Klemmova who both come from backgrounds in professional sport. Anthony, born and raised in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, had a successful career as a golf professional. Alongside competing, Anthony trained budding athletes and later moved to Qatar where he ran one of the busiest golf operations in the world. At Doha Golf Club and met his now soon to be bride and now business partner, Marketa.

Originally from the Czech Republic, Marketa competed in professional handball for 18 years before qualifying as a physiotherapist. As head physiotherapist of a clinic in Qatar, she expanded her knowledge of the paediatric sector and developed a passion for children’s development.

“I am passionate about children’s development and the way we can correct and improve it,” Marketa added.

“When we came across these sensory play mats, we saw the health and development benefits of them right away. It was exactly what I was looking for for our children who are one and three years old.

“Something that will stimulate and awaken all receptors in our feet and will positively affect the entire body. I immediately saw all of the amazing health benefits as a physio and how I could use these mats in my practice. I knew I wanted to bring this awesome product to the UK market straight away.”

For more information about Happy Feet Play Mats, visit: www.happyfeetplaymats.co.uk