See inside Sunderland's newest play centre – The Little Playhouse at East Herrington

On Saturday, October 19 The Little Playhouse had it’s grand opening, with more than 130 friends, family and residents from the local community attending.

The Little Playhouse is a family run business created by its owner Sarah English, a fully qualified primary school teacher with over 15 years’ of experience, she said: “It’s been so hectic, but worthwhile – it’s my dream.”

It has taken two years for Sarah’s dream to become a reality, and now the mum of two has successfully created a place where children can develop their imaginations in a fun and stimulating play environment.

Sarah added: “We’re not short of soft play in Sunderland, I wanted to create a place where children can explore the real world, your little one might chooses to be a vet, hairdresser, shopkeeper or builder, and they can use equipment and have fun while learning, I wanted to provide actual educational experiences where kids can learn lots of new skills.

“Which is why I’ve wanted to incorporate all that in the space we have, and not hide behind corners so parents can enjoy watching their little ones play.”

The official opening day of The Little Playhouse is Monday, October 28 – but Sarah has had a few trial sessions, which have been very successful, she said: “It’s amazing – this has been two years in the making so seeing kids come in and enjoy it is magic for us.”