If Their Toy Could Talk, What Would it Say About Growing Up Together?
It’s never just a toy. It’s the one they couldn't sleep without every night, the sidekick in every wild adventure, the one they carried everywhere - even when it started to fall apart. These toys hold stories. Of comfort. Of imagination. Of a time when they still fit on your lap.
Kids & Their Toys is a portrait experience that gently captures this chapter - before it slips away unnoticed - and celebrates them in a beautiful coffee table book.
By taking part, you’ll help support Accuro, a local charity making a difference to children with disabilities across Essex and Hertfordshire. The £75 participation fee goes straight to them - and in return, we’ll create something your child can hold onto, even when they’ve outgrown the toy.
Here’s what you need to
know before applying:
Portrait Experience included:
I donate my time to create your child's portraits as part of the project.
Bonus: Inclusion in the Kids & Their Toys book,
featuring your favourite portrait of your child and the story of their bond with their beloved toy.
Personalised Ordering Appointment
This is when you'll choose the portrait you'd love to be featured in the Kids & Their Toys book, and you'll also have the opportunity to view and order any additional artwork you'd like for your home.
Nomination fee:
Your £75 participation fee goes in full to Accuro, a local charity supporting children and adults with disabilities.
BONUS: £75 Studio Portrait Credit
A little gift from us to use towards the purchase of your Toy Story Portrait Artwork
Ready to Join the Project?
Apply Here
Spaces are limited to around 40 families to complete the project.
Why Kids & Their Toys Exists
As a baby and child photographer, I witness every day how quickly things change - the way a favourite toy once clutched tightly can, almost overnight, be left on the shelf.
That’s why I created Kids & Their Toys - to celebrate those quiet but deeply felt bonds children form with the objects that carry them through childhood. The ones that help them feel safe, spark their imagination, and make the world feel just a little more like home.
These aren’t just cute props. They’re woven into your child’s early years, and often, we don’t realise their significance until we’re packing them away.
This project is about capturing that connection before it slips into the background - creating something meaningful and lasting.
It’s also about giving back. If your child is selected, your £75 participation fee goes directly to Accuro, a brilliant local charity helping children with disabilities across Essex and Hertfordshire build confidence, make friendships, and feel seen - values that sit right at the heart of this project.
The fee is what families would usually pay for a portrait experience with me, but instead of coming to the studio, it’s paid forward to support others. In return, I’m donating my time to create something personal for you and your child - portraits that honour their story, their sidekick, and the comfort they’ve carried through the early chapters of growing up.
Your participation fee supports Accuro.
Portraits and the final book are available to purchase separately.
Three Simple Steps to
Celebrate Your Child’s Story
STEP 1: Nominate your child and their favourite toy
The first thing you need to do is click the Apply now button. Tell me a bit about what makes their connection special - no need to overthink it. Just speak from the heart
STEP 2: I’ll give you a quick call to talk through your application
It’s a friendly chat to hear more about your child’s story and explain what to expect - nothing formal, just real conversation.
STEP 3: If selected, you’ll pay the participation fee
Your £75 fee goes straight to Accuro, and we’ll arrange a date for your portrait experience at the studio. You and your child will have the most amazing experience!
MEET YOUR
PHOTOGRAPHER
I know how easy it is for busy days to blur together. One minute your child is never without their favourite toy, the next it’s tucked away and forgotten.
Kids & Their Toys was created to press pause - to capture the quiet, everyday treasures that mean the world to them (and to you).
I believe every child deserves to be seen, valued, and remembered exactly as they are. Printed portraits aren’t just for today - they’re for the future, when a small, scruffy toy and a proud smile will mean even more than you realise right now.
Ready to tell your child's Toy Story? Apply now to be part of Kids & Their Toys - and let's create something you'll treasure for years to come.
Hello, I’m Sue - a baby and child photographer based in Harlow, Essex. I create portraits that celebrate real connections, capturing the small details and deep bonds that often slip by too quickly.
LOOKING FOR HELP?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Wondering how it all works? Here are the questions parents often ask before applying to Kids & Their Toys.
What Happens When I Apply?
Once you apply, I’ll be in touch to arrange a quick call with you. Because Kids & Their Toys is an application-only project, I donate my time to create these portraits, and the participation fee supports Accuro. The call helps make sure the project is the right fit for everyone and gives you a chance to ask any questions too.
If we decide to go ahead, I’ll take payment during the call to confirm your place. After that, we’ll book your child’s photographic session and start planning your experience.
What type of toy should we bring?
Bring the toy that means the most to your child - the one that’s part of their everyday life. It might be a scruffy teddy, a soft comforter, a much-loved doll, or even something quirky like a toy animal or favourite blanket.
This project is all about capturing real connections, not creating a styled theme, so whatever they naturally love is perfect.
The more it’s part of your child’s world, the more meaningful the portraits will be.
I have more than one child - how does it work?
If you’d like to include more than one child, that’s absolutely fine - just let me know when you apply.
Each child will have their own time in front of the camera with their favourite toy, and we’ll also capture some portraits of them together if you’d like. Because this project is about celebrating the connection between children and their toys, it’s important that each child brings their own special toy so we can tell their individual story too.
If you would like additional children from the same family to be featured in the book, there’s a £25 additional donation per child to support Accuro.
Do we choose the portrait for the book?
Yes, absolutely! After your design consultation, you’ll have the chance to choose the portrait you’d like featured in the book.
I’ll guide you through the options so you can pick the one that feels just right.
When will the book be printed?
I’m aiming to complete all portrait sessions by December 2025, with the book going to print in Spring 2026.
If I fill all the spaces sooner, the book may be ready earlier.
I need around 40 families to complete the project, so if you know someone whose child has a toy they can’t live without - do send them my way (wink wink)!
Do you offer digital files?
Yes, I do offer digital options, but only as an add-on to printed portraits. My most popular collection is a 10-page custom-designed album. It includes the digital copies of your choosen portraits and is priced at £925.
You'll also have the option to add digital copies to your wall art or mounted print order if you'd like.
I believe in creating printed portraits that you can enjoy every day - something real you can hold onto - but I understand how important digital copies can be too, especially for sharing with family.
Every artwork order comes with a complimentary digital brag book - a mini gallery of your purchased portraits that you can easily view and share straight from your phone. It’s designed for screen sharing, so you’ll always have your favourite portraits with you to show family and friends, wherever you are.
A little reminder of what's included ...
1 Hour Toy Story Portrait Experience
Personalised Ordering Appointment
BONUS: Your child's portait included in the book
BONUS: £75 Studio Portrait Credit
Apply Today - £75 Participation Fee Donated to Accuro
© Copyright Sue Kennedy Photography 2025.. All Rights Reserved.
Studio is located in Harlow, Essex, UK