Finding educational toys for your kids

Finding educational toys for your kids

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

When it comes to choosing toys for their children, most
parents buy them not only for fun, but also for educational
reasons.

A wide range of learning toys that are designed to encourage
creativity and thinking skills are available in many supermarkets
and malls across the country.

Imported educational toys, such as LeapFrog and Oregon
Scientific computer toys, can be found in Pondok Indah Mall, Puri
Indah Mall, Citraland mall, Kelapa Gading Mall and other big
malls.

"Our regular customers always buy something for their children
when a new model arrives," said Enzie Regina, marketing executive
of US-based Toys 'R' Us, one of the major toy retailers in town.

Even though computer toys entered the market several years
ago, the toys remain popular among children because the new
laptop model always provides new features for their users.

For example, the kids, particularly the girls, love the
laptop, not only because of the use of the Barbie character, but
also due to its more attractive features.

The program in the Barbie laptop focuses on English,
mathematics and games. "With the laptop, children are expected to
learn basic English, including vocabulary, spelling and grammar,"
she said.

The laptops vary in the level of difficulty, depending on the
age. A laptop for children aged 8 and up provides more activities
that are more complicated compared to the ones for younger
children.

Apart from computer toys, Toys 'R' Us also provides various
puzzles and Lego sets that the store categorizes into educational
toys.

Montessori puzzles are among the trendy ones, according to
Toys 'R' Us' duty manager Puji. The puzzles are available in
different series suited to age, including Rush Hour and Safari
Rush Hour for children aged 8 to adults.

In the puzzle, Rush Hour, for instance, a player is supposed
to clear the path to make a good escape route by shifting the
blocking cars and trucks up and down, left and right. The puzzles
have different level of difficulty, depending on the age.

"Each puzzle has 40 level of difficulty. Not only children who
like the game, but also adults," said Puji, adding that with the
puzzle, children are expected to learn how to solve problems, to
boost their I.Q and to be patient.

Other toy retailers that provide a wide collection of branded
educational toys are Kidz Station and Toys City.

At Kidz Station, also in Pondok Indah, the educational toys
are put in a special area on the second floor called EKidz.

Apart from computer toys, the store also provides a wide
collection of mega blocks and Lego sets for preschool age and
school age children. "By building separate blocks into the
child's desired objects, such as a house, a bridge or a plane,
the child can boost his or her creativity," said one Kidz Station
shop assistant.

Different characters of Gundam now in fashion among school age
children are placed at a special Gbase room, with a giant Gundam
on display.

Many children also enjoy assembling parts to make an object,
with different level from the simple ones like assembling parts
to make a small and colorful fish to more complicated ones like
war ships, dinosaurs and armed Gundam robots.

Meanwhile, parents who pay avid attention to the development
of their children aged under six will have a great opportunity to
get a variety of branded and high quality toys when Play 'N'
Learn toy store opens.

Play 'N' Learn, to be opened to the public on Oct. 31, 2004,
will occupy the second floor of the Kemang Square, on Jl. Kemang
Raya No. 3 A, Jakarta.

Providing high quality toys with educational value for
preschool children was the reason behind the store, said Play 'N'
Learn's co-owner Faliming Thamin.

"The rapid growth of preschools in Indonesia has prompted us
to open such a store. In the past, most parents sent their
children only to attend a kindergarten when they reached five-
years-old, but now many send them to schools at an earlier age,"
she said.

The store focuses on providing toys for babies up to
six-years-old because "rapid brain development happens in that
time," she said.

Top imported products to be available include the Brio railway
track and accessories made in Sweden. "With the available parts
of rail tracks and accessories, the children in groups are not
only expected to assemble them to make a track but also play with
the train when completed," she said.

While creating the track, the children are indirectly trained
to use their imagination, learn how to solve a problem, use
logical thinking and develop their motor skills and eye
coordination, she said.

"It will also train them to work as a team and develop their
social skills," she added.