Price cuts also offered to children's toys
Sudibyo M. Wiradji, Contributor, Jakarta
The rapid development of information technology has, to some extent, contributed considerably to the craze for toys, and most parents are now inclined to buy those toys best suited to their children's gender and age.
Finding toys for your beloved children as a gift for the Idul Fitri, Christmas or New Year's holidays is not a difficult task: you can find toys in almost every supermarket, mall, and plaza. However, not all toy stores offer a complete selection of items in terms of product, exclusivity, and price.
One of the most complete toy stores in town is Toys 'R' Us. Toys 'R' Us comes from the United States, and has branch stores at Puri Indah Mall on Jl. Puri Agung, Puri Indah, and at Pasaraya department store in Blok M.
At these clean and air-conditioned outlets, you can find a wide range of toys of all shapes and sizes for your children, whatever their interests and whatever their ages. From the smallest toys, like the Star Wars Micro Machine measuring 1.5 cm x 3 cm or matchbox cars at about 2 cm x 5 cm, to the biggest toys like Play House, measuring 1.75 m x 1 m x 2.5 m, there's something for everyone at Toys 'R' Us.
The products are manufactured in various countries, including USA, Germany, Taiwan, China, and Indonesia, but as Venny R. Brahmana said, "Almost 80 percent of products at our store are from local suppliers."
Even though the shop offers toys made of a variety of materials such as wood, rubber, metal, faux fur, plastic and so forth, the store places quality and safety as their utmost priority. As a result, they are highly selective in choosing the toys they stock, for example by checking that the toy is made of non-toxic materials.
"'Making Learning Fun' is the concept behind Toys 'R' Us. Here, the toys emphasize creativity, education, and fun for children. They can enjoy playing with the toys while learning, and the toys also help to sharpen children's minds," said Venny.
Toys that can stimulate children's minds include Kid Computer Laptop from V-Tech, a microscope from Oregon Scientific, Lego building blocks, an interactive robot called Taimya, or traditional board games like Monopoly.
If you want to find toys that inspire creativity in children, you can take a look at a wide range of puzzles, finger paints and colored markers, greeting card design sets, and other arts and crafts projects, as well as the perennial craft clay, Play-Doh.
Barbie dolls, recently the rage among Indonesian girls, come with many accessories, dresses, and in different ethnic representations. There are also kitchen sets and other toys for them to "play house". For boys, there are model cars, Action Figures, countless computer games, and Digimon school supplies.
Children under five years of age generally love toys that provide an introduction to colors, shapes, and sounds that fuel their curiosity, such as Rattle and Baby Walkers Book. By the time they are toddlers, they will enjoy conventional toys such as dolls, toy cars, simple arts and crafts, and games.
Toys 'R' Us isn't all about toys, though, and the store also stocks other products that can make ideal Idul Fitri or Christmas gifts. With clothing for infants and toddlers, bicycles, stilts, picture books, videos of children's programs, cuddly toys, and even hair clips, it's a one-stop children's store.
The prices depend on factors like quality, brand and material, and Toys 'R' Us sets competitive prices from Rp 5,000 to over Rp 8 million (about US$885). In order to help parents celebrate Idul Fitri and Christmas, Toys 'R' Us is holding a sale of up to 70 percent off.
Meanwhile, Kidz Station provides hundreds of toys for both girls and boys, and are offering several new toys to welcome the holiday season. Included are a modern rendition of the spin-top called BayBlade, the Icap Frog and Barbie Rapunzel.
Sensitive to the fact that more parents these days seek toys with an educational aspect, Kidz Station shops are outfitted with a special corner for what they call "edutainment" products, which combine education and entertainment. The toys help stimulate the intelligence, imagination and creativity of children, ranging from crayons, color pencils, block puzzles, and even a special computer through which children may learn a foreign language, memorize the alphabet, learn how to count, and practice recognizing different sounds.
"These kinds of toys are not necessarily expensive," a spokesperson at Kidz Station said.
Prices for toys at Kidz Station also range from thousands of rupiah to millions of rupiah, depending on the kind of toy and its quality, size, material and brandname. In addition, Kidz Station also stocks children's clothing, including shoes and Islamic apparel.
Kidz Station will also have a store-wide holiday sale beginning Nov. 15.
With such a variety of toys available at a range of affordable prices, the difficulty would be in making your final selection!