The countdown to Christmas is only two weeks away (eek!) with letters to Santa being written and many requests for that special Xmas gift.
At Eastern Suburbs Mums we feel it’s important to support our local small business retailers who rely on this busy retail period to keep going so we asked some of the fantastic local toy shops in the east their recommendations for great gifts for kids for Xmas 2016.
Owner of iconic Rose Bay toy retailer Red Rocket Ricky Roth said each year parents look at the over abundance of toys stuffed into toy boxes, in closets and bookshelves and say to themselves ‘what else could my child possibly need!” with years of experience with toy gifting Ricky shares his tips.
1. Go with education and creative gifts
Education toys educate and engage your child for a longer time and more importantly, the benefits last a lifetime.
2. Go with your child’s interests
Put together kits for the kids geared towards their own interests really goes down well with kids.
3. Toys for Movement and Exploration
“With the eastern suburbs having such a great choice of amazing outdoor spaces there are so many choices for toys to utilise their love of equipment, develop their coordination”, said Ricky.
Popular toys are also sometimes the real driver for Xmas gifting for parents, owner of the Laugh and Learn Toy Shops in Randwick and Clovelly, Tanya Brabrook said the biggest tip we give parents is turn off the TV advertising because most of the time these products get sold out quickly and if you’re a parent leaving things to the last minute you will miss out.
Currently Laugh and Learn’s most popular items are:
1. BB8, SPRK+ and Ollie by Sphero
2. MicroScooters by Micro
3. MerFins by Mahina (learn to use them properly at Mermaid Classes at Wylies Baths this school holidays)
4. TinyTot Trikes by Kinderfeets
5. Beanie Boos by Ty
However your family celebrates at this time of year just remember too that it’s important that the kids somehow also get the true meaning of Christmas, which is thinking of others and those less fortunate than themselves.
One tip is to have a discussion on what toys they might no longer play with and how they might want to donate them to charity shops, take them through this process explaining that there are children who would get a lot of enjoyment as much as they did and to think about that.
Then get them to select a few toys then take them down to the many charity shops in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and show them where they go (please don’t dump in charity bins far too often you see piles of garbage clothes, toys etc dumped out the front of charity bins and stores). Take donations to actual stores and donate properly.
Merry Christmas and please support local businesses this Xmas!
