Melbourne Toy Fair - our review of what's hot (and what's definitely not)

Our annual pilgrimage to Toy Fair is always interesting. We use it for our 'bread and butter' items. This means those items that are constant best sellers that we try to have on the shelves (the real and virtual ones!). There certainly are edgier trade shows than Toy Fair, but it's still an important event on the toy trade calendar. You don't go there expecting to be blown away by entirely new ranges, however there are always a few surprises in store. You have to look for them, but that makes it more fun; almost like a toy treasure hunt.

This was our 4^th toy fair and we are starting to feel like we have got the hang of how to tackle it. You walk in and take a huge sigh as you see the enormity of it and figure out where to start. Our first stop is always the coffee stand for some portable pick me up. Then it's an initial walk though all the stands from start to finish. This way we can see where all the stands are that we need to spend more time in; and get a general feel for how much new product there is. We should point out that there are many stands that we walk straight past; anything with a licence or brand, most plastics, remote control, and anything that needs batteries. This probably makes up half of Toy Fair.

Contrary to what you might think, there are no children around. It is strictly trade only, although there are certainly some big kids around who like to play and demo their wares. There's also a fair smattering of grumpy men about, whose jaded demeanour suggests they have been in the industry for far too long. The reps on the stands need to be energetic and enthusiastic, and most importantly know their product. There are always stands that are staffed by personnel who clearly have nothing more than a cursory understanding of the products on offer, which really does them a disservice. We love spending time at stands where they staff (often owner operators) love their product and want to tell you about it.

So now you have an idea of the feel of the place, now to what we saw. Our prize for the most enthusiastic stand goes to the troops at Dr Wood Mind Challenge. They have an amazing range of unique mind challenging puzzles and games that we had heaps of fun playing. All the games were set up for demo purposes, and we worked the whole stand and tried each one.

We were also pretty impressed with the folks at Heebie Jeebies, whose stand was, like its name, full of quirky science and geeky gifts. Dinosaur kits, clip circuits and pothead plants (little grassy characters in terracotta pots) were some of the finds. Their optical products were particularly clever, especially a two way bug viewer that would go down a treat in a house with two insect crazy boys in residence (i.e.- mine).

The Kaleidoscope stand is always a favourite, as they supply some of our most popular items; Djeco craft kits, Folkmanis puppets, Papo figurines, Le Toy Van wooden toys and Wheely Bug Ride ons. The Djeco craft kits continue to amaze us for quality and value. There are lots of new sets on the way, several of these newbies are in our retail store already and will be on our virtual walls as soon as next week. Le Toy Van has added to the range with a new Honeybake tea set, plus a police van, new play food (the ice cream sundae is divine) and loads of new Budkins dolls. We were also delighted when the MD of Kaleidoscope told us that last year we were their fastest growing store! How exciting is that?

Other stands that made our hearts flutter a little? Fairy Girls new tutu dress ups that are just tutu sweet; Discoveroo; a unique scooter than converts to a trike/bike, new bamboo racers from Hape; Sparkle T wooden toys and Tiger Tribe stamp sets and magnetic play sets.

All of these will be arriving in store as soon as they are available. Stay tuned :)

Kids in Style roundup

I always enjoy attending the Kids in Style trade show in Sydney. It's kind of like the boutique end of what we do, and gives us a chance to find new and really edgy items to add to our inventory. I like to think that this is one of the things that distinguishes us on the web, as we have our best sellers plus a nice range of 'harder to find' items. Kids in Style is a 'must do' show for anyone with an online kids boutique store, as it covers fashion, accessories, decor and toys. Of course we only stock the toys, and that's what I'll cover here; but the rest of the show is well worth looking at. For nice summaries have a look at www.babyology.com.au and www.kidsstylefile.com.au.

So, what was there that knocked my socks off? We'll start with some of our existing brands. The stand for premium German toy manufacturer Haba always looks a treat. We already have a huge range of Haba products and it is about to get even bigger. Products available for the first time this year include new designs of baby soft and wooden clutch toys, wooden play food, family games and the popular terra kids range for outdoorsy types. Items that deserve a special mention include the Rose Fairy play tent which is delightful, the mini shop-front with umbrella, and the doll's play tent. I also loved the new clip fasteners for the block and marble runs. These clever little clips allow you to stabilise your structures, and you can even build vehicles with them.

The Moulin Roty Childhood Memories range is popular with customers who are looking for special gifts that are very traditional looking. I particularly enjoy the exquisite detail in the clothing of the dolls and plush toys; and this twin doll set with portable wardrobe and clothes is bound to be a hit.

Also on the way are new dolls from Kathe Kruse, wooden selections from Sevi, fab additions to the retro Dumpling Dynasty range and the long awaited prehistoric dinosaur Anamalz. I also dropped in and chatted to the friendly team from Wishbone design who distribute the innovative 3 in 1 balance bike that converts from a three to a two wheeler. We have been with Wishbone from the start as one of their first retailers in Australia, and they still maintain their competitive edge with their point of difference being their versatility.

Now to some of the new stuff that is about to grace our shop walls and web pages. I was particularly pleased to finally find a very edgy range of kids helmets from Nutcase. These helmets come in a range of designs and sizes and make wearing a helmet a fashion statement. Of course they meet all the safety requirements for Australian testing and are the perfect companion to our Microscooter and balance bike selections.


I've also been on the lookout for birthday party invitations and accessories that are that little bit different. Welcome Banter and Frolic, whose vintage inspired party kits are stylish little boxes of everything you need to make a complete party statement. They describe them as the 'dressed up' version of backyard parties from yesteryear, and this is a pretty accurate description.


On the craft side of things I'm pleased to be adding the 'Seedling' range to our walls. Seedling craft kits are packaged in eco friendly bags and boxes so you can actually see what you are getting. They are definitely not a 'boxful of air' like some craft kits. They are kind of hard to describe; but just imagine that you decided to put together your own craft kits, using only the best quality parts that make something that is truly functional (and fun). With the new range you can make everything from designer tutus to super hero capes, plus worm farms, volcanoes and quirky sock toys.




Bobble Art have a great range of children's bags and accessories in bright fun colours and cheery designs. Backpacks, library bags, swimming bags and drink bottles will soon be available.


Ruby Luxe is a range of eco friendly jewellery for kids made with natural and sustainable materials. It includes brooches and necklaces in quirky acrylic designs with fabric, wool and crocheted embellishments. These will be a great gift for those hard to buy for tweens.


In terms of availability, some of these new items and ranges will be arriving in the next couple of weeks. The rest will be available over the next few months. As always, we'll advise of their arrival in our weekly newsletter, facebook and twitter updates.