Games, Playthings and Plush

Getting Kids Loving to Learn (From page 35)

Park’s products are made from recycled materials, made in the United States, and have a good range [of product options] from baby to toddler,” she said. Her store measures 1,500 square feet.

Andrea

Marin Hall , owner of

Wee Bee Baby

Boutique in Atlanta, Ga., is seeing many of the same trends as other retailers: “For babies one year or younger …all of my wooden toys are doing really well. Some of our parents subscribe to the Montessori teaching method [and that’s why they choose these toys] but many just want the sustainable, all-natural products. For instance, we sell wooden rattles. There’s a company called Banner Toys based in Iowa—their toys are just really clean, simple, and engaging. We’re also selling a lot of silicon-based toys. There’s an awesome brand called Three Hearts. They’re Texas-based. They have these great silicon stackers (avocado stackers), which are a combination silicon and wood teether bracelet. It’s not plastic, all foodgrade silicon. They’re great for teething because they have a nice soft surface. They’re an easy gift for babies because sometimes newborns get handme-downs from older siblings or cousins, and the

Striving for Standout Sales Display Tips from Baby Stores

Toys generally aren’t a tough sell for younger customers. When the buyers are primarily parents, grandparents, or loved ones looking for a gift, however, the selection can sometimes be overwhelming. In these instances, it is best for retailers to get creative with their merchandising.

“People like to be able to pick something up, touch and look at it. Whenever you can display things in a way where it’s easy to do that, it’s always good,” said Emily Tobin, owner of Hopscotch Children’s Store in Grand Rapids, Mich. “[Due to COVID] we have put away some of our samples. We had more things out of the box so people could pick them up and look at them. If someone parent or gift-giver want the teethers to be new for the young babies. And the other thing is Baby Jack Co., based in Wisconsin. The company was founded by a mom. They make these crinkle squares. They’re made from soft fabric, but inside it has a crinkly material in it, so it touches on the sensory aspect.” Hall added that educational or gifts with a local theme or flair are strong sellers, as well.

Retailers said sibling gifts are a popular item. They’re great way to drive sales for older children as well as the new baby or christening gift, according to Johansson. “Sibling gifts are when the toys for the older kids come in. Toys that foster imaginative play do well for us. There’s a product line called Maileg Mice, and you can dress them up. They also come with other accessories. Each season, the company will come out with new mice and seasonal dress. They’re really popular because people are into collecting them. Kids will actually sit here and play with them,” she said.

Besides making thoughtful decisions about materials, parents are seeking out toys with strong educational properties for little ones, according to retailers. “Parents want to constantly teach their wants to look at something, we’ll get it out of the box to show them, but kids can’t try out the displays or stand in the store playing with the items as they did before. We moved a lot over the last few years to hanging displays some of our things to hanging displays so the shelves aren’t quite so crowded.”

Alex Breaux, co-owner of Wonder World Toy Store & Baby Boutique in Medford, N.J., said merchandising is an ongoing learning process for her. “I’ve learned to use little mannequins and have them hold a toy or sit with a toy. I use ‘baby busts’ and put outfits on them, and they’ve helped upsell the baby clothes, especially more of the ruffly items—the ruffles are sometimes hard to see when the item is on a rack. The baby busts show off the ruffles nicely. I actually had a customer give me that tip. I typically arrange my displays based on type, rather than age. All kids love trucks, so I’ll put all the trucks together. Then all the Imagination Play together. I’ll group outdoor things together, then within those group I’ll sort by age. I keep all the baby stuff in the baby boutique, however.”

Merchandising is also a process of trial and error. Andrea Marin Hall, owner of Wee Bee Baby Boutique in Atlanta, Ga., said, “I’ve found it’s been a learning process for me, and it’s

Continued on page 38 children—they always come in and want educational toys. And everything is educational for babies because everything is new, and everything to a baby is about learning,” Breaux said. Tobin has seen the same trend: “[Parents] want something that is going to help the little one develop a skill and learn something. They want things in that vein, and not just something you hold or shake,” she said. “That’s something I’ve noticed a lot in the last year.” Little ones are relying more on their creative skills. Hall is seeing a return to imaginative play, likely the result of the “screen fatigue” felt by children and adults after months of virtual schooling and remote work throughout the pandemic. “I don’t really carry anything with batteries or screens—I carry mostly wooden toys or things for pretend play. I think it has done really well for us. People are going back to more simple play—more imaginative. A lot of people are asking me about crafts and hands-on activities they can do with their kids. They’re looking for ways to engage them creatively beyond pretend play. People are willing to invest in higher quality, more durable toys at a higher price point. They want things that will last a long time and grow with the child.” Hall said there is a greater demand for gender-neutral toys and clothes among her customers. “People want gender neutral for two reasons. An increasing number of parents do not want to find out the gender, or do not want to ascribe to gender norms after the baby is born. There are not many brands who are catering to this. Mushie, a Danish brand, has a more gender-neutral color palette and product selection. For instance, they have a ‘coffee set’ rather than the traditional ‘tea set’. One design might have trucks on it or come in a gender-neutral color palette. The other reason parents want something more gender-neutral is because they want fewer things that will last longer, should they have more kids.” Again, Johansson stresses parents want quality over quantity

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