CJAD 800AM at 8:40am: Toys for Christmas
Q1: We can’t avoid it, Christmas and toys go together. There are so many millions of toys out there these days, how do you begin to know what to buy?
The kids will tell you. If not your kids, follow the ads in the flyers to see what the popular toys are this year – and follow the sales. Research is somewhat more flexible nowadays as you can search for answers on the net.
Q2: Though that appears to be easier, it could take hours and hours of research, which most parents don’t have, do you have any suggestions of how to approach this.
Go to the experts who have done all that research for you. Shop at home at your local family-owned toy stores. They try out the toys and know them intimately and can help you choose what a 9-year old boy or a 3-year old girl would enjoy. Also don’t forget the classic toys which have stood the test of time – and buy those.
Q3: Okay, give us some ideas of where to go.
Kidlink opened in 1993, this book/toy store is oriented towards children, but has books and toys for all ages. They have an excellent reputation for having an uncanny ability of being able to choose just the right toy for a child and the right book for an adult. For the kids’ stuff they sell, they concentrate on award winning toys and games, music CD’s and DVD’s and arts and crafts. They choose products and toys with long term value in mind, and it all comes with free gift wrapping and excellent customer service.
Location: 5604 Monkland Ave, N.D.G
Phone: 514-482-4188
Hours: Mon-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5
Golteez toy shop not only stays right on top of the latest toy trends, but offers personal help. If you want some of those hard-to-get toys, child/baby safe ones for 3 and under, crafts or building sets, this is your store. Bath toys, classic board and strategy games are here along with Hello Kitty and Montreal Canadians T-shirts and piggy banks.
Some popular items this year: Silly Bandz, sing-a-ma-jigs plush toy (press their tummies and they sing and can harmonize a tune), bey blades are back.They are dueling tops tops which spin at high speed. Babies might like Weebles – Remember “Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down”?. Tech Deck mini finger boards are tiny little skate boards which you can use to follow along the video tricks, ZhuZhu pets are little hamsters
Location: 7013 ch. Cote St-Luc
Phone: 514-486-6668
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs 10-8, Fri 10-6, Sat 9-5, Sun 12-5This
Tour de Jeux offers one-on-one service where the staff can help you choose amongst the more educational or classic games. There are family group games, kids’ classics, strategic mind challengers. On the right when you enter is a wall of games with role playing components like: Catan, Ticket to Ride, Carcassone, Red Dragon Inn and Dominion, and there’s Schleich collectible shmurfs, animals and dinosaurs, jigsaw puzzles, baby things, Playmobil, Lego and the age-old chess, backgammon, cribbage and mah jongg.
Locations: 705 Ste-Catherine o., Centre Eaton (514-845-1853) Centre Rockland (514-739-9037); Fairview Pointe Claire (514-630-4886).
Hours: Mon-Fri 10-9, Sat 9-5, Sun 10-5
www.tourdejeux.com
Q5: Any place for deals?
JRC Toy Warehouse opens every year before Christmas, between October and December with deals of up to 70% off. They do a quick sale again in May. Name brands from Step 2, Melissa & Doug, Barbie, Crayola, Fisher-Price, Hasbro, Hot Wheels, Little Tikes, Mattel, Mega Bloks, Hegstrom, Spinmaster, Alex, and VTech have been found, as well as books from $1 & up and even the kitchen sink. Corporations, day cares or anyone holding Christmas events can buy in bulk and have them wrapped.
Location: 5589 Royalmount
corner: Devonshire
Tel: 514-342-6979
www.jrctoys.com