Kazoodles Toys owner Mary Sisson points out different science kits at her store on Dec. 14. Sisson said the kits have been a hot item for the holiday season.
Building block-type toys are on display at Kazoodles Toys. Toys that lend themselves to creativity are a major focus of the store, owner Mary Sisson said.
From back to front, shoppers Katelyn and Tessa Hunt look at toys at Kazoodles Toys.
VANCOUVER — The Christmas shopping season isn’t over just yet, and for those looking for a toy for their kids or grandkids, a store in Vancouver might offer something a little more stimulating than standard time-wasters.
Unsurprisingly, the holiday season is big business for toys. Mary Sisson, owner of Kazoodles Toys (13503 SE Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver), estimated that 40 percent of her shop’s business happens in the last two months of the year.
Sisson’s store, which opened a downtown location in 2006, was started due to a lack of quality toy shops in Vancouver, forcing a trip to Portland to buy gifts for family.
Kazoodles specializes in what Sisson described as “classic” toys, as opposed to more high-tech electronic gadgets.
“We focus on toys that really engage kids in play,” Sisson said, adding that getting children off of screens and into more visceral playtime was a major goal of the store.
Some of the hot items this season aren’t necessarily “low tech,” as Sisson said that science kits have been selling frequently. Another bestseller is “Mad Mattr” — a type of kinetic sand that mimics the properties of wet sand for molding while not being wet.
Sisson said that for her and other brick-and-mortar toy stores, the biggest competition comes in the form of online sales. Although convenient, she said some elements get overlooked or are absent completely when online shopping is compared to local, physical shopping.
One of those plusses is being able to help in matching a toy to a child, Sisson said. She became a “certified play expert” through the American Specialty Toy Retailers Association earlier this year to work toward that end.
Sisson said other staff have experience in areas working with children on the autism spectrum. She listed working in benefit of the autism community, and helping to collect toys for the annual drive from the nearby Children’s Center (a mental health services center for youth) as ways the store helps out kids.
Sisson called Kazoodles “the anti-video games store,” which works well as next door is a store more tailored to electronic entertainment. She mentioned that one of the promotions Kazoodles does is a “screen-free week” where kids can get $5 free to spend in the store if they can commit to a week away from electronics.
Another focus of Kazoodles was on “play value,” which Sisson said had to do with how many hours a toy can entertain. Something with a lot of creative opportunities like building blocks may be more expensive than flashy, mass-produced toys, but the hours of interest may make them worth their while.
Sisson said a focus on creative play and creative toys can end up making toys more than just a distraction for kids.
“Kids learn through play. They are going to learn through any toy, but you are going to have to consider ‘what are they learning?’” Sisson said.
