If ride-on is your theme this Christmas we have an extensive range of gorgeous options for both little and big kids (yep, even you Mum/Dad!) - balance bikes, trikes, stunt scooters, mini scooters, adult scooters, helmets, accessories and more!
Look no further for the primary school pre-tweens (new Crackerjack category!) in your life. We have a beautiful selection of gift ideas from around the globe, and we know you're going to love them! But more importantly, the kids will love them.
Happy browsing!
Ride On
Wishbone 3 in 1 Trike / Balance Bike, Jamm Scooter, Micro Scooters Stunt Scooters, Micro Mini Deluxe, Wheely Bug Ladybird, Micro Adult Scooters, Mini Hornet Hammerhead Helmet, Micro Scooters Balance Bike, Wheely Bug Tiger, Wishbone Mini Flip, Micro Scooters Mini2Go, Trybike, Micro Scooters Unicorn Helmet
5-7 Girl
Inspire Bird Hanging, Smart Games Butterflies, Moover Wooden Pram, Olli Ella Dinkum Doll, Unicorn Backpack, Make Me Iconic Aussie Biscuits, TenderLeaf Ice Cream Cart, Djeco Lady Butterfly Surprise Colouring, Bling 2 O Swimming Goggles, Djeco Aquatic Paradise Puzzle, Fruit Tin Tea Set. Usbourne Big Book of Blooms, Paola Reina Carla Ballerina, Sylvanian Families Elephant Family, Tutu To Go, All The Ways To Be Smart by Davina Bell, 4M Recycled Paper Beads, Djeco Birds Money Box, Huckleberry Make Your Own Lipbalm Kit, Little People Big Dreams Marie Curie, Trybike, Micro Scooters Unicorn Helmet, Lottie Pony Pals, Make Me Iconic Surgeons Kit, Huckleberry French Pear & Freesia Perfume, Huckleberry Shrinky Bakes, Rush Hour Junior
5-7 Boy
Cosmic Shampoo Bar, Djeco Loto Fishing Game, Nature Explorer Costume, Djeco Classic Colour Paints, Bling 2 Goggles, Kapla 280 Chest, Schleich Giraffe, Little People Big Dreams David Attenborough, World’s Smallest Microscope, Micro Scooters Mini Deluxe with LED wheels, Bruder Land Rover Defender with Trailer and Ducati, Binoculars, Animal Origami, Bug Catcher, 100% Full Size Bugs, MudPuppy 2 Sided 100pc puzzle, Toy Story Wallet, Tiger Tribe Shark Glider, Dig a Shark Tooth Fossil Necklace, Deep Sea Colour Changing Umbrella, 4M Solar Powered Rover Robot, Slapzi, Toy Story Tin Tea Set, Bug Bingo, Tiger Tribe Flying Bird, Tiger Tribe Light and Shine, Scratch Junior – Space.
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(Does anyone else feel these lyrics, when written out like that, are vaguely menacing??)
Aaannnyway! It's less than ten sleeps til Christmas and no doubt you're in the full festive swing! You've endlessly threatened your children with Santa's eagle eye, you've secretly 'thrown away' more candy canes than you care to think about, and you've suddenly remembered you haven't bought Christmas gifts for your brother's band of merry kids.
Maybe you're just looking to top up your kids' Santa stash.
Or perhaps you haven't even begun your Christmas shopping.
Skip the crowded shopping centres with their ragey car parks and pop into our beautiful Bulimba toy store. Trade-in busy for relaxed and stressed for friendly, and you'll walk out with the most beautiful gifts.
If you're shopping online, have a look at some of our top suggestions below. If you're Brisbane based, click and collect is a fabulous option (park out the back, give us a quick call and we'll even deliver straight to your car), but if you're further afield and would like to take your chances with Australia Post (express), we're happy to organise that for you as well.
Whichever way you do it, take your time this year, and enjoy each priceless moment. Our children are only mesmerised by the idea of Santa for a short and precious time.
Every year is a gift xxx
Stocking fillers: left-right/top-bottom: Rainbow Skipping Rope, Stretchy Monster, Foam Glider, Mermaid Socks, World’s Smallest Microscope, Sky Diver, Christmas Necklace, Colour Change Squish Balls, Nanoblock Hamburger, Top Model Mobile Phone Notebook, Christmas Magic Tree, Aarons Thinking Putty, Pink Poppy 7 Day Stick On Earrings and Rings, Whoopie Cushion, Schleich Killer Whale, Sticky Hand, Meri Meri Santa in a pocket necklace, Flying Angel Beaded Wire Decoration, Buzz Lightyear Bag Tag, Hair Chalk, Water Marbles (or as the cool kids say, Orbies), Compass, Pull Back Lambo, Pirate Dice, Fairy Notes, Penguin Light Up Toothbrush, Space Pinball, Schleich Horses
Games: left-right/top-bottom: Skull King, Bee Genius, Mobi, Castle Logix, Spy Alley, Pirate Dice, Ridley’s Lucky Cat Card Game, Tenzi, Ridley’s Table Tennis, Sleep Queens, Gnomes at Night, Ocean Bingo, The Brain Train, 20 Traditional Marble Games, Dragon Realm, I Saw It First Jungle, Bunny Bedtime, Genius Star, Superhero Snap, No Llama’s Card Game, Wooden Finnish Throwing Game, Dragonwood, Inspirational Women Trivia Game, Melissa & Doug Secret Decoder, Smart Games Penguin’s Pool Party, Ridley’s Backgammon
Puzzles: left-right/top-bottom: Peaceable Kingdom Scratch & Sniff Fruity Pool Party Puzzle, Sassi From the Earth to the Moon Puzzle and Book, Djeco Wooden Animal Puzzle Game, MudPuppy Little Scientist 500pc Puzzle, MudPuppy Double Sided Bugs & Birds 100pc Puzzle, Cavallini & Co Wildflowers 1000pc Puzzle, MudPuppy Jungle Search & Find Puzzle, Djeco Elise’s Carriage Puzzle, Petit Collage Follow & Spot Around Town Puzzle, Djeco Super Star 36pc Puzzle, Sassi The Earth Puzzle and Book, Melissa and Doug Wooden 4 x 12pc Construction Vehicle Puzzles, Sassi London Puzzle and Book, Djeco Fairy Castle 54pc Puzzle, Hape Emergency Vehicle Peg Puzzle, Eeboo Viva La Vida 1000pc Puzzle, Eeboo Unicorn Garden 500pc Puzzle, Galt 4 Puzzles in a box – Vehicles, Discoveroo Chunky Wooden Animal Puzzle, Djeco Space 200pc Puzzle
]]>...help choosing gifts for my tween kids! Seriously, I need HELP!
Kids reach an age where they become a little 'tricky' to buy for. They lose interest in toys, and don't ever really seem to want anything. They're more interested in their phones and iPads, and quite often can't bear to tear themselves away to consider an alternative activity.
But there ARE plenty of great activities that our tween customers are loving, and we're relieved to be able to make some beautiful suggestions for you! Whether it's making a dreamcatcher, learning to juggle, hanging in the pool on an uber-cool pool float, or having a disco party, we have the perfect gift for your special growing-up kid. Because at Crackerjack Toys we know what kids of all ages love! (We're just big kids ourselves really, but shhhhhh).
If you're after some more inspiration check out our Summer Fun blog, or any of our Christmas Ideas blog posts. And happy shopping!
From left-right/top-bottom: Dimpl Keychain, Djeco Big Box of Colours, Ridley’s Lucky Cat Card Game, Sun Jellies Mint, Super Star Bath Bomb, Huckleberry Make Your Own Bath Bomb Kit, Huckleberry Make Your Own Dreamcatcher, Two Little Ducklings Kindness Matters. Ridley’s Street Food 1000pc Puzzle, Neon Squish Ball, Disco Ball, Cosmic Shampoo Bar, Cactus Float, Usbourne The Unhurry Book, Talk To The Hand Manicure Set, Tobbie Robot, Djeco Decorate Your Own Fan, Juggling Balls, Magic Cube, Aarons Thinking Putty, Mermaid Shimmer Balm
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T'was the night before Christmas and all through the house, little people were not sleeping at all. Instead they were eagerly anticipating the arrival of a jolly old man with a sack full of toys!
Oh the excitement! "I'm never going to bed!" they exclaim (as we rush to explain that Santa can't come until they're sound asleep!).
Or perhaps that's not your household just yet. Perhaps your little love is blissfully unaware, their baby eyes fluttering with baby dreams, their tiny fists curling and uncurling in sleep.
Whether it's baby's first Christmas, or they've clocked away enough to know the drill, Christmas is a beautiful time of year for families with young children.
It's the little Christmas rituals that begin to matter - the decorating of the Christmas tree, the opening of the advent calendar, the glass of milk (ahem, or something stronger) and plate of cookies that are left for Santa on Christmas Eve. Perhaps it's reading "The Night Before Christmas" right before bedtime, or singing carols while making gingerbread. Whatever it is you do with you children at Christmas, it's all precious, and it's all being stored away in their little memory banks. Perhaps one day they'll share those traditions with their own children, and the magic of Christmas lives on.
But the most memorable moments of Christmas surely involve the tearing into Christmas gifts, swimming in discarded wrapping paper, and squealing at the surprises that await!
As parents ourselves we know how difficult it can be to find the perfect gift, so we've taken the pain out of the process and have put together some beautiful choices for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
Happy browsing and Merry Christmas!
(ps for more gift ideas, try this Summer Fun blog, and this Christmasy one too!)
Right to left / top to bottom
Janod Brico Kids Magnetic DIY Trolley, Djeco Topanifarm Stacking Cubes, Grimm’s Medium Pastel Rainbow, Plan Toys Baby Walker, MisterFly Koala Rattle Ball, Petilou Wooden Beads, Melissa and Doug Float Alongs, Manhattan Toys Tree Top Adventure Activity Table, Pull A Long Caterpillar, Hello Baby by Mem Fox, Wheely Bug Ladybird, Petit Collage Organic Soft Chime Ball, Jellycat Koala, Nana Huchy Emu Rattle, Djeco Cheeky Cat Xylophone, Mizzie the Kangaroo, Bib’s Dummies, Schylling Wooden ABC Blocks, Grimm’s Rainbow Friends, Manhattan Toys Skwish, Schylling Kangaroo Jack In The Box, TenderLeaf Wooden Ocean Animals Set, Halcyon Nights Yoga Pants, Djeco Baby Bear Shaker, Haba Musical Eggs, Bonikka Cherub Baby Doll
Left to right/ top to bottom: Janod Magnetic Dartboard, Djeco Laser Boy Puzzle, Bee Genius, Alikat Rhyme Time by Kathy Clutterbuck, Bug Bingo, Melissa and Doug Scissors Skills, Petit Collage Magnetic Play & Learn Alphabet, TenderLeaf Wooden Weather Station, Melissa and Doug Children Around the World Puzzle, Two Little Ducklings First Reading & Writing Words, Usborne Peep Inside a Beehive, MudPuppy Search & Find Arctic Life Puzzle, Jungle Bingo, Pink Poppy Snow Princess Dress Up, Kindness Rules by Eunice Moyle & Sabrina Moyle, Binoculars, Petit Collage Magnetic Dress Up Best Friends, Zingo Word Builder, Djeco Magic Felt Tips, Skydiver, Djeco Loto Fishing Game, Pink Poppy 7 Day Stick On Earrings and Rings, Buzz Light Year Bag Tag, Nature Explorer Dress Up,
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Ok, who are we kidding? This is our jam baby!! We’re like that overexcited kid on the stage who’s been waiting for their big moment in the spotlight!
Christmas in Australia may not be about fireplaces, eggnog and carollers, but we've branded it our own kind of special.
For us, it’s fairy lights along gutters, and an inflatable Santa on the front lawn. It’s end-of-year school concerts and watching your child sing about snow in far-away places. It’s light-up earrings and oversized Christmas hats, and queuing up for Santa photos in your local shopping centre. It’s ginger ale punch, crisp cold prawns, and Uncle Bill complaining about the heat. Its summer storms rolling in at the end of a hot day, and lightning splitting the humid air.
And if you’re a kid, it’s special for another reason too. It’s the brightly coloured packages beneath the tree, and a sack full of presents on Christmas morning! (Note to all you wonderful parents: before you feel too uncomfortable about that, we’re also teaching our children the notion of giving and receiving, and of thoughtfully choosing for someone you love).
What we also know about this most wonderful time of the year is that it can be stressful for parents and grandparents to know what gifts to buy their little ones. SO, we’ve done all the hard work for you!
We’ve scoured the corners of the world for the most beautiful gifts for your children, and we know you’ll love them as much as we do.
Our gorgeous vintage Trybikes are a beautiful choice for children between the ages of 15 months and 6 years. This steel bike, in gorgeous vintage shades of green, pink, blue and white, easily converts from a three-wheeled tricycle to a two-wheeled balance bike. The Trybike grows with your child as they develop their balance and coordination skills, and eliminates the need for training wheels when they make the transition to a pedal bike. Designed in the Netherlands and made from durable and high-quality materials, the Trybike will last and last, and will become a much-loved addition to your family!
Micro Scooters are always a top seller and it’s easy to see why. Foldable, and easy to pop into the boot, Micro Scooters are a fun and healthy way to get your bigger kids away from their screens and out into the fresh air! Suitable for ages 12 up to adults, the design is sleek and minimalistic and comes in either black or white. With a lower foot plate, a handy stand, and large wheels for a smoother and faster ride, Micro Scooters for teens and adults have us super impressed. If you have smaller scooter riders be sure to check out our full range of Micro Scooters for all ages.
Anything and everything from the Sylvanian Family range. I mean, what’s not to love about a collection of miniature animal families living in their miniature village of Sylvania? Sylvanian Families are perfect for small hands and growing imaginations and are beautifully designed and made, with a range of different options to encourage your child’s sense of independent play. Be sure to check out our full range here.
Introduce your child to the magic of Kapla. Chosen for its durability and beauty, Kapla is a range of small planks made from 100% untreated French pine and coloured with natural pigments. The planks are used to create towers, animals, castles… in fact, anything your imagination can dream up! The perfect gift for young and old alike, Kapla is enormously popular and are widely used in various learning settings to stimulate creativity, perseverance, and STEM learning.
Our newest crush would have to be this gorgeous selection from Pretty in Pine. New to us, these darlings are selling like hotcakes. Made in Southeast Queensland from 100% sustainable Queensland hoop pine, these handcrafted toys are of the highest quality and will be passed down for years to come. The divinely crafted dolls houses, prams, babies’ beds and more are pulling on our heartstrings, and we’re sure they’ll pull on yours too.
Wanting to know what doll to put in the gorgeous Pretty in Pine range? Look no further than the ever-popular and enormously loved collection of ethnically diverse and anatomically correct dolls from Miniland.
Each doll has soft flexible and moveable limbs and comes dressed in removable gender-neutral clothing. Or try our Paola Reina range of European made dolls, with sweet life-like features and soft vanilla-scented skin. This range features babies and older girl dolls with long hair that can be styled by your little one. Wearing a range of different clothes and with divine accessories, these dolls are gorgeous companions for creative play.
For more Christmas present ideas pop over to our Summer Fun blog, and keep an eye out for our Santa sack present ideas, coming really soon. And of course, you can always visit us in our Brisbane toy shop, or head to our online store for more inspiration!
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Here at Crackerjack Toys, we adore Summer.
Summer fills our beautiful toy shop with new stock – with pool floats, outdoor games, and beach sets. We’re bursting at the seams with colourful micro scooters, swimming bathers and summer clothing, and have books and games as far as the eye can see. Summer, we’re ready for you!
Read on to see a few of our favourite things for the Summer of 2020-21!
]]>Ok, well, maybe not greater than love, food and shelter, but's it's pretty close.
In these times, when parents are grappling with the delicate balancing act of schooling and working from home, the ability for your child to play independently is GOLD.
]]>Ok, well, maybe not greater than love, food and shelter, but's it's pretty close.
In these times, when parents are grappling with the delicate balancing act of schooling and working from home, the ability for your child to play independently is GOLD.
Priceless.
Photo credit to Asmund Gimre.
Unprecedented.
We hear that a lot, don't we?
This entire year has been unprecedented, and will no doubt influence the way we live and play long into the future. Coronavirus, or COVID-19, threw itself upon us with a force we didn't see coming. And like a toxic Mexican wave, it's barrelled around the world, leaving chaos in its wake.
There's no doubt this is unprecedented, but as I heard someone say recently, we could all do with a little more 'precedented' right now, couldn't we?
You feel me don't you, Mama? You, with the Grade 1 maths books spread across the kitchen table, wiping away the tears of a sibling argument. I know your phone's on mute while you play negotiator/peacekeeper, the team meeting going on without you.
Dad, I know you're fielding an endless stream of questions ("Daddy, how do people fit in the TV?" "But WHY can't my Lego go in my nose?" "Dad, guess where my Lego is?") while worrying about your job, your business, or your sanity.
Or the mother whose toddler playgroup has been indefinitely postponed, who just needs a quiet moment to talk to a friend on the phone, and refill her bucket.
I see you.
Providing a framework for your child to learn to play independently could be just what you need to hold onto your sanity.
Independent Play comes more easily to some children than others, but it's a life skill - taught and nurtured and encouraged – that will benefit your entire family.
The ability to play independently:
If independent play isn't a concept you've adopted in your home until now it may take some time to introduce. Because let's face it, kids can be super demanding little darlings, and don't always want to make changes!
To begin with, we recommend that you:
Here at Crackerjack Toys our passion is PLAY! (Oh, and your kids – we adore them too!) So if you'd like more individualised suggestions to encourage your child to play independently, we'd love to help.
Pop into the Bulimba store, or head to our online store, to see the full range of beautiful products. Alternatively, contact us for a chat and some recommendations.
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