Part of me wants to hate Toys 'R' Us. It has an infuriating, anti-pedant name, it's big, a chain, unashamedly plastic and loud and modern. Still, another, more youthful part of me wants to scream Who cares?! Toys!! Yay!. Usually this latter part wins and I'm enticed inside to see what gizmos and gadgets are popular at the moment.
They've actually got a great range of things, from bikes to computer games to more traditional children's toys, building sets, model animals, craft kits and board games. You name it, they've probably got it. There's enough variety to take the sting off the mass production and commercialisation, and let's face it, kids love it. The staff are well-trained and they have some good leaflets on bike helmet fitting and other things. They also have a surprising number of things that appeal to adults, like computers and sound systems. Great for browsing through while your young companions wreak havoc elsewhere, and great for a treat for the older children (and much older 'children'!). read more