Nothing But The Best

Whether it's the newest educational toy or a deluxe model stroller, many parents are sparing no expense when it comes to buying luxury products for their infants and toddlers. “Parents are paying more to get the latest and greatest toys,” says Oded Ben-Ezer, president of the Maya Group, which distributes Tiny Love products. “We see parents who are looking for every edge they can give their baby. It's the start of getting them into the best school, the best college, etc.”

Ben-Ezer points to the success of his company's Gymini Activity Gyms, which continue to have more features added to them. Even as they have increased in price from $40 for the original model to $65 for the deluxe versions, consumers continue to buy more units of each updated model.

And there's another reason why parents are buying high-end items, according to Rick Muraski, executive vice president of Chicco USA. “I think parents are looking for higher quality because they're not around as much,” he says. “If it's well made, there's less risk of the child getting injured.”

Whatever the reason, the trend in infant and preschool products seems to be shifting toward pricier items ranging from educational toys that offer more and better ways to stimulate a baby or toddler to beautifully made classics that recall a simpler time, better match a parent's own high-end tastes or otherwise speak “quality.”

One successful example of the latter is the French company Latitude Enfant, maker of knit animals (Grannimals) that come in “beautiful, bright-colored boxes,” according to Heidi Haarstad, product manager at Manhattan Toy. “They've done a great job of marketing the luxury baby item—they're huge in Europe,” she says. “It's an example of what's coming here.” The line is distributed in the U.S. by Pint Size Productions, Crystal Lake, Ill., and features farm animals like hens, donkeys and pigs beside soft toy mainstays like cats and dogs—all done is the same hand-made style.

Haarstad says that Manhattan Toy is considering finding a retail partner to bring an upscale version of its products, such as its Groovy Girls and some infant toys, to market. Although, there's an important consideration before making a move like that, Haarstad warns. “We need to make sure we're branding the product as luxury, but still be in an acceptable emotional price point of around $25 to $35,” she says.

Well-made plush toys and other classics continue to be big luxury sellers, according to several retailers with high-income clientele.

At Gepetto's Toy Box in New York City, for example, German toy company sigikid's Natural Beauty plush animals, at $59, are customer favorites, according to store owner Jerry Eaderesto, both because of their implied quality and that their design helps them stand out.

“One of these is a silly, multi-colored bird with an outrageous sense of humor,” he says. “People want things like these that are heirloom quality.”

Another “mini craze” over the recent holiday season, Eaderesto noted, were Anchor Blocks, finely crafted, three-color stone blocks made to look like bricks. Also from a German company, the blocks were first created in the 19th century and resemble bricks used in architecture from that period. A starter set costs $84.95, while the largest box is $170.

“They empower kids' imagination—they're not just passive,” Eaderesto says.

Other finely made playthings that continue to appeal are Kouvalias wooden toys, “beautifully finished” products manufactured in Greece. Their music boxes and lacquered pull toys, retailing from $50 to $60, are always popular, according to Abel Mendez, owner of Penny Whistle Toys, which has three New York locations.

“Every time there's a newborn in the family, I have customers who send a Kouvalis music box,” Mendez says.

Meanwhile, oversized plush animals are still a favorite—particularly for gifts.

“Grandparents always want the largest bears possible,” says Steve Menig, store manager of Tom's Toys in Beverly Hills. “But even with soft things, they still want them to be multi-functional—to make noise and have other features.”

At Penny Whistle Toys, Melissa & Doug bears and dogs retail for $75, and salespeople will take things a step further by customizing the animal for the child—such as dressing the dog like a doctor or the bear like a king.

Customization is one of the features that makes Teri Weiss' store unique. As owner of the Elegant Child of Beverly Hills, a small boutique and companion Internet business, she specializes in custom-made gift baskets which can range from less than $50 to as much as $1,000. Her clientele includes celebrities as well as people from around the country who shop on her web site. Her gift baskets include blankets, toys, books, clothing and accessories.

“It's hard to find a company that will put all these items together for you,” Weiss says.

Her customers request a lot of the Melissa & Doug princess and ballerina toys, featuring magnetized wood pieces that enable kids to try on different outfits. They retail for $11. On the other end of the scale, her hand-made Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls are priced in the $125 range for individual dolls, up to $350 for the pair.

In the stroller market, many parents are looking to an updated version of a classic model to ensure their babies have the most comfortable transportation available.

The Bugaboo Cameleon carriage, at $879 including trims, is an updated version of the traditional pram. It features a high-tech design with swivel wheels and air tires and starts with a bassinet, eventually advancing to larger sizes. Still another brand—popular with celebrities—is Silver Cross, with prams and carriages at $800 to $3,100, according to Frank DeMato, Internet manager at Albee Carriage Company in New York City.

The other in-demand feature of high-end baby products is educational value. As parents request earlier and more advanced educational features for baby and toddler products, manufacturers are responding with toys that offer more stimulation, usually geared toward children's specific developmental stages.

Tiny Love recently introduced DVD Magiq for babies—an interactive DVD that also comes with a plush toy ($60). The 30-minute DVD has 30- to 40-second segments featuring the toy talking to the baby and encouraging it to participate in an activity. Tiny Love has done an extensive marketing campaign for the DVD by sending out mailers to American Baby magazine subscribers and providing samples for store counter displays.

The DVD does double duty for parents caught between a desire for teaching their kids and finding a few moments for themselves, according to Ben-Ezer. “Parents want their babies to be stimulated but they also need time for themselves as well—like half-an-hour after getting home from work.”

Also late last year, the company introduced the Symphony Light and Motion Mobile ($49.99), which plays classical music and features a colorful, moving liquid with a light behind it. For 2006, Tiny Love's new ActiviTot activity gyms/play mats provide extra “tummy time” for babies and feature arches that can be snapped into different configurations.

At Chicco USA, bilingual toys, from $19.99 to $29.99, are poised to appeal to an increasingly upscale Spanish-speaking community as well as to predominantly English-speaking parents seeking to give their children a head start in another language. The company's line now includes a talking farm, smart driver, talking cube and video phone. They give babies and young children early exposure to Spanish.

“We've been successful for two years now as parents become increasingly concerned that their child is learning correctly,” Chicco's Muraski says.