Childplay opened in Colbee Court, Phillip, in late 2009 to help fill a need in the Canberra market for quality, educational toys in a stimulating, friendly, environment.
Childplay was created with the aim of giving Canberrans a welcoming place to find European, Australian and regional products designed to support children’s innate curiosity and creativity. The focus is experiential with a number of products set up on the shop floor for children to play with, space for children to draw and create, and furniture for parents and children to sit together to play, or just simply chill out. 
ChildplayChildplay’s genesis began in the 1990s when I was child care adviser to the then Minister for Family Services, the Hon. Judi Moylan MP. Seeing firsthand the work of children’s educators and engaging in dialogue on relevant issues within and outside government, gave me a healthy insight into the importance of early childhood education both professionally and in the home. Subsequent work reinforced the imperative of creating a child-centred environment where children are valued not just for their potential as adults but for their capacity as children. Children are important because they are children and, as adults need a range of tools and experiences to fuel and inspire the mind, so do children.
Yet the arrival of my own children quickly highlighted the reality that our modern, urbane society isn’t always welcoming of children and families. Carparks are too small to get children out of the car without denting neighbouring vehicles and straining your back, children melt down in cafes because there usually isn’t much to hold their attention, and parents are warned in shops not to let their children touch. But, as many cities in the world attest, there are benefits in ensuring our urban environment welcomes and supports families. A piece of butcher’s paper and a set of crayons can mean extra time, extra sales and a positive experience for people to share with friends.
Childplay seeks to meet this need by creating a place that offers quality products in a setting that has the potential to provide a positive experience with its own learning benefits. Childplay is a very new business and therefore faces similar challenges to every new or emerging small business. Building brand recognition is a priority but a number of customers are themselves playing an invaluable role volunteering to distribute flyers and to tell their friends.
The real challenge for Childplay will be to ensure that families and, in particular children, who are often ruthlessly honest, feel both now and into the future that their involvement with the store is indeed positive. Central to this will be building our understanding of our customer base and maintaining a focus on excellent customer service. The Childplay team is highly experienced in this regard. The store is run by Sharon Wells, who worked at and managed the former Little Red Engine toy store for over eight years. This experience means team members have the knowledge necessary to help customers to find the right product for a particular child and can source specific products at a customer’s request.
Customers are also welcome to ring ahead with a purchase. We can either have a particular product gift wrapped and waiting for you to pick up or we can set aside a range of products for you to choose from.
The store is located at 22 Colbee Court, Phillip (next door to the Chocolate Olive café). Sharon or I can be contacted through the store on 62820050. A webpage is being developed and will shortly be available at www.childplaytoys.com.au.
Posted April 2010
