K.A.G.O.Y. (“kids are getting older, younger”) is an acronym that popped up in the toy industry literature about 6 years ago. KAGOY is the allure, to younger kids, of toys meant for older kids, for example, 6 year old girls abandoning baby dolls for make-up and their male counterparts leaving their Legos for video games. A recent Google search of K.A.G.O.Y. revealed that age compression is still an ongoing phenomenon and is becoming even more pervasive.

So what is an internet toy retailer, much less a brick and mortar toy retailer, to do? If you’re not selling electronic games, what can you do to attract young customers and keep them coming back to your website in the future?

Most kids over 6 years old may seem to have abandoned traditional toys, but they tend to become more involved in sports. Choosing action toys that encourage skillbuilding in sports they participate in, like soccer, baseball and karate, may be one strategy. A good example of this is the O-Ball. This hollow toy is about 6” in diameter with a shell of webbed, hardy plastic. It’s a great toy for a newborn child because they can grab it and safely put it in their mouth. A young child can learn throwing and pitching skills with it because it is so easy to grab and hold. Take a look at the O-Ball at: http://www.sillyasstoys.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID= 83

Offering toys that have a sports theme is also a strong selling tool. An example of this is the Inside-out Ball, a soft plastic ball that looks like a sports ball (baseball/basketball/soccer design) on the outside, but once it is turned inside out, the ball looks like a sea anemone. The Inside-out Ball is even large enough for kids to stretch over their heads for a “spiky hair” look. It appeals to both the sports side and the goofy side of kids. It sells to kids as young as 3 and as old as 18! Check them out at: http://www.sillyasstoys.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID= 457

K.A.G.O.Y. kids also are very visual and interactive. Since one-on-one demos are impossible on web sites, video demos can intrigue young shoppers. D’Lites is a magic light trick item that www.sillyasstoys.com sells and there is a funny and effective video presentation on the product page. After looking at the video, a customer realizes, with a little practice in front of a mirror, he or she can master the trick and look very cool in a crowd. Watch the videos at: http://www.sillyasstoys.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID= 49 . For the Noseflute, www.sillyasstoys.com has a “five easy lessons” video with the president of the company doing several well-known songs. If nothing else, it’s great entertainment that attracts kids to the web site. You can view these videos at: http://www.sillyasstoys.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID= 82.

These are just a few ideas of how to interest younger kids in toys and how to pique their interest in your products if you have an online toy store.