Srived Majumder strikes a “John uncle” pose on a bike at Landmark; (below) racing cars for kids at the same store. Pictures by Rashbehari Das

If you thought carrying home a carrom board or a game of Scrabble will suffice to bring a smile on your little one’s face, it’s time to think again.

Today’s kids want much more than just these. Tech-savvy from the word go, they aspire to be John Abraham or Michael Schumacher right from the age of three.

The result: tools to play with are witnessing a sea change. It’s no longer about possessing board games or building blocks; it’s all about the latest technology.

“The lure of automated gadgets have always been irresistible. And with the gradual progression from a tradition-bound culture to a post-modern one, today’s kids prefer to play around with the most hi-tech of toys,” says Dr Siladitya Ray, chief consultant psychiatrist, Belle Vue Clinic.

GoodLife takes a look at some of the latest hi-tech toys on the city racks and probes their popularity over some age-old favourites.

Bike bests

You could not have missed the sexy John Abraham riding a Harley Davidson in style in Dhoom. And now you just cannot miss the mini versions of these motorbikes powering into toy stores.

Keeping in mind the changing taste of today’s tots, toy companies are going all out to woo the little bikers with speed and style.

Available in models that are nothing short of replicas of the real things, the battery-operated vehicles come in sizes just right for kids between three and 12.

An accelerator to keep the speed of the bike under control, a gear for front and back action, a host of musical horns and even an FM radio to ensure enough entertainment during the ride are just some features these mini machines are equipped with.

“Features vary from one model to the other. The more expensive ones come with all these features, while those on the lower price side come with basic features minus value additions like FM radio. But all of them are imported from China,” says Sujit Dutta, director of Wonderland Toys, Park Street.

The Harley Davidson model is the eye catcher. “Due to immense exposure to the media, today’s kids are aware of what’s going on around them even at the age of three. When we were small we would ask for bicycles, but children today want to ride bikes. I have had four-year-olds walk into my store with their parents, asking for the kind of stuff “John uncle” rode in Dhoom,” smiles Gautam Jatia, CEO of Landmark, on Lord Sinha Road.

Car control

And the speed saga doesn’t stop at two-wheelers. There are imported cars galore to catch the fancy of the little ones. Right from the little colourful taxi that Enid Blyton’s Noddy drove around Toyland to the formidable Formula One racing cars, the options available will spoil you for choice.

“These cars also run on battery and have more or less the same features as the bikes. FM radio, gears, brakes, accelerator? they have almost everything that real four-wheelers have. The rechargeable batteries can last up to six or seven hours of driving time,” reveals Sujit at Wonderland Toys.

“Children today want to keep pace with the latest trends and so want new toys very often. There can be very little innovation in traditional toys, but with these tech toys there’s something new happening everyday and they can keep updating their collection,” explains Jatia.

The models that find maximum takers are in the zip, zap, zoom category. “Children today are in a hurry and are never satisfied with a collector car to just play with and not ride,” he adds.

Add-ons

There is of course more to the hi-tech toy world than just the automobile arena.

The Spy Range at Landmark, for instance, has everything that your kid could require to become the next Sherlock Holmes or Feluda.

A camera, metal detectors, long-range binoculars, spy pens and even a door alarm ? this kit comes complete with all things sleuthy.

Then there is the SpiderMan range of toys that includes web shooters, web cars and the like.

At Wonderland Toys, there are imported telescopes and microscopes for kids.

“Although just toys, they are almost as good as the real ones and are proving to be quite popular. They fulfil the double role of educational toys as well as playthings,” offers Sujit.

Pocket pinch

These new-age playthings do come at a price. The hi-tech car and bike range starts at Rs 2,500 and the value-added ones can rob you of a good Rs 14,000.

“But no one really seems to mind the steep pricing. This is evident from the fact that toy sales have witnessed a significant rise. It’s almost double of what it used to be even a couple of years ago,” says Sujit.

Dr Ray puts this trend down to rising disposable incomes and double-income families. “With working couples on the rise and many families with a single kid, parents tend to pamper the child with the best from a very young age,” he feels. There’s no missing the manifestation on toy racks around town.

And then there is the peer pressure. “A kid setting his sights on a particular kind of toy is very often the result of peer pressure,” opines Jatia.