Australian Geographic

Australian Geographic is kind of like ABC television: you can appreciate what they’re doing, but if push came to shove you would head on over to ToysRUs instead. No one is especially into Australian programming. No one is especially into Australian toys. I had a toy koala once and loved it very dearly. But eventually a large plush orang-​utan from Disney’s The Jungle Book took pride of place on my bed. («Well, I’m the king of the swingers, oh, the jungle VIP…») I kind of defy you to find a toy in Australian Geographic that your son, daughter, niece or nephew would prefer over something, well, made elsewhere.
Part of the problem is the Australian focus: it makes the place feel slightly more like a souvenir shop than it should. It also feels like a store for a very select sub-​strata of kids: the geeks. This is not how a toy shop should feel. Let a kid who used to be a geek tell you: they’d rather not have it pointed out to them, so save your money and put down the thousand-​piece puzzle.

This shop is to the nerdy kid what the candy shop is to the chubby child. There are educational games coming out the whazoo. I used to buy my brother’s Christmas present here every year, as my mother did for me before that. Giving a child a present from Australian Geographic is ensuring that you create intelligent, well-​rounded children who would rather a globe than a Barbie. It didn’t work with me (I still wanted the Barbie) but my brother is now studying to be a Doctor. I think that’s one on the scoreboard for Australian Geographic.
They are reasonably priced and also have a flagship online store if you can’t make it down to a shopping centre. So give your kids the gift of intelligence. Otherwise, you’re a shit parent.
Disclaimer: I’m totally joking. Don’t dob me in to the parents groups.