Old fashioned toys are back.

The most popular puzzle among Russian youngsters in 2003 is Russian Nails, where nails are knotted together and then freed again - the game dates back to a bygone age of traditional wooden toys and amusements, that are just now coming back into popularity.

The new trend towards traditional toys stems chiefly from the low prices being offered and the fact that smaller children tend to use them in creative development classes.

Up to 400 customers a day visit toy stores. Both kids and parents are clearly fascinated by such curiosities, be that a wooden puzzle or some other easily assembled toy. An average purchase at such stores would be between US$3 and US$7.

At least 15 of these stores are scattered around Moscow, with the smaller ones being in the downtown area, where rents are steeper. But there are also very large shopping malls on the outskirts of the city, where parents tend to take their children during holidays and weekends.

In parallel with traditional offers, the educational toy market is becoming more sophisticated, with shops such as Malenky Geny and Little Genius featuring a wide range of upmarket development and educational toys and games,

The move towards better products isn't only happening in Moscow but in the provinces - such as Siberia - as well as in East European countries where the Russian language is spoken.

Many of these niche stores are stuffed with all kinds of merchandise, such as youngsters' chemistry sets and microscopes (which are top sellers at the moment). For younger children, there are audio books, puzzles and scale model kits.

Several shopkeepers are transforming their stores into leisure centres. Stores host parties and interest groups of youngsters, while parents can leave their children while they continue their shopping. Many retailers say the greater involvement by children promotes sales.

Other major hits in the toys and games market are audio books on cassette and CD, as more and more Russian teenagers opt for listening to War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and other masterpieces, instead of reading. Similarly, smaller children listen to their favourite fairy tales in the back of parents' cars. Hauling books about seems to be less and less popular.

from Leonid Orlov, Moscow Consultant