The Better Toy Store needs better English

There’s a wonderful toy shop in Ngee Ann City and Tanglin Mall called “The Better Toy Store”. You can find great toys which are generally eco-friendly and non-toxic, which is a good thing, because Kai’s at the age where he tries to eat everything including the foam mat we’ve assembled on the floor of his play area. But cute lah, our boy.

Anyway, The Better Toy Store has an online shop, which for some reason, is full of surprisingly bad copy and a standard of English you’d expect to find on labels of Chinese foodstuff and not sensible, educational products for children.

For example:

Playtime Ideas

* Children can use the mallet to pound the different colored pegs as they like and continue playing by simply turning the board; this develop fine motor skill and eye-hand coordination. Pounding also helps children release tension and teach them regarding disciplinary action.
* Parents should specify the color to hammer; this will help children learn to differentiate and recognize colors easily.
* Parents should praise children when they can do it and advice if they are not able to do so.

Children can use the mallet to pound the Parent’s head since the Parent already has a headache trying to figure out what the website is trying to say. Children can disregard disciplinary action in this instance.

I think maybe the copy might have been written by Jamie Yeo cos I have no frikkin‘ idea what she’s on about.

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4 responses to “The Better Toy Store needs better English”

  1. annquek Avatar
    annquek

    Hi Benjamin,

    The Better Toy Store has been a wonderful toy store. It could have been an overlook on the website since i am sure they have a lot going along on their plate all the time.

    They do provide free puppet shows thrice a month.

    So do contact them for a visit! ๐Ÿ™‚ Still always better!

  2. Mr Miyagi Avatar

    It is a wonderful toy store! We love it! I've discovered the bad copy to be the result of a hurried cut and paste from the toy manufacturer's own literature, which apparently originated from Thailand. We love those toys though.

  3. annquek Avatar
    annquek

    Ahh, i see. It should be the case since according to the friendly staff that i spoke to just last month, i think they just started the website not long ago. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Fine-tuning needed, but i know they'll do well. *firm supporter* ๐Ÿ˜€

    Cheers and Happy Lunar New Year to you and your family (esp your cute little kai)! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  4. jing Avatar
    jing

    this is late but i must share… u know the OG in orchard, go to the 5th floor and u'll find a whole section of tidbits (mock rochers, mock glicos etc) from china, korea, japan etc. some are nice and some are plain yuk.

    one time, i picked up a box of curious looking dunno biscuits or what (that's why curious) so i turned to the back to read the english description. under “ingredients”, i saw “sugar”, “salt”, blablabla, then “face powder of Jing”. alamak, who is this Jing??? then i read the chinese print and found something like “jing1 mian4 fen4” โ€“ some kind of flour la, not someone's face powder.

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