Best Place to Buy a Toy That Doesn't Require Batteries

If every kid you know already has an Xbox, try taking a low-tech toy to the next birthday party you attend. The Ark offers the antithesis to the fluorescent-lit aisles of Toys "R" Us, a fact that's glaringly obvious from the moment you walk through the charming Dutch door and into the warm confines of its toy-lined wooden walls. The Ark deals in diversions that anyone over 20 remembers, from puzzles to puppets to pet sea monkeys. And you won't find much here that requires battery juice or electrical outlets. Instead, the Ark offers old-fashioned playthings like magic sets, science kits, musical instruments, those always-endearing Brio train sets, and a menagerie of wooden animals to top it all off. From the looks on the faces of the younger browsers here, the Ark proves that a simple toy isn't necessarily a boring one.