Blog

Observable Joy

/ Updated 7 July 2026

I took a three year old to the zoo.

Why would anyone buy a cuddly toy at a zoo gift shop? Is it because:

  • they can’t wait 24 hours for Amazon to deliver an equivalent toy at 1/2 the price;
  • after a day at the zoo their will is crushed and broken;
  • money has no meaning for them;
  • pester power is a real thing and they are held hostage by a child’s rage?

Or is it because a cuddly lynx, overpriced at £16, generates genuine, observable joy in a three year old?

I would consider seeing my daughter’s face light up when she realises she can take it home well worth the inflated price.