While Long Beach is rich with bars, restaurants, clothing and specialty shops, the barrier island offers few options for parents in search of the perfect toys for their children.

Kings ’n Things Toys, on West Beech Street at Illinois Avenue, is a specialty store carrying everything from wrapping paper and books to this year’s hottest toy, Zhu Zhu Pets, the mechanical alternative to a live hamster. “We carry anything and everything parents can imagine,” said co-owner Elayne Kirshner, who opened her doors in May 2008. Kirshner’s store is one of the few specialty shops that carry toys by Melissa & Doug, a brand of wooden learning toys like puzzles and blocks, and a brand of German toys called Bruder Trucks. Kirshner said both brands aren’t sold in major chain stores such as Toys ‘R’ Us.

“If it’s hot, we have it,” said Kirshner of the Zhu Zhu Pets craze.

While new surf shop Maritime Surf, on West Park Avenue, doesn’t sell mechanical pets, co-owner Mike Falmmer said the store offers boards and accessories in sizes made for half-pint surfers. The shop opened last April and specializes in custom boards, which can be made to suit any size of rider, including children.

“Boards and wet suits sell best for kids,” said Falmmer. He noted that his shop does sell clothing, but parents tend to leave with sticker shock, since children’s clothing is similarly priced to adult’s. “It’s the nature of the product,” he said.

Maritime Surf also sells long board skateboards for kids, which he said act as cross training for young surfers.

Like Maritime Surf, Local Cycles on West Park and Laurelton Boulevard also specializes in custom products like hand-made bicycles from Germany and Holland. With the store still in its infancy - it just open last month — owner Nick Lalli said his shop has already sold several children’s bikes, but noted that the big bike season is in the spring rather than the winter.