One vendor wept openly. Another wrestled a customer to the ground. Still another took off running before the sale was completed.

Welcome to the Keiki Swap Meet — where around a hundred pint-sized entrepreneurs haggled, quibbled, and reached deals yesterday at Kaka'ako Gateway Park.

For the most part the meet was a lively, harmonious example of junior capitalism, local style. Stuffed talking bears, Asian Barbie dolls, and good-as-new computer games, were snapped up and carted away with glee. At $2, a pristine Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots game was a giveaway. Ninety minutes of classic Daffy Duck and Porky Pig cartoons for a buck fifty was a steal.

"This is a monster," announced Chas Hinman, 8, a buyer only, as he proudly held up his most recent acquisition — a long-necked dragon with a menacing set of fangs.

"I got it for one dollar."

The Keiki Swap Meet was the brainchild of Liane Usher, director of exhibits and programs for the Children's Discovery Center. The center held its first such meet about four years ago, just to test the concept, and it was a smash hit. Now, the center sponsors three Keiki Swap Meets a year.

"It's all just a really great educational event for children to learn about money, economics and trade," said Usher. "With adult help, the children are responsible for collecting, pricing and selling the items."

The rules are simple, said Usher. All items have to be children-related. Parents generally serve in an advisory capacity and, particularly with the smaller children, oversee their offspring's booth or table.

"This is our first time, but we'll be back," said Karen St. Onge of Pearl City, who was there to help with booth operations for her daughter, Kiana, 11, and Kiana's "awesome" friend, Tia Odoardi, 10, of 'Ewa Beach. "This is a good way to teach them about money, how to control their clutter, how to work together, and to be friendly with customers."

Even as she spoke the girls were negotiating a deal with a girl their own age.

Kiana and Tia wondered if their items were priced too low. But mom advised them that the product would move faster that way. Kiana confessed to having minor guilt pangs about parting with former playthings, but she was willing to do it for cash. No matter what, the two girls declared they would split earnings down the middle.

"But our moms said we have to put half of it into our college funds," said Kiana.

And did they like that idea?

"Ummm, not really, no," said Tia, as Kiana nodded in agreement.

Motivation among vendors varied. Harrison Chingon, 6, of Pearl City was operating his booth to accumulate enough loot to buy Time Crisis 4 for his PlayStation. His mom, Linda Chingon, said he has expressed interest in selling his toys at the swap meet to finance the operation.

"Unfortunately, at home he has toys he hasn't played with yet," said Harrison's dad, Harry Chingon. "He wants a video game, so he has to earn it. We don't want him to think that money will just come to him."

With an hour and a half remaining at the meet, Harrison had carefully placed about $40 in his plastic, red, white and blue cash register — about half the cost of the video game. He continued to work the crowd.

One customer who showed up at Harrison's tent was Micah Barut, 5, of Kalihi, proprietor of "Micah's Tinker Toy Store," stationed on the opposite side of the swap meet. Micah briefly pondered buying a flute, but settled on a colorful plastic train set that Harrison had priced at the fire sale rate of 25 cents.

Moments later, Micah was on the ground back at his own booth playing with the new train as his parents, Mike and Evelyn Barut, fielded questions from potential buyers for Micah's own colorful plastic toys. His mom conceded that the child was having a little difficulty grasping the concept of inventory reduction.

On the other hand, he did seem to be enjoying his train, she said.

"And it really was a great bargain," she said with a laugh.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.