Shopping season is here and there are so many places to shop! If you are shopping for toys this year why not check out one of your neighborhood toy stores instead of the big stores.
Shopping at your local toy stores are great for the community, plus it provides benefits to local store owners. You are helping to support your own community and the people that live there. Ever walk down town or walk through one of those walkable town centers? These are all local stores that need your support. I love finding unique and funky stores. They always seem to carry unique and unusual items not found at big department stores.
The 3rd annual Neighborhood Toy Store Day is Saturday, November 10th,. That’s this Saturday!
So where do you find your local toy stores? Check out www.yourneighborhoodtoystore.org to find a store near you. I just typed in my zip code and found 2 stores near me. I remember passing The Green Alligator. I will be making a stop in to check it out!
I received some toys from Astra, The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association to check out. I will donating some of these to Toys for Tots this year, as my kids have too many toys!
But we did check them out and I’d like to share them with you!
Puppet On A Stick is just that. The package includes three puppets named Kai, Lex and Fez. They remind me a bit of Monsters, Inc. You can make them move by either using the lever on the back the sick or pulling down on the ball on the end of the stick. This toy is geared for children 4 and up. These would be great for pretend play, puppet shows or great for a class play time. I love the simplicity of this particular toy. Just good ol imagination!!
Deluxe Build-A-Road by Kidoozie looks like an awesome toy! Be warned, there are over 240 pieces!! I try to avoid toys like this…just saying. There is 12 feet of interchangeable, flexible track, including a cool elevator. Also comes with two battery-operated cars. There are no tools required to put this together. It looks easy to play with too! Any young boy or girl would love playing with this. This toy is geared for children 3 and up.
Feed the Woozie won a Best Toy Award!! Oh my, this looks so fun!! Feed the Woozie has three levels. So this game can be played for ages 3-6. It grows as the child grows. The games comes with silly snacks that you flip into the Woozie’s mouth with a plastic spoon(provided). The snacks are super silly….fishy cupcake, fuzzy donut, hairy pickles!! Maybe I’ll have to keep this one…
OgoSport.RAQ. My son saw this and wants to give a try. I will let him and his friends try it and we will keep this toy. Basically it’s a hand trampoline for balls. Two big paddles with a trampoline like material and you pass the balls to each other. Now this is a gift probably for older kids, but there really is no age limit except for not appropriate for 0-3.
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I received the above toys through Childs Play. Opinions are my own.
I love unique toys for our kids. We have seen a lot of them over the years, but we try to balance them with things other kids have so the boys can talk to their friends about them too. All that social skills stuff autism families deal with.
I think Feed the Woozle is my favorite!
My son would be thrilled
I love the toys these smaller shops have
I’ve actually never heard of any of these toys but I am all for supporting local stores!
I like getting unique toys for my children as well.
Feed the Woozle looks fun!
Some of Sweet T’s favorite toys have been purchased locally. Love her wooden ones especially.
Yeah for support of local stores.
We love Feed the Woozle! 🙂
I knew before I checked there wasn’t a local store anywhere near me. 🙁 I do shop at several local shops that are targeted towards women, in my area though.
I’ve never heard of this store. They have such cute stuff!
The small stores seem to stock more interesting stuff.
I love smaller toy shops. Great and fun gift ideas 🙂