7 NYC Toy Stores You Need to Visit This Season (And What to Buy!)

What's moving in Boerum Hill? Flying off the shelves in the East Village and the Upper West? Read on to find out!

By Yuliya Geikhman November 5, 2016

Sure, doing all of your holiday shopping on Amazon is convenient. You don’t have to leave home and you can find almost anything. But NYC’s full of fabulous indie kid shops, where they know what is truly hot this year. We spoke with the top toy stores around town to find out what items are flying off the shelves. Some are obvious — Pokemon trading cards, anyone?— others might not be on your radar. But all of them are sure to bring some cheer. Flip through to discover what the cool kids are getting this season.

Kidding Around: Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty

Let’s face it: No one wants to spend the holiday season on long checkout lines at big box stores. Wouldn’t it be great if you could magically get it all done during your evening commute? Kidding Around, a shop nestled inside Grand Central Terminal, lets you do just that. The staff is committed to sparking your little one’s creativity through imaginative games and toys. Some of their favorites include the Anywhere Art Studio and the Big Bag of Science, perfect for your future chemist.

What’s one of the shop’s top sellers this year? Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty has been a hit. The shop carries several different styles of the goo, including glow-in-the-dark, ectoplasm, heat-sensitive, magnetic and liquid glass. It makes a great stocking stuffer and doesn’t break the bank.

Kidding Around
107 E 42nd St
Midtown East
212-972-8697
Online: kiddingaroundtoys.com

photo: Chelsea V. via Yelp

What toy is all the rage at your local store? Tell us in the comments below!

–Michelle McIvor Cohen