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The Biggest And Best Toy Stores In NYC

Kidding Around
(Credit: Kidding Around/Facebook)

Toy stores aren't quite a thing of the past yet. While the closing of Toys"R"Us left us without the country's largest toy store chain, there are a number of other places to find toys your kids and their friends will love. In New York City you can find quite a few toy stores where you can find gifts for birthdays, holidays, or just because.

Here are our picks for the biggest and best toy stores in NYC.

FAO Schwarz

FAO Schwarz
Credit: BILGIN S. SASMAZ/ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY

767 5th Ave.
New York, NY 10153
faoschwarz.com

It was a sad day for toy lovers in 2015, when Toys"R"Us decided to shutter the original location of FAO Schwarz. Gone was the place where kids could play the Big Piano like Josh Baskin in Big. But stores that have been attracting kids since 1862 don't go away so easily. FAO Schwarz re-opened in late 2017 at a new location. Once again kids and adults alike can delight in the huge toy store and all it has to offer. And yes, you can still play the Big Piano.

The LEGO Store

A child plays with LEGO building blocks
(JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Multiple Locations
www.lego.com

Children have a creative imagination to build exciting things, and the LEGO Store is the perfect place to capture that creativity. With locations in Rockefeller Plaza and the Flatiron District, people will be amazed to see the elaborate LEGO sculptures on display, including the torch of the Statue of Liberty and of the Greek god Atlas. Whether you are a child or an adult, The LEGO Store makes everyone want to play with the famous building blocks.

Kidding Around

Kidding Around
(Credit: Kidding Around/Facebook)

Multiple Locations
www.KiddingAroundToys.com

As children step inside one of Kidding Around's multiple locations, they are transported into an emporium of toys and wonder. From stuffed animals to wooden train sets and dollhouses, there is an endless selection of toys that will make an ordinary trip to the toy store an unforgettable one. There is even a wooden model of the Staten Island Ferry, which is the perfect for any native.

The Children's General Store

The Children's General Store Logo 168 East 91st Street
New York, NY

Nestled in the Upper East Side is The Children's General Store, a quaint shop that blends vintage toys with chic and trendy new options for the tots. Currently under a renovation, The Children's General Store has reopened with an upgraded technology system that will enhance the imaginative experience for everyone. One of the many interesting toys that people will notice is the dollhouse of an Upper East Side townhouse -- a must have for any young New Yorker.

Dinosaur Hill

Dinosaur Hill - Interior Credit Dinosaur Hill
(Credit: Dinosaur Hill/Facebok)

306 East 9th Street
New York, NY 10003
www.DinosaurHill.com

Unleash your inner child at the East Village's Dinosaur Hill. Customers are amazed by their colorful and vibrant window displays, which is a precursor to what can be found inside. Filled with vintage toys and new favorites, children and adults are sure to fall in love with something in the store. Don't just keep your eyes on the shelves -- look up and you will see miniature hot air balloons, and marionettes hanging from the ceiling. Some of your childhood favorites will soon become your child's favorite new toy.

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Build-A-Bear Workshop Make-A-Wish Event In New York City
Guests attend the Build-A-Bear Workshop Make-A-Wish Event In New York City on February 6, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Build-a-Bear)

Multiple Locations
www.BuildABear.com

With a wide selection of stuffed animals to choose from, children are able to stuff, dress up and name their newly-stuffed pal. The selection of stuffed animals constantly changes and includes some of characters from popular movies and television shows, including Star Wars, Paw Patrol and Finding Dory.

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