Acorn
http://www.acorntoyshop.com/
323 Atlantic Avenue
718-522-3760
Open Tu-Th:11-6, F:11-7, Sa:11-6, Su:12-6.
A Brooklyn toy shop featuring handcrafted toys, clothing (0-8), and select children’s furniture.

They have wonderful toys and handknit items- though at times I think the displays are too precious as is the selection of toys. A few of my friends would disagree and say that it is precisely its preciousness that makes it a delight.
-Karen

My favorite shop for kids things is a toss up between Acorn on Atlantic Ave- for all of their fantastic mobiles with fairies and butterflies- or Corduroy Kids on Vanderbilt Ave- they are so close and have wonderful items and a great staff. But if I had to choose one it would be Corduroy Kids since they are not as expensive as Acorn, and they have a fun selection of boys clothes (many eco-friendly lines) and the dresses for girls are amazing! Such funky fabrics and quirky cuts- I love looking at them even though I have 2 boys! They have toys, shoes, stroller items, books, furniture, blankets and more.
-Lena

Albee’s
715 Amsterdam Ave at 95th St
212-662-8902

American Museum of Natural History
http://www.amnhshop.com/
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY

My favorite in NYC is the Natural History Museum for books, science projects and small toys.
-Greta

We love the toy stores at the American Museum of Natural History, and also at the New York Hall of Science. My favorite place for kids books lately is the gardens store at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, great for all ages.
-Jae

Area Kids
http://www.areabrooklyn.com/
103 7th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-636-7235
Open M-Su:10:30-6:30.
Our largest store featuring a wide selection of cool baby & kid clothing and accessories from independent designers. Plus furniture, Bugaboo strollers, clothes, shoes, Ergo baby carriers, toys, dvd’s & books. Free yoga class with every $100 purchase.

Area Kids
http://www.areabrooklyn.com/
320 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
718-797-3699
Open M-Su:10:30-6:30.
Some of the cutest & coolest baby and kids clothes from an assortment of independent designers. Also the Ergo baby carrier and shoes for younger kids. We also carry the most unique toys in the neighborhood. Free yoga class with every $100 purchase.

Area Play
http://www.areabrooklyn.com/
331 Smith Street
718-624-2411
Open M-Su:10:30am-6:30pm.
A wide variety of fun items for ages 0-100. Specializing in wooden toys & items not available at your everyday toy store. Adults love to shop here for themselves as much as for kids! Come play today! Free yoga class with every $100 purchase.

Baby Central
mystrollers.com
2436 Mcdonald Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11223
1(877) 660-BABY
1(914) 461-4329
Mon – Thurs 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM Eastern Time, Friday 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday Closed, Sunday     Closed
Strollers, car seats, kids furniture and bedding, toys, clothing.

Brooklyn Baby World
http://www.brooklynbabyworld.com/
7302 15th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11228 (Bay Ridge)
tel:718-331-9498
Strollers,  clothing, car seats, etc.

Buy Buy Baby
270 7th Ave (btw. 25th and 26th)
New York, NY 10025
917-344-1555

Bumblez Sweet Surprise
320 Fifth Avenue
718-788-6899
Open M-Sa:10-6:30, Su:11-5.
Authorized dealer for Maclaren and Phil & Ted strollers,Infant and toddler clothes,Toys, Robeez shoes, novelty items, eating essentials, baby care products, potty training, Bjorn and ErgoBaby carrier, stroller accessories, Baby registry available.

Flying Squirrel
http://www.flyingsquirrelbaby.com/
96 N. 6th Street
718-218-7775
Open M-W:11-7, Th-Sa:11-8, Su:11-7.
Entertaining and useful new & used items for kids from inexpensive clothing in great condition to unique gifts including a wide selection of new and used books. Let your kids play while you shop!

Flying Squirrel is fun to poke around in. I can always find something in their resale area- especially a pair of shoes. The salespeople couldn’t be any friendlier. It is a great asset to Brooklyn- it is only 1 of 2 resale shops in the borough. They do sell new items and have quality ones at that.
-Karen

Half Pint, Inc
http://www.halfpintcitizens.com/
55 Washington Street (DUMBO)
Brooklyn, NY
718-875-4007
Ages 0-7. Hip clothing, wooden toys, furniture, music classes, special events.

Heights Kids
http://www.heightskids.com/
85-87 Pineapple Walk
718-222-4271
Mon-Fri:10-6:30, Sat:10-6, Sun:11-5.
Your source for specialty toys and baby items like car seats and stroller and backpacks.

The people working here are incredibly knowledgeable about strollers, car seats and major purchases. I wanted to try out a car seat in our mini cooper as I wasn’t sure what would fit in the car. One of the salesman lugged 2 car seats 3 blocks to my car to try them out. After figuring out which one worked, he installed it and gave me time to nurse, get organized and return to the store on my own time to pay for it. I have come back many times for their suggestions for toys, backpacks and feeding utensils. They know their stuff!
-Karen

Heights Kids on Pineapple Walk in the North Heights has the best service around. I always feel like they are quite responsive and honest. They have told me when the more expensive item is not the best. I never feel pushed to buy anything , its fine to just look, come back later etc. I even found a hard to find piece for a Stokke highchair that I found on the street. It was in perfect condition except for the $10 seatbelt which they had and took the time to even show me how to properly install. I’ve gotten tons of a stuff there both pricey and not and I like how they have two sections, one for younger babies and the other full of great toys for older kids.
-Cara

Kid-O
http://www.kidonyc.com/
123 W. 10th St
NY, NY 10011
tel: 212-366-5436
info@kidonyc.com
Mon-Sat 10-7, Sun 11-6
Wonderful selection of toys. They have montessori learning toys and tools also.

They have the great modern stuff you want.
-Beth

They have a lot of the simple, modern European toys.
-Gretchen

Kidding Around
www.kiddingaround.us
60 W 15th St # 1
New York, NY 10011-6809
(212) 645-6337

I always do most of my present shopping for kids at Kidding Around on 15th & 6th Ave in Manhattan. They have a program you can sign up for that puts every $ you spend toward a gift certificate once you’ve spent over a certain amount. They have the best selection of Playmobil, Lego & European toys; great arts & crafts; some clothes and cover all ages. They wrap presents for free as well!
-Christina

Kinderific
www.kinderific.com
368 Kingston Ave.
Brooklyn, NY   11213  ( Crown Heights)
718-484-0777
A family run business that sells educational toys, games, puzzles, pretend play etc.

LaLa Baby Land
7920 3rd ave (btw. 79th & 80th St)
Brooklyn, NY (Bay Ridge)
718 238 2533
Store hours 9am to 9pm weekdays and 10am to 8pm weekends.
They carry eating and drink utensils, nursing needs, formula, diapers, toys, baby proofing, tubs.

Lolli
http://www.lollishop.net/
169 Seventh Ave at 1st St
Brooklyn, NY (Park Slope)
718-788-2002
Open M-Sa:10:30-6, Su:11-5:30. M-F: 11-7, Sa:10-7, Sun:10-6
Good variety of strollers.

Lulu’s Cuts & Toys
48 Fifth Avenue
718-832-3732
Open M-F:10-7, Sa:10-6, Su:11-6.
Brooklyn’s #1 children’s hair salon + toy store. A neighborhood meeting place for kids of all ages to get a beautiful & stylish haircut. Shop our huge new location for the best selection of specialty toys.

Brigitte, the store owner, takes her time with you. She offers fantastic customer service and a small-town feel to her shop.  My favorite thing is to take Birch and watch the children getting their hair cut and blown dry. Birch is fascinated by this and the overall environment- which includes a children’s bench, Thomas the Train table with plenty of trains and a few demo bikes and toys.
-Karen

We enjoy Lulus for toys, puzzles, and haircuts. Lulus has a small play area with trains for kids.
-Greta

My favorite children’s store is Lulu’s. There is alsways an interesting variety of toys as well as an area for the kids to play while they’re done shopping.
-Nurit

Maclaren Showroom SoHo
150 Wooster
New York, NY
10012-3112
Tel: 212-677-2700
Walk-ins are welcome, no appointment necessary. The Soho center is a new sales service center that will do walk in repairs and have strollers on loan while they fix yours.

Mini Jake
http://www.minijake.com/
178 N. 9th Street (btw. Bedford Ave and Driggs)
Brooklyn, NY 11211 (Williamsburg)
718-782-2005
Modern furniture, toys, strollers, bags, & décor from all over the world to help make raising your kids a more manageable adventure.Stokke, Bugaboo, Maclaren, Skip Hop, Oeuf, Duc Duc, Argington, Haba, PlanToys and lots more. Open Tu-Sat:11am-7pm, Sun:11-6pm.

I think that there is a great selection of contemporary furniture here. Good, quality toys that are mainly European (except Melissa and Doug). Because this store is so huge, they can stock a lot of items and also have the showroom so that you can see a variety of manufacturers, styles and pieces. The owner, Dave, is friendly and knowledgeable about the companies and quality of the furniture.
-Karen

Modern Tots
53 Pearl Street
Brooklyn, NY (DUMBO)
718-488-8293
Contemporary furniture, clothes, strollers and toys. There is also plenty of room for kids to play.

The items here are mainly modern, cool and fun to peruse. I find them all on the more expensive side thought without a lot of middle choices. Though when they do have a sample sale (which they seem to have often), you can get great deals.  They have a nice selection of everything from artwork to rugs.
-Karen

I ordered a car seat from them 6 weeks ago and still haven’t received it.  They rarely answer their phone and if you leave a message, they don’t return it.  They blamed the supplier (Orbit) but when I called Orbit they told me that Modern Tots placed the wrong order and there should never be a 6 week wait for their products.  I asked Modern Tots to request Orbit to overnight the item since I’m leaving for a trip this weekend.  They never called Orbit to do so.  Then they told me they received a seat in a different color – when I asked if I could have that one instead, they said it wasn’t available.  I have a hard time believing someone has been waiting longer than me for a car seat.  It makes me so frustrated when I try to “buy local” instead of online and I receive this kind of service.  I can definitely tell you that I will never shop with them again.
-Dara

Olá baby
http://olababy.com/index.html
2 locations:

Carroll Gardens:
315 Court Street
718-422-1978
Open Tu-Sa:11-7, Su:12-6.

Bay Ridge store:
8511 3rd Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11209
718-745-1190

A baby specialty shop carrying the finest essentials for the smallest members of your family from nursery cribs, bedding, strollers, baby carriers, clothing, books, toys, nursing products, baby/mom care products & gifts.

I just visited this store for the first time and fell in love. They have great design products, plus very fairly (if not some of the best) prices for toys and nursing supplies.  The clothes selection was nicely priced and, though a small section, the clothes were trendy and quality.  They also have a comfy couch for nursing and a great table and selection of clean toys for children to play with. The video player wasn’t there when I was, but I understand they show a “tasteful” selection of kid’s videos. The changing table was clean and the bathroom induldgently huge! The staff knew their stuff and couldn’t have been friendlier.
-Karen

Romp
http://www.rompbklyn.com/
145 Fith Ave
718-230-4373
Open Tu-Th:11-7, F-Sa:11-8, Su:11-6.
Toys, gifts and furniture for modern kids. Well-designed, fun stuff for the nursery and beyond! This adorable shop is stocked with a selection of sophisticated toys, furnishings and clothing for modish parents and their trendy offspring.

Wonderful selection of toys- all my favorites are stocked here. It is a cramped, tiny space but full of delights.
-Karen

Still Hip
www.stillhipbrooklyn.com
moms@stillhipbrooklyn.com
283 Grand Ave (btw. Lafayette and Greene)
Brooklyn, NY (Clinton Hill)
718-398-0008
Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 6pm
Sunday 11am – 6pm
At Still Hip shoppers will find a wide variety of children’s clothing, gear (strollers and car seats), shoes, books, and toys, as well as great deals on maternity clothes for mom’s to be. But aside from a commitment to provide local parents with affordable quality items and live up to to the adage: “waste not want not” Still Hip helps connect local families by hosting classes in a fresh, friendly, open, and inviting atmosphere. The fall lineup includes: Music for Aardvarks, Private Picassos art classes, Let’s Dance Brooklyn, Sign-a-Song, Musica Para Mi, Music Together, and RoboFun.

The store feels fresh and bright with richly painted chocolate and blue walls and large light-filled windows.  There are shelves and racks full of great finds of second-hand items identified with cleverly designed labels. You wouldn’t guess this is a second-hand shop. Everything feels considered and lovely.  You can find shoes, hats, clothes, jackets, toys, books, crib bedding, strollers, slings, maternity and more. They have a play space where classes are held and when not thus occupied is a play space for children of shopping parents. I left Birch there while I looked around- and he couldn’t have been happier in the play space full of gleeful other toddlers banging away on drums and tapping on tambourines.
-Karen

Stork Store
580 Manhattan Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11222 (Williamsburg, Greenpoint)
718.360.1732
info@storkstorenyc.com
Hours:Monday-Friday 10AM-6:30PM  Saturday-Sunday 11AM-6PM
Stork Store is owned by Stephanie Watson-Campbell, a practicing doula. The Stork Store is a new Brooklyn based, full service  baby boutique offering products and support to families.  Stephanie offers  merchandise and toys chosen based on her years of experience as a birth and postpartum doula, lactation counselor and a childbirth educator.  As a new mother she is passionate about making sure the items she offers are safe, eco-friendly, and appealing to both children and their parents. The Stork Store also provides practical support in the form of childbirth education classes, doula services, and various parent and child activities as well as pre-natal yoga and post-natal Pilates. Her aim is to make the Stork Store a community resource.

The final resource I want to suggest, is both a store, the Stork Store http://www.storkstoreNYC.com and the owner of that store, Stephanie Watson-Campbell, a local doula, childbirth educator and lactation counselor. Stephanie said she realized that her neighborhood was in need of a cool, hip and comfortable place for support, supplies, and classes and she created the Stork Store, on Manhattan Avenue in Williamsburg, to fill that need. They carry a wide variety of products for pregnancy, labor, and postpartum including, baby carriers, breast pumps, nursing bras, birth pools, cloth diapers, cool toys, and much more. The store also runs several classes though out the week.  Some of them include a breastfeeding circle that takes place on Mondays, Mommy and Me tea on Tuesdays, music classes for all ages, childbirth education, cloth diaper and sling workshops (taught by me!), baby sign language, and more.
-Megan Davidson

Toy Space
426 Seventh Ave between 14th and 15th Sts
Park Slope
718-369-9096
Subway: F to Seventh Ave.
Owner-mom Louise Simon’s superpopular Slope spot carries everything from überhip Euro toys and puzzles to classic USA 1970s stuff. It’s also one of the few shops to boast a kid-birthday registry, which makes party shopping unusually painless.- Time Out Kids

This tiny jam-packed toy store has a variety of toys for all ages.  They had some unusual toys I hadn’t seen in other places. Their prices were fair and the salespeople helpful and able to deal with the many customers navigating the small space.
-Karen

Q Collection Junior
www.qcollectionjunior.com
info@qcollection.com
915 Broadway, Suite 1001
NY, NY   10010
212 529 1400
Most baby furniture and bedding are made with paint, glues, wood and cotton that give off toxic fumes and contain harmful chemicals.  Our materials don’t do either and are the only ones certified to ensure that your baby’s room will be free of indoor air pollution.Our furniture is hand made in the USA. That means we’re creating jobs for people right here at home. We use only biodegradable materials and packaging. And all of the wood for our furniture comes from within 150 miles of our factories. Using local wood helps protect our forests and climate by reducing our carbon footprint.