Toys 'R' Us is gone and many people do their toy shopping online, but as a child there's nothing quite like stepping into a store filled with wall to wall toys. While there may be less big name stores around Adelaide, there are still plenty of smaller independent stores with toys that are both fun and often educational too. Here are a few great options around town, but we want to know which toy shops are your favourites.
Kidstuff have five stores around Adelaide in Norwood, Hyde Park, Westfield Marion, Tea Tree Plaza, and Harbour Town. With so many locations they easy to track down if you're after a special gift or just a new toy. Their range includes soft toys, dolls and dollhouses, outdoor activities and more. The stores have the feel of an old style toy store and they're always worth checking out if you're nearby.
The Lighthouse Toy Shop is a boutique toy store down at Port Adelaide. Full of fun and whimsy, the store stocks popular brands like the rainbow delights of Grimm's wooden toys or Schleich figurines. They also have a good selection of science experiments and activities for older kids, and a great range of books, dolls and more.
Imagine If... aims to harness imagination and have kids experimenting, building, moving and more. They have a large collection of board games that families can play together, there's also educational toys and plenty of things to build. They have stores at Mitcham and Burnside.
Perhaps you actually prefer buying toys from local crafters and find the best ones at markets around Adelaide. Or maybe you like a nostalgic trip up to Gumeracha where you can climb the giant rocking horse after browsing through the toy store. We'd love to hear the toy shops that delight your kids the most.