As much as the taste of a Werthers Original reminds me of being five years old, so does the memory…read moreof walking into the old fashioned toy shop around the corner from my house. The shelves were lined with simple tricks and toys to entertain even the most petulant or hard to please child. Zoom forward twenty years and a walk around the joyful Avon Models is always guaranteed to take me right back to my childhood. Tucked away in a corner of the indoor section of St Nicholas' Market, it would be all too easy to walk past this stall unnoticed, but I beg that you don't. Not just for kids, this is a great place to find stocking fillers and gag gifts. Whenever I look through their build-your-own kits, sets of dominoes and paint-by-numbers I am positively swept over by a wave of nostalgia. Not to sound too old before my time but if you have children, tear them away from their Wii's and iPod's and get them down to Avon Model's for true old fashioned fun!

The second The Entertainer in Bristol - find the original smaller store on the edge of Broadmead's…read moreshopping centre next to Boots. This one is bigger and feels like it is verging on Toys R Us territory - more plastic and brands than a feel that you are in an exiting toy shop. Staff are helpful at finding you things - understanding that I had no idea who Ben 10 was (but my nephew knew him very well - phew!) which is just as well as after a few circuits in here you tend to give up. Just not fun. Still, it is still better than Toys R Us.

I thought toy stores were supposed to be fun? This barn starts badly by herding you through a…read moreturnstile and narrow shelves before vomiting you out onto the main floor. Then it is all overpriced branded bits of plastic piled high. The toys are separated into girls (PINK!) and boys (way more exciting), and then you have to walk through the nauseatingly smelling baby section to get to the tills. Thankfully the staff were nice and the exit was clearly marked....

A great place to buy toys for the kids, but also great if your looking for a certain game, that out…read moreof stock in other shops. Helpfull staff, and fair prices, deifnitely a good place to get toys for christmas.

great toy store that usually has lots of good offers on.read more

If your looking for that extra special toy, the more handcrafted look, or something you know the…read moreother children wont have then this is a good place to visit. A good selection of ealy learning toys is one of the best features of this shop. Everything is just a little more personal in here, and it feels as if you are looking for a toy for a special birthday. For the little Brunels growing up in Bristol the craft toys will provide a great source of entertainment.

In a world full of plastic toys and computer gadgets Playfull Toyshop is the perfect antidote. This…read moreshop is probably not for everyday toys - but is great for presents or special occasions. Not knowing the first thing what it's like to be a child in the 21st century I'm incredibly grateful for the helpful staff at Playfull Toyshop who took a great deal of time helping me pick the ideal gift for my new Godson. These toys are long-lasting, and the prices reflect that, so make sure you choose wisely.

If someone sat me down with a series of cards with words on and I had the job of picking just two…read moreto form an awesome shop, I think "Eighties" and "Toyshop" would be my top composition, closely followed by "Disco" and "Cakes". I appreciate this place will only hold a small interest to the majority of people in Cardiff, but if you're a child of the 80s and resolutely deny the call to grow up that society places upon you, then this place is freaking ace-a-tron. So many memories are contained with its four dark walls. WWF figures, those tiny models of footballers with massive heads that rarely looked like the actual person, Simpson Figurines, Atari stuff, a Super Nintendo in the original Street Fighter II box that I received for Christmas when I was 9. There's a small section of girls toys, but really 80s Toy Shop is all about the boys. It's a tad pricey, but then this places saves you the time and effort of trawling eBay or trudging around boot sales. 80s Toy Shop is a must for any manboy between the ages of 21-40.

The 80's Toyshop actually stocks vintage collectible toys spanning the 70s, 80s and 90s, from…read moreAction Man figures and Star Wars ships to Ghostbusters memorabilia and even a fully restored Sinclair C5 Vehicle (although that will set you back £1,500!). Many of the products are boxed and in excellent condition, and when there is something incomplete the staff will point it out to you. Some of September's new products include a Mego Spiderman 12" play figure for the boys out there, or an Anastasia 'Fantasy in Paris' for the girls - then there's a Nintendo Nes Console for any retro gaming geeks, complete with controller and power supply! Although they run an online shop as well as their store in Canton, it's better to drop into the shop if you can because their online shop doesn't always show all of the latest stock (although they do update it regularly).

A delightful children's toy shop on a street lined with toy shops!…read more It doesn't take much imagination to guess what the toys are made of, and the wood they use is of the finest quality. Down to the Wood stocks everything from jigsaws to children's chairs so you're bound to find the perfect gift for the perfect little 'un. Given the quality of the items on sale, the toys here are relatively cheap and you'll be able to find a present to suit your budget. And for the grown ups there's also a limited range of household gifts, jewellery and kitchenware.

Hawkins Bazaar is in the Old Market Centre. It is next to a surf shop and Card Warehouse. This shop…read moresells all types of toys; new, old and not too expensive either. It is quite a large store. The staff are helpful. The small gifts they sell inside are good for party bags or just small gifts to give to people. They have some books at the back which are good. At the front of the shop they have interesting gadgets that are good to look at. All the products inside are good quality and very fun. I would recommend visiting this shop if you want a gag, a joke or a funny book for someone.

Hawkins Bazaar is situated in the centre of the Old Market Centre. It sells all types of toys but…read morespecialises in the retro and toys of the past! It is good size store, that always seems well stocked. The staff are friendly, knowledgable and very helpful. The smaller pocket money gifts are ideal for party bags/stocking fillers! I have found that some of the products are cheeper online but it's worth taking a look.

There are Toy Stores and then there are CHILD FRIENDLY Toy stores like this! Very good prices,…read morefrustratedly huge stock (so many choices and so little money) kindly staff helming an inviting store with a dozen small rooms of various toys. Loads of wooden toys and scientific games plus standbys like Elmer and Kidorable wellies/Macs. Kids can enjoy themselves here but buggies have to stay outside. Thankfully, as this is the Costwolds, it won't get nicked. Many toys are very inexpensive and with only about 45. I walked away with a huge haul of books, wooden toys, wellies and even plates and silverware.