Holiday time and this Nana with 4 grandkids wants to know what are the hot toys and what gifts would delight the kids?. Thank goodness for this local retailer - I have tried the big box stores as well as Amazon for many many things . But toys are different - how do you really know if it's a winner ? Certainly no sales people in the aisles at these big box stores to assist or give personal recommendations. So hats off to Learning Express - sales people are exceptional and the prices are reasonable. Shop their great sales - shop local. Support small business. I am glad I do- and so are my grandkids! read more

Local chain/franchise that specializes in active playthings and educational toys. The stores have a good variety of stuff. Three stars for variety and quantity. My issues with the stores are the unpleasant staff and the return policy. The return policy: If you have a receipt and the item is unopened, is straightforward. If you have opened the box and the item does not have a manufacturer defect, then they will not accept the item back. Opening the item makes it unable to be resold. Only with a manufacturer defect will they take an open item back for a refund. So, if your child does not like the toy or you just are not happy with your choice, you are out of luck. I hate to say it, do your research and purchase the item somewhere that has a less restrictive return policy even if slightly more expensive. Not having the hassle of dealing with The Learning Express will be worth it in the end. read more

Great at First. They don't stand by their customers. i have gone to this location about 12 times. I had good experiences obviously so I don't want to overstate this but my last experience was so upsetting that I will not be going back. We purchased a battery operated lamp. we found that it ran through batteries within one use (no auto off switch so when the kids turn it on and forget it, bingo, batteries are drained). I wanted to get credit for the purchase since we were not happy with it at all. I understand that the owner is a franchisee and budgets might be tight but there was no effort work with me at all. when i brought up the very real shortcomings of this light i was told, "That is why we warn each person that the batteries run out quickly when they purchase the light". My wife bought the light and says that no one told her this or else she certainly would not have purhased it. Here is my larger point though. WHY ARE YOU STILL SELLING THAT LIGHT? The owner (i think it was the owner, not sure but I have spoken to her a few times in past at that location) knew exactly why I was bringing the toy light back before I even opened my mouth. Obviously others have been bringing it back too. Why not offer me store credit? Frankly i was prepared for that or even a partial refund so that we could purchase the more expensive version which is a plug in light. I just wanted to feel supported and that the store took my satisfaction seriously. instead i got the, "Sorry, there is nothing we can do. it is working as intended." Caveat Emptor. I loved this place for kids presents at Christmas and for all the kid parties my kids go to. They wrapped the gifts which was great. I really was willing to pay more to support this place and get quality service. If i am not going to get the personalized consideration then why bother? I will not be back. read more

Ugh... I wanted to like this place. As I walk into a smaller than imagined plaza store... They have an okay selection. And as my kids ran around in amazement, serotonin bursting, asking me if they can have this and that... looking at the prices hurt my heart. Everything is FULL sale price. You can literally buy these items on Amazon or Walmart for WAY less than half the price. You know how books have a crazy expensive price on the back near the barcode?!... yea.. that's what you pay! Stick to Scholastic for that one. Take your kids to Target to let them run around and see toys and possibly not pay crazy amounts of money... or better yet... to keep some money in your pocket.. order on Amazon... these people are ripping you off and they know it. read more

I gave this store a try as we were grocery shopping in the same plaza. Employee that "greeted" us was very rude. She had an "I'm better than you" attitude and didn't want to help us. After this experience I can understand why the store is always empty and looks closed. read more

My go to place to buy gifts for kids. The staff is always so polite and helpful. I love the complimentary gift wrapping and the ease of gift return. I highly recommend this location. read more

I have been going to this store for over a decade now. It is so nice to have a locally owned children's toy store! This store is one of very few small businesses in our area that you will Cater to your needs. The owner is very on top of what the current hot items are and every time I think my children may be aging out of this store she brings something new to the store that they just have to have! It's unfortunate that some guests have left poor reviews about service and pricing. The service at the store is exceptional and I have come to know many of the employees because of their pleasantries and willingness to help find the perfect gift! As far as the pricing goes I believe it is fair. If you want to buy a quality item that will engage your children for hours then yes sometimes you may be paying a little more than what you would pay at a big box store. However, there is no customer service at a big box store that can compare to a locally owned business. If you're looking for a rewards program be sure to ask about the VIP card that you can fill up and then be rewarded with FREE money to shop in store. Additionally, I went in today to grab some items for Christmas and was pleasantly surprised that it was 20% off this week! Woo hoo! I will be back again and again until my kids move out I guess! read more

This is the cutest store. I went in to get a birthday present for my little cousin and I have NO IDEA what little boys like. I told the woman behind the cashier his age and she asked me a couple of questions. They had this neat thing where marbles go around a track. When he opened it his eyes lit up and it was definitely more cool than the presents everyone else got him from like Target or whatever :) They have a ton of stuff here and the employees are super friendly. If you're looking for a unique or fun present for a kid I would stop here first. read more

This is my beloved store. I have shopped at The Learning Express for 15 years and have LOVED their commitment to product, customer satisfaction and finding toys that really excite the children. I ONLY buy my toys and birthday gifts for other families from Learning Express. I have never had to return a product for being poor quality, recall or any other reason. I often go in with no clue what to buy and come out with the perfect gift. I also love the fact that they are not trying to sell me the most expensive item either. There is a wonderful range of fun items for every budget. I love the staff, they are beyond helpful, kind and extremely knowledgeable. I feel like they know my children too, and even though my oldest is past the "toy" stage, they remember us all. I one request...get more toys for adults so I can come in more lol! Thank You Learning Express Toys of Franklin for allowing my children to grow with incredible toys that I have had just as much fun playing with as they have had. Some I have packed up and put away for any future grandchildren...now that is saying something to the quality! The Johnston-Manby family love you all xx read more

This Learning Express is really just ok. Nothing too great. Whenever I get a coupon in the mail from Learning Express I'm confused. Why? It normally says "this coupon is only valid at: blah, blah, blah, and blah". Why would Learning Express only allow a coupon at just a few of their stores? Why not make it company wide. Today, I found out that Learning Express is a franchise company (meaning that each are independently owned, some being owned by the same person). I was looking for a few gifts I have purchased before in the Needham Learning Express (as I live closer to that location). To my knowledge, I would have been able to come to the Franklin Learning Express and found the same variety of that in the Needham store, as I was going to be in the area. When walking in, I found the Franklin location to be much different than Needham. It's definitely smaller, and caters much more to babies. They didn't have any of the products I was looking for (and suggested I stop in Olympia next door (which was a nightmare, but that's another story for another day), and for that matter, didn't really have that much of anything unless it was baby. Yes, the had the typical board games, and a few specialty items, but not like the Needham & Newton locations did, during my past experiences to those stores. Even though the lady working was friendly, and the location of this is more appealing (I would always rather go somewhere where I can get multiple things done in the same time, rather than driving all around to do them), I don't think I'll be coming back to the Franklin Learning Express. 2 stars. read more

This is a cute little toy and activity store for kids of all ages. I like to buy birthday gifts here because they have free gift wrapping and easy returns (because let's face it, parents usually don't want all the toys we buy their kids ). They have a great selection and a helpful staff. Many times prices are cheaper than amazon too! read more

I wanted to say that learning express is a very friendly and fun place to shop for all ages of children! It is nice having a small local store who cares for there customers and has fun toys for the kids to play with while you shop around. I have been to the other learning express stores in Natick and Needham and Franklin is very friendly and helps out! Also they wrap the toys for you with no charge and always help if I am in a bind and can't find the perfect gift. I would recommend shopping there! read more

One of my favorite toy stores! There is truly something for everyone here. I was shopping for a gift for my 5 year old nephew yesterday and found myself distracted with all of the new toys - and I was just in a week ago! I chatted with another adult in the store and we both found that we sometimes treat ourselves there with all of the fun coloring items, desk toys (great for an office gift!) and more. Some of my favorite birthday gifts came from Learning Express last year - the coloring books, gel pens, and thinking putty. This is my go-to for every birthday party - and between my 7 and 8 year old it feels like we attend one a week - and I get most of my Christmas shopping done as well, and lots of fun trinkets for Easter baskets and other holidays! There are toys out to try in every corner, so the kids can have some fun while you check out what is new. Another hidden gem at Learning Express is the activities they offer for kids. Check out their calendar (they will send email updates, or check their facebook page) and throughout each month kids can come in for story time, an activity - or my kids' favorite - the trading. Shopkins, football stickers, hockey stickers and more.... such a great idea to have a central place for kids to meet up and interact with each other. But the best part is the staff. I can walk in and say "I need something for a 7 year boy who has everything already because he has an older brother, and loves building" and they will lead me to a number of new and innovative toys, as well as some really fun classics (who remembers Simon?). After narrowing it down to the perfect gift, they will even wrap in their signature paper. It doesn't get much easier than that! If you haven't stopped in recently - check it out! If you have been, pop in again to see what's new! read more

To keep it short and simple - having shopped at this store for many years and after spending thousands of dollars on gifts for our own children as well as gifts for others, it is so disappointing to write that the one time we needed a level of customer service beyond swiping my credit card, they couldn't have handled it any worst. Given that their prices are above suggested retail and poor customer service, we will not be returning to the store. There are too many other small business that value their customers, I'll take my money and recommendations there. read more

I absolutely love this store. Learning Express in Franklin is one of my favorite local businesses. The newest location is the perfect spot. It is always immaculately clean and they always have great sample games and toys on display. One of my favorite things about this toy store is the staff. Every single staff member is extremely friendly but also very knowledgeable about the inventory and all the great products they have to offer. Anytime I need a birthday gift for one of my child's friends, I always go here and leave with the perfect gift thanks to amazing recommendations from the staff. The staff always goes out of their way to spend as much time as necessary to help every customer. I have come to know most of them and they have gotten to know me and all of those that I buy for. They offer free wrapping for all of their products which is a huge help and time saver. They will personalize many of their items to create that extra special gift. The rewards program there is tremendous - just a simple card to track your purchases and when you fill it up they take the average of what you have spent and you get that amount in free $$ to spend at the store. This Learning Express has toys for all ages - whether it be games, crafts, books, art activities, science and nature exploration activities, stuffed animals, decorations for rooms, collectibles, the list goes on. The store is neatly organized and easy to explore and navigate to find what you are looking for. They have an incredible selection of outdoor games and activities as well. They are always getting new and exciting things and are often the first to have some of the most popular trending toys and items. The communication from this store is also great and includes frequent newsletters and emails offering their latest promotions. They constantly send coupons and have great storewide sales. They also have lots of great activities at the store for children of all ages like sports sticker trading, story times, arts and crafts activities and much more. I cannot say enough about how much my whole family enjoys and benefits from this store. If you ever need a gift and just can't decide what to get I highly recommend stopping in this great local toy store!! You will surely not be disappointed. read more