I cannot love this store any more than I already do!! It's nostalgic collection of toys mixed with luxe baby gifts and a touch of current trends, there is truly something for every kid on the list!! Such a lovely place!! The gal that works days there is so friendly and welcoming!! Such a positive experience ALWAYS!!! read more

A great neighborhood toy store. A small toy store, but has a lot of different options for children of all ages. They have children's books, toys for infants, toddlers and older kids. What really impressed me was the fact that they had train sets. A lot of big retailers don't carry these train sets. I have had to resort ordering train sets on Amazon. I bought my daughter a few pieces to add to her train set and a doll that she wanted . The staff was very friendly and helpful. The price of the toys were not overpriced. If anything they were on par or even cheaper than what you can get on Amazon. read more

See all

Went here to get a few gifts for a 3 year old's birthday party. I love that they do complimentary gift wrapping. I didn't realize they had multiple locations and I realized I had been to their Andersonville one before as well. I ended up getting a few toys and a mo Williams book for our house. I was able to find unique books and toys I had never seen before. These lumi blocks that light up in water have been a huge hit. . Will definitely be back and happy to support a local business! read more

I was visiting for work and wanted to stop by to grab a few things for my nephews. Being from out of town and not knowing the traffic patterns, I was running out of time and was scared of not making it in time again (missed out on my last trip). I gave Play a call to let them know I was going to be there 5 minutes before closing and explained the situation. Emily was the sweetest and went above and beyond with helping me find just what I needed and wrapped everything up so I could just pay when I arrived. She texted me various options and if they didn't have an item in stock, provided wonderful recs. Not only did Emily go above and beyond with me but when another customer came in last minute she was all smiles and attentive with them. I will be coming back to grab my Nephews more things from Play! read more

Play - Wrapped goodies for my nephews - Toy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good toy selection for small children. Fewer game selections for teens and adults. The last two times I went, there was a "we'll be right back (in 20 minutes)" sign on the door. Especially frustrating on this 20 degree day! read more

Exceptional quality of service, toys, books and more!!! I was in town a few weeks ago checking out our future home and decided to stop in as we made our way through Logan Square's many, many local businesses. The store is bright and well-curated, with unique wooden toys, traditional big name brands and local products, from new borns to middle school. The store associate was incredibly helpful and wrapped my gifts in beautiful gift wrap and even accented it with a nice colorful bow. Ditch the chains and shop at this wonderful local establishment, which also has locations in the West Loop, Lincoln Park and Andersonville. read more

Play - Play has a large selection of toys of all genders and ages, from plush stuffed animals to full play sets. - Toy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great selection of books and toys for many age ranges. Staff was incredibly helpful. This is my new place for gifts for my little grandchildren. read more

It's my niece's birthday tomorrow and I haven't bought any gifts yet so I decided to come here yesterday. It's also my free time yesterday. There are few customers inside. I look at the best gifts that I will buy. Since he loves cars, I decided to buy a toy car. There are different kinds and sizes of cars. The big car was so cool. It was pure black and perfect to display in his room. I asked the staff what the price was and I was surprised since it was pricey. But based on the quality of the car it was totally lit. It was heavy and good to play. I paid for it at the counter and they put it in a nice bag since it was in a box. U highly recommend this store. read more

Excellent selection of toys for babies to older kids. Some educational products as well. Huge selection of Calico Critters! Great selection of stuffies! Friendly, knowledgeable staff ready to assist you in getting the right items for your kiddos or for party gifts! read more

This toy store is so much fun to spend time in. I try to buy all the gifts for the kids in my life here. A lot of unique finds with a good mix of educational toys and free gift wrapping! read more

Play is a cute little store chock full of braniac games, board books, puzzles, and knick knacks for kids of all ages! Need a shower or birthday gift idea? This place will have it. I can't wait to visit again w/my son and ask him which of the Star Wars trivia books he'd like to Geek out with. Or which of the puzzlers he'd like to tackle. Or which kite he'd like to fly (go fly a kite!). They've got the Lego architectural wonders like the John Hancock Tower and White House. It's my goal to buy all of these for my son and then to check them off with a visit. Play is a welcome addition to the New Square! read more

I'm in love with this toy store! You can circle and circle and circle the place and still find new stuff each time. They have all kinds of brands, but you won't find any cheapo toys here and some of them are even organic or all natural toys. They have a HUGE selection of books as well. They don't have too much in terms of infant or small baby selection, but you can find anything 6+ months. The prices are a little on the expensive side, but that's to be expected. read more

Play - Toy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I remember before daughter was born I would go into this store and think to myself I would never buy anything in this store because of the prices. Now fast forward to having a child and I am buying something almost very week. The prices may be a little higher than big box toy stores but the quality and craftsmanship of the toys is superior to anything you would find in a chain toy store. My daughter also goes to story time twice a week (Tuesdays and Thirsdays) and she loves it. In the summer they host it outside in the grass which is awesome. The people that work there are so nice and knowledgeable about their products. Our daughter loves Stacy and gets a big smile every time she sees her. The store is packed with toys, books, stuffed animals, and every type of toy for all ages of kids. Parking is street but there is free parking on the boulevard side of the store. It's a great little neighborhood store. read more

This is my favorite children's toy store in the city of Chicago. I stop here almost every Sunday in the summer with my two year old on my way to the Farmers market in Logan Square. Having Play close by means my daughter is always excited to go to the farmers market, because she know she gets to stop here for a bit. So obviously the Toy selection is good, but more importantly the staff is super friendly (they have opened early for me), they don't mind kids making a complete mess of the place (my daughter likes to pretend to buy things by taking stuff up to the counter), and they do a very nice job gift wrapping. Play is not overwhleming like Toy'R'Us (god bless my grandparents for having the patience to take me there as a child) so they don't have everything, but they do have a really nice selection, and i'd rather support an independent store like this than some mega brand any day. read more

Ran in to grab a last minute gift for my niece and WOW, this place is great! The owner (or whoever was behind the counter) was very helpful and I even found a few things for myself. We're really lucky to have this store in our neighborhood. read more

I had a great time here browsing with my two young boys. The owners understand kids want to touch and play, many toys have a demonstration set out for just that reason. They are stress free which is appreciated when shopping with kiddos. Come here to see what you want in real life AND BUY FROM HERE to keep them in business. Story time was an adorable bonus although a little too crowded for comfort. Great shop, let's keep them open. read more

See all

Next week will be my little brother's birthday. He was so excited to have a lot of gifts and toys. Since I had no work yesterday I decided to come here. I just found out about this place when I was driving when I found this store. When I enter I can see a lot of toys in here and also some art and school supplies. At first I did not know what to buy. Then some suit grabs my attention. It was an astronaut suit. It was cool and pretty cool. The fabric was comfy. It's a little bit expensive but it's worth the price since I'm sure my little brother will be so happy with this. I chose a red color and I paid for it at the counter. I'm so excited to see his reaction. And also I'm so happy that I found this store. read more

I went here to buy my son new toys. When I came here there were few people inside. The place was big and spacious. They have a different variety of toys. You can choose anything you find and you can find toys easily since they have so many good toys. I choose to buy a robot, dinosaur and a car. I went to the counter and paid for it. When I'm at home I do it first before giving it to my son. One of my problems with their products is their fragrance. The smell of plastic is not removed from the toys. So I only gave cars and robots since the smell was removed. He enjoys playing with toys. I only gave 4 stars to this store. read more

We have a mini party for the family. Many kids are in our family. We came here to buy a lot of toys. We will wrap it and game to them and also as a piece for the games. We have a lot of games to do. For the adults we bought some kitchen furniture. We choose to buy books and school supplies, stuffed toys, robots, Barbie and many more. Staff help me in choosing what we pick. They give me a huge discount. They are happy since we bought many. They pit in the huge plastic. They have a different plastic in every toy, baby and book .They even help us to put it in our car in an organized way. Their customer service was great as well as the product. read more

This is the greatest toy store I have ever been in and I'm a 24 year old female with no kids or younger siblings. I walk past this store almost everyday and finally went in and it did not disappoint. From whimsical decor to larger than life stuffed animals, there is truly something for everyone. The owner was friendly and did not pressure us to purchase anything and let us enjoy the entire store. This is the absolute best store for children's gifts and maybe even an adult who's a kid at heart. Will be returning to relive my childhood! read more

Play - Crib full of adorable stuffed animals - Toy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was trying to look for a toy store that is not too commercialized as toys r us and such. I just checked on yelped as I was by Logan Square and saw this shop, "Play". Looked interesting to check, so I went. I was thinking it will be a quick visit but I ended up staying longer and that is not because I am having a hard time looking for a kids gift but because this shop has a lot of educational, wide variety of toys, books, trinkets for infants to big kids (i consider myself a big kid lol) that I enjoyed browsing around. Good quality items at reasonable prices that I feel are better items for kids to have. As an expectant mom, I'm definitely having my husband visit this shop with me for my little peanut's "needs" ("wink"). read more

Play - Toy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Absolutely brilliant. A GrEaT range of educational, creative and enriching gifts - babies to 10 years old. Lots of empowering gifts for girls (engineering sets and female heroes) and beautiful books. The free gift wrapping is impeccable. Thank you! read more

You have to make time to browse here, because even though the shop is on the small side, it is full of a wonderful selection of games, toys and books. The selection is very thoughtful and great quality. These toys aren't for scrap. There are educational toys and toys that foster imaginative play. There are games, science kits, craft kids, lego. There are books for babies, toddlers and the learning-to-read set. I particularly love the intro-to-classics series and Chicago-themed story books. It's all too easy to go hi-tech when it comes to kid's toys. And I appreciate that Play keeps it simple but doesn't skimp on quality. Our last visit, I bought some travel-bingo cards (totally retro!) for my son to play while on car trips and he just loved it. We decided to get some for his cousins too. That being said, this is a great stop if you need a birthday or baby shower gift. We love Play! read more

Honestly, I'm tired of showing up at kids birthday parties with the same Target toys as the other 87 kids at the party. So when one of the dealsites gave me a $10 discount, I think, I jumped on the opportunity to try this new space. I was impressed and I'll be back. This place had a ton of really interesting stuff - the place was packed with toys, books, games...and thankfully, mostly different from Target! Some of the smaller toy shops seem really super pricey but Play had items that ran the full price gamut and I didn't think any of the prices were unreasonable. In general, the toys were for the 8 and under set, but some of the Science Kits (they had two full shelves of stuff!) were for a bit older. True true, I do like supporting local businesses, but certainly only if they do a good job. And Play does. read more

Great little store with a thoughtful selection of toys and educational items.

I am not a parent, not a nanny, or even a babysitter. I often find myself wondering what I am supposed to do with or say to kids when I encounter them... I can smile and wave at tots or googoogaga at infants or ask a grade schooler what their favorite subject is but when more than 5 minutes passes I find myself a little lost. However, I recently found myself 15 minutes in to watching a friend's 6 year old and having a great time. I walked him over to Play and we hopped around the whole store touching and playing with everything. It is a small store but it is PACKED with cool toys I would love to get any future child of mine. Thoughtful but fun toys, environmentally friendly toys, for all ages, and interests (music, animals, reading, games, building block stuff, drawing/painting etc.). And a million little things for under $10 bucks which I imagine would be good for if I knew 20 of his classmates. I found stuff I wanted for me! The owner was playing good adult (but kid friendly) music, as opposed to the itsy-bitsy spider, which I'm sure Logan Square's parent population is grateful for, and when we left, she told the little guy to say hi to his mom - which means she keeps track of her regulars - always a great trait in a store owner. You're not going to get that at Toys 'r' Us. all in all - go there, even if you don't know anyone under the age of 25, you'll find something cool. read more

Never feels like a mad house. Although, it is like walking through the mind of a child. It's super tiny and there's two entrances. It's a perfect toy store; it's what a toy store is supposed to be. If you're giving the toys as a gift they wrap your toys. Well. They wrap your toys very well. Matter of fact don't wrap the toys yourself; they'll do a better job than you, guaranteed. Extremely helpful staff. Every time I've been here, the staff is chatty and wants to help. And every time they do attempt to help out, they basically make the right decision for me. Every. Time. Their staff are the mechanics and plumbers of the toy world; instead of fixing transmissions and pipes they affixing children's attention to entertaining and educational toys. They have a perfect selection of toys. It's like an elite academy of toy; the books and the stuffed animals and the puzzles. They have little gidgets and gazzmos for the curious little tinkering mind. They provide toys that you would imagine toys would look like in some sort of toy fantasy world. The place is setup like a play room for both adults and children; you can't walk more than two feet without going oh this is cool oh sweet look at this little stick puppet thing oh hey what is this lil stuffed creature oh ha hey check this book out its hilarious dang this is "cute" I never use that word "cute" but I do now because look at these "cute" little building blocks etc. You have to be a heartless monster to give this amazing toy store anything less than 5 stars. read more

This is a fabulous, independent toy store! I might not be a parent, but I am a speech-language pathologist and an aunt who often needs toys for work or the best nephew in the world. I've also purchased several gifts for my friends' children. The set up of the store is well organized and not overwhelming. They have a good selection of well made, educational toys from around the world. By educational, I do not mean toys that have lots of buttons to push that say letters. These, in my opinion do not offer as much educational value as toys that encourage pretend play! Pretend play is an essential skill for children to develop. The "quiet" toys available at Play will get you child off on the right foot. The prices are reasonable for the quality of the toys. They have toys available for infants through pre teens. There's a great selection of wind-up toys. They offer free gift wrapping. When buying toys for my friends' kiddos between the ages of 2/3 and 5 I like to buy a couple of wind-up toys and have them tie them to the package. read more

My son goes ape when he's in the store. The toys, the other kids, his "hellos" and "goodbyes" to every passing human. The location is superb, so you end up running into someone you know almost every time. And rarely does one walk out empty-handed. read more

I seriously could not be any more excited about Play. I had checked it out back when it opened a few months ago, but did more of a casual look - it was nice out, the farmers market was going on, the place was crazy packed and oh, I didn't need to buy any gifts. Still, I liked what I saw. Flash forward to a few weeks before Christmas when I need both birthday and Christmas gifts for the littles in my life. I stopped in during a snowstorm so it was pretty empty, and I got the owner all to myself. I told her the ages of the kids I was buying for, some of their interests, and within about 20 minutes, I had 8 gifts selected and ready to ring up. Not only do I love that I'm buying from a local business, but I also like that they have really great products - a lot are educational (but still fun) and brands that I feel good about buying as well. And while the store may look small at first glance, it is PACKED with great stuff at a variety of price points. Bonus - they offer free gift wrapping! Play, you've won yourself a regular customer! read more

What a cute little toy store! We stopped in after brunch one morning to browse for my 18mo. nephew. He's SO into trucks these days. They have a great variety of things- books, little kid stuff, big kid stuff- all quality and engaging things. I noticed they have storytime too; LOVE that trend! Wish I could bring the little nephew with me and go sometime! read more

Play is such a fun store for both adults and kids! I'm always somehow surprised how they manage to fit so much merchandise and fun toys inside a small space. Some of my favorite parts of the store are: 1) A great make-believe section with princess hats, fake food, doctors sets, and fireman hats, etc. 2) Board games! Classic games along with new favorites 3) Outdoor games and toys--they stock these seasonally so you don't look at sand castle toys in February 4) Ride-on tricycles, bikes, etc. These get worked with kids coming in and out of the store. 5) BOOKS! There's even a chair so you can sit down and read a few to your little friends. The selection here is great--"Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus", and the "Tickle Monster Book" with tickle gloves are some of my favorite gifts. There's also lots of fun nick knack throughout the store, so you can pick up a small gift or treat if you're out and about in the square with a kid who's been super well-behaved during brunch. :-) A quick word of caution though: this is a small store, with LOTS of things in it--I made the mistake of coming in here once with a two year old, a backpack, and shopping bag, and it was just a little stressful to not knock over displays, and boxes while looking around. You and your guests will feel a lot more comfortable if you shop with minimal "extras". Now, go PLAY! read more

When I thought it was impossible to find magic markers, they came to my rescue. This store is absolutely adorable. She even offered to wrap the magic markers. Great costumer service, will be back if I ever need anything else from cute toy store. read more

Play - How cute is this wrapping! - Toy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I absolutely adore this new store and its owner. Although I don't have kids of my own, my husband and I have 11 nieces and nephews, as well as countless little cousins and lots of friends' kids in our lives. When I saw that this store was opening up so close to us in Logan Square, I was cautiously optimistic... as it turns out, it greatly exceeded expectations. It's amazing how much of a range of offerings and price points there is -- absolutely a cinch to find just the right gift for just the right kid, at the right cost. They even have gifts that are more oriented to the parent, and things I've eyed for some of my adult friends who are children at heart. Plus, there's a whole section of environmentally-responsible gifts that help kids "go green". I've been in there three times now, and each time, Ann has been extremely helpful, guiding me to the perfect solution. Furthermore, the gift wrapping has been beautiful! I look forward to stopping into the shop regularly, and am so glad to have this business in our neighborhood. read more

This is my families goto spot for b-day gifts. The have superb customer service, fantastic wrapping ability and unique gifts for the kids. they are also super patient with all the kids playing in the store. shop local read more

Cutest toy store in the entire world!! The store is so cute and they give great recommendations when it comes to gifts. Not to mention the gift wrapping is perfect! read more

Fantastic neighborhood toy store! A true gem. Play has a perfectly curated selection of books and toys. They carry a number of high quality educational brands my toddler and I love, including Schleich, Hape, Janod, and Green Toys. (Read: no batteries needed to have fun!) I also enjoy Play's many events, especially Tuesday morning storytime. Miss Kate does a wonderful job entertaining the little ones. read more

Well, I want to like this place because I buy toys, they have some nice toys, and supporting local (non-corporate) business is definitely cool to do. However, the first time I went in there one of the owners went out of her way to examine and discuss an ugly crocheted baby blanket on my stroller, clearly curious as to whether perhaps I shoplifted something and placed it under it. OK, so I will give her the benefit of the doubt, I had worn exercise clothes on and the blanket may have look suspicious, maybe I didn't look "rich" enough for her to trust me. Unfortunately this mistrust happened again today on my second visit there. I used my debit card to purchase a few things and the owner asked to see my photo ID then commented on how the photo didn't resemble me. Seriously, again??? I do not appreciate being treated like a thug while buying toys for my baby. Who the hell does this woman think she is treating her paying customers like crooks? I would have spent ton of money in this store, but after being scrutinized by the owners twice now, I will never set foot in there again. Two stars for nice toys. read more

Adorable, well-curated local toy store! They can help you if you don't know what you're doing buying kid-gifts. I was looking for a gift for a doctor who teaches me every week after he and his wife had a baby! Buying baby gifts was new territory for me. After an extensive online search I still had zero ideas for a cute, thoughtful, non-extravagant gift for a boss's new baby. Luckily, on my way home from studying at New Wave (right next door) I noticed this place and decided to pop in. The salespeople were incredibly helping in showing me different options for the baby's developmental stage in my price range. I ended up picking out a couple of baby books based on classic works of literature (including an adorable "anatomy primer" based on Frankenstein!!). They wrapped up the gift beautifully. This will stay on my radar for any further purchases for the under-12 set. read more

CUTE STORE!!! I went to Play for the first time yesterday with my 11 month old daughter, and I was so impressed! Great toys for a wide range of ages (I feel weird even saying "toys" because the things they have are just so cool and discovery-driven). The girl who was working was so friendly and energetic. I love when someone offers me help, but doesn't push it on me. We chatted as I browsed, and she encouraged me to let my kiddo get down and explore the store. I went in looking for a baby shower gift, which she beautifully gift wrapped for me...for free...and also picked up a couple of things for my daughter. Great selection of gorgeous wooden toys, Haba plastic toys, and a ton of unique board books! We will definitely be returning! read more