Head to FAO Schwarz at Fifth Avenue and 58th Street, a landmark toy store and FAO's flagship store. You'll enjoy the experience of shopping in this huge three-story, 50,000-square-foot store, which has been around since 1862. Have the kids pose for photos with the famous toy soldier who stands guard at the front door. There is no way you can miss finding great toys at this store, but visit during the week because weekends are a madhouse in this store during the holidays (see Resources below).
Take the subway downtown to see Toy Tokyo, 121 2nd Avenue (between St. Marks Place and 7th Street), one of the coolest toy stores around. Toy Tokyo is located on the second floor at this East Village location and has some of the most unique inventory in the city--toys and figurines of all kinds, hip Japanese imports, dolls, Samurai guys, Star Wars figures, Smurfs, Transformers, Godzilla, Japanese "candy toys" and many anime products. Toy Tokyo is open from 1 to 9 p.m. daily (see Resources below).
Take your little book-lover to the Scholastic Store in Soho. Located at 557 Broadway (between Spring and Prince Streets),
this large Soho store is packed with books, toys, videos and more, all inspired by Scholastic book titles. You can find "Harry Potter" and "Magic School Bus" here. This clever store also encourages interactivity, with an activity loft for kids, a curriculum support learning area and free Saturday events including book readings, character visits and story time (see Resources below).
Get the dollhouse of her dreams at Manhattan Dollhouse Shop, 236 Third Avenue at 20th Street, hands down the best place in New York for dollhouses and the miniatures that go inside them. You can find everything from a cute Cape Cod to a Hamptons-like mansion here, a dollhouse built to your own specifications, and you can even visit the in-store "hospital" that repairs antique and old dollhouses (see Resources below).
Bring the little girls to American Girl Place, at 609 Fifth Avenue at 49th Street, to fulfill their dreams. This is the place to finally pick up that long-promised American Girl Doll, along with the doll clothing, accessories, houses, furniture, and even "pets" for the dolls. Expect to spend a pretty penny here. You can also take your girls to the American Girl Cafe for lunch and the doll hair salon, where American Girl Dolls get the royal treatment. You might also want to drop a hint to the grandparents that gift cards are always welcome (see Resources below).
Get loony at the Warner Brothers Studios Store, which in New York can be found at two locations: 1 East 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, and One Times Square. If you're a kid or a collector, you'll love this whimsical and fun store. The merchandise here focuses on Warner Brothers characters and cartoons, so you'll see a lot of Marvin the Martian and Bugs Bunny. The store is divided into sections, including bath products, clothing, toys and novelties. While you're apt to see Warner Brothers Stores in your local malls, there's nothing like the enormous stores in Manhattan (see Resources below).
