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Best Toy Stores In The Twin Cities

Fun is always on the agenda for kids, and toy stores are their own personal amusement park -- expanding their imagination, boosting creativity and teaching them how the world works. 

If you are looking for a place to expand young minds, or just keep them entertained for an afternoon, these are the 10 of the best toy stores around the Twin Cities.

In no particular order ...

www.creativekidstuff.com
credit: www.creativekidstuff.com

No. 1: Creative Kids Stuff

1665 West End Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
(612) 876-3980
www.creativekidstuff.com

This toy store started right in the Minneapolis neighborhood of Linden Hills in 1982 and has spread to many different locations. This place sells the toys that makes kids get ... well ... creative!

www.wondermentshop.com
credit: www.wondermentshop.com

No. 2: Wonderment

949 Grand Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55015
(651) 291-5099
www.wondermentshop.com

Run by three moms, Wonderment makes all natural, simple toys -- think wooden building blocks and trains and wool, cotton dolls. These are the toys that promote kids to get crafty and interactive.

www.buildabear.com
credit: www.buildabear.com

No. 3: Build-A-Bear Workshop

Mall Of America
172 E. Broadway
Bloomington, MN 55425
(952) 854-1164
www.buildabear.com

What kid wouldn't want to specially design their own teddy bear? With locations all over the country, Build-a-bear lets your child be the elf in their very own teddy bear workshop.

www.kiddywampus.com
credit: www.kiddywampus.com

No. 4: Kiddywampus

4400 Excelsior Blvd.
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
(952) 926-7871
www.kiddywampus.com

Get unique toys here while doing something good for kids too! When you buy here, all post-tax profits go to children's charities. This store has a very interactive environment and they host kid's parties for things like Halloween and birthdays.

www.hubhobby.com
credit: www.hubhobby.com

No. 5: Hub Hobby

6410 Penn Avenue S.
Richfield, MN 55423
(612) 866-9575
www.hubhobby.com

If you've got a kid that has a hobby -- trains, radio control, models, puzzles, science projects, crafts -- this is the place to go to expand it! There is a reason why they call themselves the Midwest's largest most complete hobby store.

www.larktoys.com
credit: www.larktoys.com

No. 6: Lark Toys

63604 170th Ave.
Kellogg, MN 55945
(507) 767-4565
www.larktoys.com

This store is huge -- 20,000 square feet that includes a carousel, bookstore, café, mini golf course, and collection of old antique toys. Coming to this store is entertainment in itself, but they are known for their wooden and tin toys, troll dolls and mini pianos.

n50901014110_1316520_9238
credit: facebook.com

No. 7: Peapods

251 Snelling Ave S.
St. Paul, MN 55105
(651) 695-5559
www.peapods.com

You may think the toys here came straight from Santa's workshop. They sell only toys made of only natural materials -- so no batteries needed here.

American Girl
(credit: americangirl.com)

No. 8: American Girl Store

Mall Of America
5160 Center Court
Bloomington, MN 55425
(877) 247-5223
www.americangirl.com

This is a doll lover's heaven. Find your favorite American Girl doll, or bring in one you already have, and have a tea party with your doll, buy her new clothes, get her hair done and pose for photo shoot with your doll for your very own American Girl magazine cover.

toysrus
credit: facebook.com

No. 9: Toys R Us

Various Locations
www.toysrus.com

As one of the biggest toy chains in America, you can find pretty much all name brands and types of toys a little kid's heart could desire here.

www.gamesbyjames.com
credit: www.gamesbyjames.com

No. 10: Games By James

Various Locations
www.gamesbyjames.com

Game lovers won't run out of ways to stay entertained here. Here you will find all the must-have new games before they are everywhere else.

-Alison Lorge is a Web Producer at WCCO.com.

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