BROOKLYN’S BEST TOYS, SHOPS, AND HOLIDAY PARTY SPACES AND PLANNERS
BY INDUSTRY STAFF
1. It-Boy Beaver
Made by Sigikid, a family-owned company founded in 1856 in Bavaria that shifted to toy making full-time in 1910, this big toothed pal is made of soft, plush fabric, and is also machine washable.
$66, normanandjules.com
2. Citi Blocs
A 300-piece natural color wooden building block set. Perfect for building towns, castles, Trump Tower, and more! Building guide included. Made of eco-friendly New Zealand pine. $89, toyspaceny.com
3. FiLIP2
Thanks to GPS, GSM, and Wi-Fi support in this smart watch, parents can locate kids no matter where they are, even inside. Through geo-fencing, they can also set up a total of five “Safe Zones” which function as invisible boundaries. (If your child leaves the area, you will receive alerts immediately.) Kids can also call pre-programmed contacts (set, once again, by parents, through the companion iPhone and Android app), but cannot add their own contacts). $149, myfilip.com
4. Janod Racing Dandy
A ride-on bike with a cool racing theme! The tires are inflatable, the seat height is adjustable, and a bell and removable bag are included! $99, halfpintcitizens.com
5. Hape Geometrics House
A unique and creative alternative to the traditional doll house. A triangle, divided rectangle, and polygon make up the modular rooms. Made with wood sourced from environmentally-sustainable forests and with durable and child-safe paint finishes. The 2015 Today’s Parent Toy Guide Winner and a 2015 Family Fun Toy Fair Favorite, as well as a recipient of the 2015 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Seal Award. $59.99, pipsqueakshoppe.com
6. Kickboard Mini Micro Scooter
Among the highest rated scooters for children aged 2-5. What makes the Mini unique and fun is its lean-to-steer design, which helps kids learn to lean into a turn—developing balance and coordination used in other sports. With a flexible fiber glass reinforced deck to absorb bumps on the sidewalk. $79, pipsqueakshoppe.com
7. Daron MTA Bus and UPS Van
Just in case you need a little Flatbush Avenue traffic jam right at home. Die-cast, with plastic parts, moving doors and rolling wheels with push-and-go friction motors. Bus officially licensed by the MTA. Bus $25, UPS Van, $15, toyspaceny.com
8. Angelina’s Baby Sister
Angelina’s got something to look forward to…a baby sister! But everyone is so busy fussing over little Polly that they don’t have time to pay attention to her. Can she learn to share her most important audience? This charming addition to the series by Katharine Holabird features sparkly foil on the jacket. $13, pipsqueakshoppe.com
9. Parisienne Pretty Barbie
A hidden treasure in the Slope, the toy store above Neergaard Pharmacy is mind-blowing in scope and artistry, particularly with respect to its action figure assortment. This limited-edition Parisienne Pretty Barbie, part of the “Since 1959” Collection and with fashion by Robert Best, commemorates famed vintage Barbie fashions, re-invented for a new era. One of 5,000. $99, neergaardtoys.com
10. Kurio Phone
This starter smartphone allows parents to keep track of their kids via a GPS monitoring system, and allows mom and dad to set up both “safe” and “danger” zones. It includes a kid-safe Web-surfing feature, too, so there’s no chance of stumbling across the wrong sites. Parents also have the ability to monitor any of the phone’s contacts, phone calls, text messages, or applications to their liking. 8-gig models start at $75, toysrus.com
11. Unfinished Kids’ Kitchen
Handmade in Colorado of solid knotty pine and Baltic plywood, this miniature kitchen features a stove top with knobs that really turn, a removable metal sink, and cabinet doors that open to reveal either storage space for pots and pans or a pretend oven. $250, normanandjules.com
Pipsqueak Children’s Shoppe
1124 Bedford Avenue / 718.398.1200
Toy Space
426 7th Avenue / 718.369.9096
Norman & Jules Toy Shop
158 7th Avenue / 347.987.3323
Half Pint Citizens
55 Washington Street / 877.543.7186.
Neergard Toys
454 5th Avenue / 718.768.0600
Kids Party Planners and Event Spaces
BounceU of Brooklyn —specializing in indoor inflatable playgrounds—takes care of food, birthday party favors, and other details. Private events give groups their own bouncy stadiums and birthday party rooms. Plus, on December 23rd, BounceU will host a “SpongeBob SquarePants Christmas,” where each child will be treated to pizza, a choice of drinks, and a variety of snacks. There will be bouncing, a movie, and other activities, plus a craft to take home. $30 per child. 6722 Fort Hamilton Parkway, bounceu.com
Karina Litvin founded Funtasia Party Place in 2006 when her son, Matthew, was two years old. “I noticed that when we went to birthday parties for his friends, there were few places that catered to both adults and kids,” she recalled. To remedy that, she founded a service where privacy and safety were key ingredients, as well as food for both kids and grown-ups. Her new location has 6,000 square feet of space for bounce, swim, and laser tag parties. 2781 Shell Road, inside the MatchPoint NYC sports complex, funtasianyc.com
Max Adventures, a relatively compact, 1,000-square-foot facility in Marine Park, nevertheless offers a surprising diversity of party packages, including virtual reality parties, glow-in-the-dark events, a soft-play gym, 3-D coloring activities, physically interactive arcade games, a lounge for grown-ups, and a laser show. 2378 Flatbush Avenue, maxadventuresNY.com
The Brooklyn-based planner Kids Party with Ruby brings the fiesta to you. Activities include face painting, balloon sculpting, airbrush tattoos, henna with glitter, sand art, plaster painting crafts, glitter tattoos, jewelry making, and dance contests, and its staff will travel throughout New York and surrounding areas to accommodate requests. Special guests who can attend include Dora the Explorer, Jake the Pirate, Spiderman, Batman, Mickey Mouse, Elmo, and Big Bird. kidspartywithruby.com
Though Gravesend-based A2Z Party plans events for all ages, it throws among the best kids’ parties in the region, and handles everything from unique invitations that reflect each child’s personality to decorating for any theme, taste, and budget, to arranging exotic animal shows or barn animal events as well as dog shows and pony rides. They can even set up a petting zoo for the ultimate hands-on experience. a2zparty.com
“Bay Ridge’s premier party place,” Play Dates & Parties—a family-owned space—offers private birthday parties, classes, playgroups, day camps, and other events. Private parties typically feature Carvel Ice Cream Cake, pizza, and juice for the kids (coffee, tea, and cookies for adults), with organized games and activities arranged by the staff. 6632 3rd Avenue, playdaysandparties.com
