Best of Boston

2002 Best Toy Store

No Kidding

Talk about misnomers. There’s nothing but kidding—and playing and learning—going on within these walls. The many nooks and crannies burst with craft supplies, musical toys, scientific playthings, and dolls, and children are encouraged to sample the displays to their hearts’ content. Merchandise tends toward the more educational and high quality—Thomas the Tank Engine, Hello Kitty, and Playmobil, as well as classics like Radio Flyers—but the bottom line is having fun, especially on fall Friday nights when the shop hosts card games, arts and crafts, and sing-alongs.

19 Harvard St., Brookline, 617-739-2477,