One of the things you can not miss if you are visiting London with children is to visit some of the best toy shops in London.
London has some of the most famous shopping streets in the world, such as Regent Street and Oxford Street. Here we can find thousands of fashion clothing shops and accessories. In addition to these famous shopping areas, shopping in London can be a unique experience if you also choose to shop in one of London’s famous markets.
But, some of the most beautiful toy shops can go unnoticed when walking around London. Some of them are located right in the centre of London, on some of the most important shopping streets of the city, but others very special toy shops are slightly hidden away…
London has memorable toy-shopping stops, including the LEGO Store in Leicester Square and the Disney Store on Oxford Street. Here are some of the shops we have enjoyed visiting; check each shop’s current hours before you set out.
1. Hamleys
Hamleys is the most famous toy shop in London, and one of the places you must visit, especially if you are visiting London with children. It is the largest toy shop with history in the city, and it’s located in Regent Street, one of the most important shopping streets in central London, one of the best places to go shopping in London.
This fantastic toy shop in London has 7 floors of pure fun, where imagination is mixed with live toy demonstrations, and where the youngest members of the family will undoubtedly have a ball.
Location: Regent Street
Nearest London Subway station: Oxford Circus or Piccadilly Circus
More information: Hamleys
2. Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Shop
This toy shop, located in Covent Garden, although it is much smaller than Hamleys, is one of the toy stores in London that I like the most, because when you go inside, it makes you go back a little bit to the past.
And it is that these are two very different stores, as Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Shop specializes in selling toys from the Victorian era, and the traditional toy paper theaters that can be found in this store are famous in England, as it is possible to find both original pieces and perfect reproductions. Also here we find a large selection of traditional toys, many of them related to the theater, without missing the puppets or marionettes.
Location: Covent Garden
Nearest Underground station: Covent Garden. The shop is on the first floor of the Market Building; check its accessibility information if you use a wheelchair or are visiting with a pushchair.
More information: Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Shop
3. Disney Store
The Disney Store at 350–352 Oxford Street sells Disney toys and gifts. For this reason, we believe it is one of the toy shops in London that you should not miss if you are visiting London with children, or if you want to go in search of a special gift!
Location: Oxford Street
Nearest subway stop: Oxford Circus
4. Lego Store
In Leicester Square, you will find a large LEGO store with London-themed displays. Entering this store gives you the feeling of having entered a museum, as you will find yourself admiring the giant sculptures that are scattered around the store made exclusively with millions of Lego pieces. Among them are some famous icons of London, such as Big Ben or a life-size underground carriage in which you can sit.
Location: Leicester Square
Nearest subway stop: Leicester Square
More information: Lego Store in London
5. Paddington Bear Shop
Paddington Bear is the quintessential London bear, and although he is very well-known in the UK and you can find Paddington Bear merchandising in every souvenir shop in London, it is not until fairly recently that he has become known worldwide, thanks to recent films.
And of course, you could not miss a store dedicated exclusively to Paddington Bear in London, and obviously this store is located in nothing more and nothing less than the Paddington train station in London. Here you will find everything you can imagine about Paddington Bear, from teddy bears to stationery. In addition to the store at Paddington Station there are also a couple of Paddington Bear statues that you won’t be able to resist taking a picture of!
Location: Paddington Station
Nearest subway stop: Paddington Station
6. Harrods Toy Store
We obviously had to include Harrod’s toy section from our list of best toy stores in London, simply because the toy section here is awesome. The toys department is on the fourth floor of the department store. Here you will find a large section on souvenir toys of London, as well as lots of children’s books and traditional wooden toys. Giant stuffed animals and the famous Harrods teddy bear are not be missed!
Location: 87 – 135 Brompton Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL
Nearest subway stop: Knightsbridge
7. Puppet Planet
Puppet Planet is a shop dedicated exclusively to the sale of puppets of all kinds. Here you will find vintage puppets as well as more modern puppets, and obviously, you can not miss the famous characters of Punch and Judy.
Location: 787 Wandsworth Rd, Clapham, London
Nearest subway stop:
Official website: Puppet Planet
Planning note: The dedicated Sylvanian Families shop on Mountgrove Road closed permanently in April 2023. Fagins Toys in Muswell Hill also closed in 2022, so neither is a current shopping stop.
8. Science Museum shop
Although museum stores are not usually mentioned in the articles about the best toy shops, I think in this case it is worth mentioning the Science Museum in London. The museum has definitely been designed with children in mind, with many interactive educational exhibits.
Their toy section includes many science-related toys, that will challenge their creativity, develop children’s imagination, and many creative and educational toys.
Location: Exhibition Rd, Kensington, London SW7 2DD
Nearest tube station: South Kensington
More information: London Museums
Other toy stores in London
Other toy stores in London that deserve a mention are:
- M&M’s store located in Leicester Square.
- International Magic Shop
- The Guards Toy Soldier Centre
- Shop at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden.
- Forbidden Planet, a comic and pop-culture shop.
Hi, we are Alberto and Amy, the London locals behind PlanTrip London. We’ve lived in London since 2010 and have spent every year since exploring the city, from its famous landmarks to the markets, pubs, parks and hidden corners most visitors never find. Over the years we became the go-to trip planners for friends and family visiting London, so we created this site to share the same first-hand, tried-and-tested advice with you. Every itinerary, tip and recommendation here comes from our own experience with our two children, so you can plan a London trip that’s easier, better value and far more memorable.