CLOTHES
ADRIAN EAST: This Bronxville staple for the chicest of children’s clothes expanded into a location on the Upper East Side last fall. As with its sister location, the Madison Ave. store specializes in beautiful and top-quality clothing for babies and kids. adrianeast.com
Babesta: Trendsetters-in-training and the parents who shop for them stock up at these twin Tribeca spots (Babesta Cribz and Babesta Threads) for funky furniture, unique toys, and hip clothes for babies. babesta.com
Bonpoint: The Madison Avenue outpost of the famed French children’s wear couture line is exactly what you would expect: Full of beautiful, elegant, and upscale clothing for the younger set. bonpoint-boutique.com
Caramel Baby & Child: This London-based children’s clothing line has made its way to the Upper East Side. The line is inspired by classic looks—rompers, jumpers, and plaid trousers—updated with a modern, urban feel. caramel-shop.co.uk
Catimini: The Upper East Side flagship of this high-end designer children’s clothing line from France is chock-full of signature colorful embroidery and appliqués for infants, girls up to size 12, and boys up to size 10. catiminica.com
The Children’s Place: There’s a reason this national chain has multiple Manhattan locations: They sell well-made, reasonably-priced clothing and accessories for newborns through kids’ size 14. childrensplace.com
Harry’s Shoes For Kids: This offshoot of the popular Harry’s Shoes is a chip off the old block. The Upper West Side store has a huge selection of infants’ and children’s shoes to keep your tyke shod. harrys-shoes.com
Hartstrings: Hartstrings offers children’s clothing from its two anchor brands—Hartstrings for girls and Kitestrings for boys—plus a variety of popular brands, like Puma Kids, DKNY Kids, Lucky Brand Kids, Nicole Miller Girls, and Paul Frank Kids. Located on the Upper East Side. hartstrings.com
Ibiza Kidz: Located in an area known for catering to the college crowd, this Union Square kids’ clothing, shoe, and toy shop attracts a cult following via the knowledgeable salespeople who expertly fit children’s feet to the right-sized shoes. ibizakidz.com
Lester’s: The Yorkville outpost of this Tri-State area chain is where parents of infants through preteens shop the latest trends in apparel, accessories, and footwear. A huge selection of seasonal summer camp merchandise will have your tween begging for an airbrushed BFF pillow. lesters.com
Magic Windows: Classic, traditional, and formal clothing for infants through teens plus custom-made party dresses make this stand-out shop a true Upper East Side fixture. magicwindowskids.com
My Little Sunshine: Multitasking supermoms love that they can shop for kiddie clothes and toys while their little one gets a haircut at these Chelsea and Tribeca stores. mylittlesunshinenyc.com
Naturino: The wide selection of European branded basics, hats, and accessories has cemented this children’s clothing shop as a favorite among the preschool set. Plus, a selection of Naturino children’s shoes is available right next door to its uptown location at Tip Top Shoes. naturino.com
Pink Olive: Take gift-giving to a whole new level at this whimsical wonderland nestled in the East Village, Park Slope, and Williamsburg. In addition to an adorable selection of baby and toddler clothes, Pink Olive has everything from playful gifts to handmade jewelry to vintage finds. pinkolive.com
Polarn O. Pyret: This Swedish clothing line for children has two Manhattan locations: Tribeca and the Upper West Side. Parents seeking clothing with European flair (think bright colors and stripes) can snatch up their well-made basics. polarnopyretusa.com
Ralph Lauren Children’s: There’s no better place to dress your prepster-in-training than this Upper East Side store. Stock up on little oxfords, polo shirts, and brightly colored threads for boys and girls of all ages. ralphlauren.com
Rosie Pope Baby: Now in its second year, Rosie Pope’s baby line of baby continues to deliver adorable clothes in original prints and patterns! Available at Rosie Pope stores on Madison Avenue and in Tribeca, this line is cute, high-quality, and totally irresistible. shop.rosiepope.com/baby
Shoofly: Shoofly specializes in quality European shoes and accessories for toddlers through teens. One-of-a-kind clothing, toys, and baby gifts make this Tribeca boutique a standout. shooflynyc.com
Sprout San Francisco: The Upper East Side location of this popular natural and organic children’s clothing, toy, and furniture shop is more than just a clothing store. They also offer weekly classes, such as postpartum fitness and music, and an indoor play space. sproutsanfrancisco.com
Stoopher & Boots: Eclectic and seemingly all-encompassing, this Upper West Side boutique has everything from kids’ clothing and toys to unique finds for grown-ups. stoopherandboots.com
Tip Top Shoes: The fit specialists here will help your little walker find his or her first pair, while older kids will love the vast selection of comfort, dress, and sport shoes. tiptopshoes.com
Yoya: A super-modern boutique for kids ages 4-14 on the edge of the Meatpacking district, this shop is known for its futuristic clothing, nursery furniture, and playthings. yoyanyc.com
TOY STORES
A Time For Children: Don’t let its size fool you—this Upper West Side store stocks a wide variety of merchandise, from stuffed Paddington Bears to cards to vintage onesies, and gives 100 percent of the profits to the Children’s Aid Society. atimeforchildren.org
American Girl Place: Spend an entire day with your doll lover picking out a new doll, accessories, and matching daughter and doll outfits at this giant concept store. Enjoy the doll hair salon and doll hospital or have a meal at the café. americangirl.com
Dinosaur Hill: This charming East Village variety store stocks both classics and one-of-a-kind items like wooden blocks in 16 languages, batik crib quilts, and a wide variety of handmade puppets and marionettes. dinosaurhill.com
The Disney Store: In addition to plenty of Disney-themed toys to delight kids, the Times Square flagship Disney Store is almost as good as visiting the House of Mouse. Disney fans of any age will love the Magical Escalator Experience, the Pixie Dust Path, and the Magic Trees. disneystore.com
The LEGO Store: With a location in Rockefeller Center and a flagship in the Flatiron District (that opened last fall) logging quality time with LEGO bricks is easier than ever. Plus, the Flatiron flagship offers a LEGO Lounge for shoppers to enjoy a reading area (with LEGO books), interactive activities, comfortable furniture, and a phone-charging station for parents. stores.LEGO.com
Norman & Jules: This whimsical shop in Brooklyn’s Park Slope is brimming with toys that are both durable and precious. It’s a holy grail for parents who want something their little ones can play with that won’t break, fall out of fashion, or clutter the apartment with garish plastic parts. normanandjules.com
Teich Toys & Books: This newly-opened sister store to Teich Design (both owned and operated by local parents Allison Teich McGown and JJ McGowan) brings eco-friendly fun to the West Village. You’ll find a vast selection of handmade and vintage-inspired toys and gifts (think old-school board games and high-quality wooden playthings) sure to delight children and parents alike. teichdesign.com
Toys“R”Us: Though the Times Square flagship store is closing in January 2016, this iconic toy emporium still offers 13 locations throughout NYC and is a toy heaven for children of all ages. toysrus.com
BOOKSTORES
Bank Street Bookstore: Located on the northern-most reaches of the Upper West Side, this bookstore caters exclusively to young readers. If you can’t make the trip, its extensive website offers the same carefully chosen selection of books, games, toys, and CDs as its bricks and mortar counterpart. bankstreetbooks.com
Barnes & Noble: Unsurprisingly, this national retailer offers the largest selection and supply of children’s books in the city. With many locations (including Union Square, Tribeca, and Brooklyn’s Park Slope) throughout the city, it’s always fun and convenient to pop into B&N to browse their children’s section, or for one of their great events. barnesandnoble.com
Books of Wonder: The oldest independent children’s bookstore in the city is well-known for its collection of both old and new tomes for tots. Twice a week, kids and their caregivers can enjoy story time at this cozy Chelsea spot. booksofwonder.com
Mysterious Bookshop: One of the oldest mystery specialist bookstores in America, the Mysterious Bookshop is located in family-friendly Tribeca. They carry the finest selection of new mystery titles and also offer a very cool collection of signed rare books and Sherlockiana. mysteriousbookshop.com
The Strand: This iconic bookstore—famous for offering “18 miles of books” at their Union Square flagship—is one of the largest independent bookstores in the country. Bring the fam in to check out their second-floor YA and children’s section, or to one of their monthly Story Time events. strandbooks.com
NURSERY
Albee Baby: This family-owned and operated business on Amsterdam Avenue has built a tradition of keeping babies happy with their top-of-the-line baby gear including toys, furniture, bedding, and layette. albeebaby.com
Allyn Howard: If your walls need a little whimsy and cheer, look no further than the Allyn Howard’s Brooklyn studio, where she’s been painting customized murals and artwork for both nurseries and children’s rooms since 2003. allynhoward.com
Babies“R”Us: Leading the retail front in all things baby, this Union Square mega-store is your one-stop shop for all your newborn, infant, and toddler needs—from furniture to formula to fashion. babiesrus.com
Behr’s Superstore: With over 30,000 square feet of baby and children’s furniture, this Long Island megastore offers one of the largest selections in the Tri-State area—and the friendly and well-informed staff is always ready to come to your navigational rescue. behrsfurniture.com
Bellini: Bellini’s award-winning furnishings combine modern-day features with old-world craftsmanship to create furniture that is both practical and beautiful. Best of all, their convertible products grow with the kids to last the family a lifetime. bellini.com
buybuyBaby: With several locations throughout the NYC metro area, this store offers an excellent assortment of top products and brands for children from birth to age 4, including strollers, car seats, bouncers, bassinets, cribs, clothing, bottles, monitors, nursery furniture, and more. buybuybaby.com
giggle: They call themselves a new parent store because they’ve made stocking a nursery a whole lot easier; whether it’s in SoHo or the Upper East and West Sides, all three stores offer fun collections of bedding, toys, gear, and baby care essentials ensuring you a healthy, happy baby. giggle.com
Mini Jake: This modern children’s store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, offers a vast selection of nursery and playroom furniture, décor, and toys that are sophisticated yet playful. minijake.com
NessaLee Baby: With several locations in the Tri-State area, this luxurious brand integrates the as-seen-on celeb- babies aspect and offers the coolest, newest, most reliable merchandise from clothes to gear, all while providing a customized shopping experience. nessaleebaby.com
Restoration Hardware Baby & Child: One of the fastest-growing brands in children’s furnishings, Restoration Hardware produces classy designs for dreamy nurseries, timeless bedrooms, and more. rhbabyandchild.com
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