I love a good toy shop - especially one that has items I haven't found anywhere else ! This one was huge! Definitely worth exploring for kids and adults alike. read more

Big Blue Whale - Toy Stores Near Me - Houston, Texas

so happy Houston has a vintage, fun toy store! Definitely recommend! The store was just filled with all kinds of toys through the decades. We had such a fun time letting our inner childs' run around lol The store is located on a old timey, vintage street with a record store next door and a parking lot right on along side the toy store. Sweet gem! read more

I come here for all the gifts for every birthday party we go to. Parking is easy and free and there are spots across the street, in front of the store, and an adjacent parking lot with many many spots. There is a wide selection of toys and it's hard to pick once you go in. I am usually able to find something good for each child we have a birthday party. The birthday parties we attend are from ages 2-6 currently. The best part is that they can either wrap it for you or put it in a gift bag with tissue paper after blacking out the price. This is a time and money saver for me so I don't have to run around and gather all of this together. You also earn these $1 coins for every $10 you spend so we are currently on the up and up with saving money and then always having something to take off for the next present (which is next week for the next party-lucky me). read more

Super fancy pants toy store! Even though this place is a little overpriced, we still like visiting because I'd rather support a local shop than some massive retailer. Plus they have a reward system, you get $10 credit for every $100 you spend. Big blue whale is packed with toys as soon as you walk in the door. There is stuff everywhere! The book section is to the right as soon as you walk in, there are books throughout the store but this is the main "reading nook". They have a pretty good assortment of kids' books, we just picked up some cool ones with wheels on them. My kids love story time right before they go to bed, this is a good place to grab some new ones and not feel overwhelmed by the massive kids' books section at Barnes and noble. They have more girl toys than boy toys. --Insert eye roll here-- its fine, all stores are like this but it still annoys me nonetheless. They also have a few baby items from blankets, rattles and even teething toys. The mask section is pretty funny, looking for a unicorn mask? They have it! Also some pretty funny stuffed animals/toys. The last time we were here they had a rainbow cupcake and even a sushi roll stuffed toy. We got some cool stocking stuffers here too for both kids. they've also shown interest in marbles too, blue whale had a really cool assortment of marbles. They even had stockings and Christmas related toys, candy, and books. read more

Such a fun toy shop. My daughter loved and had a great time picking out something. It was busy but easy to navigate. We will definitely come back. read more

I discovered this place last year and most recently came in a few times around the holidays. They have always offered to help as soon as I come in. I've given them general ideas of what I'm looking for, e.g. kid that likes to build things, and they will literally walk me around the store pointing out items for me. It's always a very positive experience, but it really stood out during the holidays when they were crazy busy but still managed to make me feel like a special customer. Also the chips are a nice touch that I learned about while checking out. read more

They will try to make you leave 10-15 minutes before the store closes. We've shopped at this store multiple times with zero issues until today. We will not be going back. read more

"You must not ever stop being whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life." ― Mary Oliver, Wild Geese There is no where better to loose yourself/ your mind than Big Blue Whale You never ever want to leave...you are Peter Pan in a never ending fairy tale. You want a natural " high"/ you have landed with ET into a paradise of never ending fairy tales... The lighting is perfect/ no Target RED...Vinal records playing as a back drop. You hate having to leave to melt in the sun. You take the memory with you. You have been charmed. I adore this place! Thank you Vanessa Wodehouse for your energy/ your kindness/ your EYE like no other... Angela Angela no one more wonderful. You take your thoughts to her and she is your best best ever ear. Open your fortune cookie...it says Big Blue Whale. read more

Such a cute toy store. They have toys for a wide range of ages from babies to probably 7 or 8 year olds. Might have a couple for older kids too but focused more on younger kids. The staff was really helpful and they even have complimentary gift wrap! Range of prices for toys as well but have lots of affordable fun stuff. I will be back! read more

Big Blue Whale - Toy Stores Near Me - Houston, Texas

Yep, now that I have two nephews and a niece, I am here pretty often picking out presents. This is an awesome little store, the people that work here will help you find anything, they wrap anything you want, and they will give you tokens that you can spend at a latter date for a discount. On top of a great toy selection, there is also a small selection of kids books. They might not get a lot of the big brand named Disney things (like Toy Story) but everything here is more unique IMO. A great local store in the heart of the Heights. read more

Accidentally stumbled upon this little shop while looking for ice cream in the neighborhood. We live in Memorial so the Heights is pretty foreign to me. I would have never found this gem if it wasn't for yelp and helping me find the ice cream shop across the street. This little shop is truly a gem! Super cute stuff, nice selection, very friendly staff and it's locally owned. Who doesn't love supporting small, local shops? Will be back again and again to discover goodies here. read more

Old fashioned toy store feel, but nothing that really appeals to me. Very friendly and engaging staff. Some unique items you won't find at target or walmart, but it's no KB Toys of the 1990s. read more

Small but packed with a variety of toys. Organized and reasonably priced. I recommend coming here for toys and gifts.

My favorite new toy store! This place has a sea of unique toys, books, puzzles, puppets and so much more. read more

Big Blue Whale - A unique amount of wonderful toys. - Toy Stores Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is a great place to get, not just toys, but educational stuff. And they sell lots of things like that. Books, online things, stuff you would NEVER find at Toys-R-Us. It's a great store. read more

I took my 3-year-old daughter and 8-month-old son here to play and it was amazing. They have stuff set out to play with that was perfect for toddlers and my daughter had a blast for at least an hour there. There was also a good spot to sit the baby down to play. While she was playing I really enjoyed browsing all the neat stuff they have. I ended up buying all my nieces and nephews Christmas gifts two months early (patting myself of the back here) because I loved that I could get them something unique and special. They also gift-wrapped it all for me for free! The workers there were so sweet, welcoming, and helpful. If you live in the area and are available, they also host a storytime on Thursday mornings. I just loved this place! read more

Love to walk through this nostalgic happy place. Quality toys and old fun stuff u haven't seen in years. They forgot to pack one toy so they gave me whale bucks when I went back to pick it up. Yes! read more

Love this toy store! It's a bit over priced on some items (Example: $10 for a toy car, $20 for a play apron, $25 for a donut pillow, etc) but it's nice to go in if you're looking for a unique birthday gift or Christmas gifts! PS. Their book selection is awesome! That's what I mostly come in for. It ranges from baby books to young adult! So great for all kids! read more

I wanted to purchase some baby items from Fish Kiss, a great vendor I had met at the Nutcracker Market the year before. They had recently stopped selling directly to the public and would sell only to vendors w an account. I called Big Blue Whale and explained the situation and they contacted the vendor directly, was able to order each of the items I needed, and shipped them to me (I had recently moved to Kansas). Angela's communication throughout the entire process was great and I TRULY appreciated it! Above and beyond! thank you so so much and I hope to come by next time I'm in town. :) read more

I've been here twice before and I love their toy selection. Today I traveled 20+ miles only for them not to be open at 10. We waited for 25 minutes and finally left. So I'm a little upset about it, but hey sh!t happens. read more

My daughter and I were spoken to very rudely by a staff member. For no reason, just rude. Not the example you set for kids. I put the toys down I was going to purchase and walked my family right out the door. read more

This store is super cute and unique. I loved it so much. Really nice staff too.

I'm a native Houstonia now living in a small city, so we are lucky to have access to many independently owned shops. So, to be fair, I have to say that we are comparing this to our local toy shop from back home. It does have a number of interesting toys that are not mainstream; there are also many toy categories and age groups to chose from. We were able to pick out reasonable choices for our kiddos aged between 2-11 (some mad lib books, a tow truck, a stuffed animal) However, I do have to agree with the other reviewers to say that the prices are pretty high. A toy that normally costs between 7-8 was $10. A tote bag was $24. It is also fairly narrow and stacked up so it doesn't necessarily feel like a place you want to spend much time in. It did help that it was right across from Boomtown coffee and a few other cute shops, so all in all the trip was worth it. read more

One of the reasons I have always enjoyed shopping at Big Blue Whale is how helpful the staff has been when I have shopped there. That was not at all the case today. All three people were eating their lunch, and did not offer to help me find what I needed. I know the store well, so I knew where to the find age-appropriate toys I was looking for. One of the people eating noticed that I was ready to pay and came to ring me up. She was not friendly and was just going through the motions. I asked her to gift wrap the presents, which she did, but with the minimal amount of effort. She did not bother to look up my account, which has always happened in the past, when I have been offered a discount because I am a teacher. When I got home I thought I better check, and she had carelessly inked out one of the prices, but had left the other price untouched. The toys at Big Blue Whale are wonderful, but the service is nowhere near what it used to be. I was very disappointed at how I was treated today. read more

Terrific!! What a great store! I visit every time I'm in the Houston area and always walk out with something!

Where was this type of place when I was a kid?! What a fun place. A much better alternative to your toy giants like Toys R Us and Walmart. Wonderful staff, too! You're sure to find an original gift at this place, but be prepared for high prices. read more

I explored this little gem in the Heights on a busy Saturday, visiting with three generations of knowledgeable and friendly toy lovers - grandma, mom (owner) and daughter. Reminds me of "Shop Around the Corner" - "You've Got Mail"? Coolest toy store in Houston. The shop is wonderfully curated with a huge variety of top toys and a bit of nostalgia. Mom gave us a guided tour and helped me pick out just the right things for my 8 year old daughter (giant bubble maker) and my 13 year old godchild (unique art set). Need a gift for a kid's party that starts in an hour? Call ahead and let them pick something age appropriate in your price range. They'll wrap it and have it waiting for you. Great restaurant - Shade - right across the street, gourmet popsicle truck parked right outside. A unique gift shop next door. Had lunch, got toys for the kids, and bought a house warming present all within steps. Win-win-win. I will definitely be coming back. read more

The coolest toy store in Houston. Lots of eclectic stuff that you won't find at Toys R Us, and a good combination of stuff for kids up to ~12. read more

It's great to have a toy store near our house and not have to drive out to the suburbs to go to Toys R' Us. They've got a great selection of the Schleich animals, which my son loves. Their prices are comparable to Amazon on the few items I checked (a lunchbox and a truck). There's a lot of stuff in a pretty small space, so you've got to look carefully or you may miss a real gem of an item. The first time I was there, a friendly employee was very helpful in guiding me to a gift for a 2 year old boy. The next time I went with my toddler, the two young ladies behind the counter were just jabbering away and took no notice of our shopping. Not surprisingly, we didn't buy anything that time. But I will go back to Big Blue Whale not only to support local business, but also because it's way better to see an actual product, not just a picture online, when you're shopping with a little kid. read more

Super cute little shop! Really liked the set up and all the cute toys. I will definitely stop by in the near future.

Great store, good products, and the most painfully slow check out process you could imagine. Each person's check out is about 5 minutes with only 1 register in the entire store. 4th in line......about 20 minutes to check out. read more

The Big Blue Whale is a must for anyone looking for the latest and greatest for any age group. I am clueless about children't toys and now I know what all of the one-year olds are talking about, thanks to the help of Angela. She was super helpful and knowledgeable. Yet another little gem tucked away in the Heights. read more

Being a mother of two kids I go to the toys stores pretty often. Being in rush I've stopped by Big Blue Whale and was satisfied with their products. They had all kinds of toys, even the rare one like dinosaurs and dragons! The store is very big but nicely organized read more

Our go to store for bday gifts and just for fun! My daughter loves going there maybe she will work there one day ;)

I come here usually when i need a new toy for my kids. I'm very excited to come there every time because their store is awesome! You can feel like a kid again because they have toys from all times read more

Awesome toy store!!! The owner is awesome! The store is super cool! Your kids are sure to love it!

Great store and friendly service! The owner helped me pick out a gift for a little girl's birthday party today. She has such a great selection of neat items for kids. Will definitely be my go to shop for kid gifts in the future. read more