Is there one of these awesome stores in every little town in Co. Down? There blooming well should…read morebe! How I wish I were a child again (I notice I'm saying that a lot these days) What a magical feeling it must be to climb the stairs of Stewart Miller's and know that you are basically going into Santa's grotto - have you ever seen so many toys shoved and stacked into one top floor - I haven't I can tell ye! Not only is it toy heaven upstairs but downstairs is like a child's dream - sweets, chocolate, crisps and wrapping paper - well, they ahve to stock something for adults! Seriously though, if you need a newspaper, your lotto, a card, a fine nibbed marker in florescent green, a book on horses or a tub of Roses then this is the place for you. Make sure you spend over a fiver if you want to use your debit card though as they won't take it unless you do. Stewart Miller I salute you.

One of my favourite shops in newtownards, all the childhood memories of getting a new subbuteo team…read moreor some sweets and the latest beano mag, then the dreaded stationary shop at the end of the summer holidays to the present day browsing books and looking at toys for my son and gifts for others. Its remained unchanged and that's because Stewart millers works so well and has got something to offer everyone. Christmas time is great in Stewart millers too and its one of the best shops in ards.

No matter how old you are, you'll never be too old for a toy shop. That's what I keep telling…read moremyself anyway... When The Toy Shop* appeared on the scene, I knew, without question that I simply must have a look. With an empathic 'must' right there. In through the bell ridden door, and the first thing I noticed was the little sweetie shop section at the very front - shelves of confectionery and huge jars of those sugary goodies, plus ice-cream! Nice. The rest of this little shop is filled with various toys - everything from Barbie to small twitching / barking dogs (eeek, they were just a little creepy); from Lego figurines to those squidgy things that were banned in schools a few years ago. My sister was loving it (she'll kill me for saying that, but I speak only the truth...sorry sis), and kept picking up random toys and reminiscing about her childhood. It's what being eighteen does to you, apparently. There is a small card section at the back too, with a few sheets of wrapping paper thrown in for good measure. Since I had no requirement for either of the above, or indeed for any toys, sweets or ice-cream, we decided to leave. *All sorts of connotations are struck up here - This isn't just any toy shop, this is an M&S Toy Shop / If Carlsberg did toy shops... Unfortunately, it is actually just a toy shop. Soz...

I used to love coming in here when I was younger to have a look at the toys I knew I was never…read moregetting or to get a lolly as a treat after a long day of school, more innocent times! Back as a kid this seemed a magical world of choice. Unfortunately as a larger and disillusioned adult who has encountered superstores like Smyths and also large toy aisles in the larger supermarkets, I have come to realise the limited selection in here. Fortunately the stuff in here is good, and a quality approach is take to the selection of toys with the most popular trends and old classics like Lego and board games carefully chosen. They offer a gift wrapping service, a range of cards and gift bags and very handily they offer to make up party bags to take the stress out of planning a party for your children here!

SMYTHS toy store is unique in that it is loved by kids and hated by parents! The sort of store that…read morecauses family rows the minute you cross the threshold. Mind you there are plenty of big kids in this world who just love it too!! It is the most amazing toy store that I have ever seen and being of the mature generation I can honestly say that places like this just didn't exist in my day!! Having said that I sneakily love going into this store as it makes sure that one is kept up to date with all the latest toys and gadgets to suite all ages. The range of outdoor and indoor games is truly fantastic and no wonder it is a child's paradise. All items are reasonably priced and if you can't make up your mind because you are overwhelmed by the choice you can always take the easy option and get a gift voucher and put the stress onto someone else!!

An absolutely massive toy shop with basically every toy under the sun, with it always being bunged…read morewith people its really popular with mums and kids alike who want to pick up the latest toys or stock up on board games and the like. I went in a couple of times to check it out and to see if there was anything I could pick up. Being a bit of a board game nerd I was happy to see their selection and I was pleasantly surprised with what they have to offer. Its located in the Bloomfield Retail Park which means it is close to main roads as well as plenty of other shops. There are always plenty of free parking spaces and there is a bank and ATMS on site which adds to the convenience of shopping here.

I am a little bit obsessed with toy shops. Luckily I have an excuse what with people requiring toys…read moreand me being the person (offering) to get them. This is a huge warehouse filled with toys and games, as well as musical instruments and laptops. Though they have these stores all over England, there is only a few in Northern Ireland, and this is the largest of them. Located in the enormous Sprucefield shopping area, Toys r us is the only toy shop and is a huge favourite with people of all ages. This is a must for anyone who has to get a birthday present for a young one. As with Smyth's toystore, this place is mental at Christmas with every child running round playing and throwing and kicking and poking their parents in order to get that toy that they like that was on the tele once before Batman. Even if you aren't on the lookout for toys, this shop does have some incredibly impressive displays and is well worth a shout. Just remember to leave your credit card at home because you will buy something... I guarantee it

I recently bought an airhockey table but when I checked it at home it was flawed and did not work…read moreproperly. I got it replaced same problem. When I went back I got staff to check all stock they where all the same. So please check your table before Christmas!!!!

One of the best perks of being a dad to a boy is getting to play with the toys too, there's any…read moreamount of toys and the store is divided into sections, boys ,girls,babies,outdoor and tv/film toys with a general craft or hobby toy area. You can pay off items that they can store for you on the run up to Christmas which helps spread the cost. They also assemble bikes and go carts for an extra fee which is great if your not comfortable with self assembly .even though it sells computer games its great to see so many real toys.

I'm a big kid, so it will come as no surprise that this place is like Disneyland to me-even at 20!…read moreIt's just row after row after row of toys i.e hours of fun! They stock every toy imaginable, from Barbies to Snakes and Ladders to more outdoorsy stuff like bikes and swing sets. And it's absolutely huge, meaning it's so easy to get lost in it-which I'm very grateful for as I don't want my friends to see me drooling over the Lego set that I'm supposedly purchasing for my nephew. My only warning about this place is that if you have small children, it will be very hard to a) Make them leave it and b) Leave empty-handed!

This store is really good. much needed as lots of dedicated toy stores have closed. It covers 2…read morefloors and the toys are often at a much discounted price. Def worth nipping in.

This place is huge!!! I felt like a Wee kid again!!!! An amazing place, well stocked, toys for all…read moreages from the very young to the old. There's something for everyone. Lots of free car parking and the staff are very helpful. I'm dreading bringing my girls here as all I will hear is "I want that!!!"

Definitely one of the biggest toy stores in the area and a better shopping experience than at their…read morerivals. The stores bright clean and well organised , the staff seemed happy and getting served was quick and easy. It's where I'm going to for most of the Christmas presents I'm buying this year. There's a good amount of parking and trolleys to

I am a big child. I'm putting that in writing and I'm not ashamed of it. Smyth's Toystore is…read morepossibly the greatest place on Earth. From being brought up on Home Alone when he got lost in the toy store, and from watching Toy Story too many times, I get a little bit excited when I step inside any toy shop. I'm not some creepy person that hangs around toy shops by the way, I went here with my mother to get our younger cousins presents for Christmas. The place, as you would expect, is mental in this festive holiday so plan early. You can reserve things on the internet which we only found out after our hectic visit. They have every toy under the sun and at the same prices as Argos or Toys r'us so it's a great place to shop. Plus, if you find yourself with younger children when your shopping on the Boucher Road, I'm sure you can probably treat them to something nice. Recommended for all ages

Smyths toy store is heaven for children and those that do not want to grow up. So my trip there was…read moreperfect! The bright store in Shane Retail Park is filled with an array of colour, games, toys and much more! The assortment of stock is equipped for all age groups as they range from new born babes right through to twelve plus. As I'm twenty-two, the twelve plus has certainly been given liberally!! This store is massive and with that comes pros and cons. If you arrive with children, expect to be in store for days and leaving with a car load of new toys. So, my advice if at all possible leave the kids behind or be very strict about the days events, it will be stressful. The great thing about Smyths is that it answers every kid's birthday and Christmas gifts without too much stress or worry. Also their online check in policy allows customers to check if there wanted product is in store before heading down to get it. Brilliant!

I have never left Stewart Millers empty handed. I'm not kiddin', honestly. It's like some kind of…read moremagnetic force which leaves me completely helpless and powerless, removing all inhibitions and barriers which prevent me from purchasing extreme numbers of goods from this fave store of mine. Or maybe that's just me shopping normally... Anyhow, Stewart Miller is a bargainous store which is primarily a newsagent and confectioners, but is also a bookshop, cardshop and toyshop. I've found books for peanuts, excellent sweetie deals, and, when I was younger, it was my first stop for TY Beanie Babies (remember those?! I still have an absolute ton of them stashed away in my wardrobe...couldn't bear [excuse the pun] to part with them quite yet). The Holywood store is undoubtedly my favourite. The toy section is huge, and they are genuinely well-priced (not always super cheap), top-quality playthings. The card section is extremely well-stocked, with a huge variety to choose from, and at reasonable prices. The book section is my favourite - I've gotten presents for my mum and dad for next to nothing, and even picked up a football book for £1.99 from £12.99 today, and I've found travel books for a fiver. Oooh, its a good 'un.

I'm lovin it. This gem on the Holywood main street has some of my favourite everyday treats -…read moreglossy mags, cold drinks and chick lit style books at very good prices. It also keeps the kids very happy as it has the best selection of football trading cards I've ever come across. My favourite thing about Stewart Millar is the magazine and comic selection. One whole wall of the front section is given over to mags and comics which means that I can happily browse Marie Claire and 25 Beautiful Homes and the kids can look at the Beano (yes it still exists) and Shoot! before making our choices. And there are none of those shouty 'This is not a library' signs either. At the back of the shop are the toys - good selection of lego- and books. The books are worth a particular mention as the prices are great. Some of the not quite latest releases can be snaffled at Tesco-esque prices which certainly floats my boat. There's a good selection of kids books too, especially quite unusual activity and pop up books which are always good for Christmas presents. All I need to do now is stop accidentally calling it Stuart Little which makes the kids fall about laughing every time as Stuart Little is of course a talking mouse. It's happened, I've become an Embarrassing Mum.

From the minute you step in the door and notice the beautifully traditional rocking horse, you will…read morebe smiling like a Chesire Cat. Honestly, this place is one of those wee treasure troves in which you find absolutely every gift worth buying, whilst also reminiscing about yesteryear, those wooden spinning tops you once had, and that doll's house you so badly wanted (and perhaps still so badly want...). The Chesire Cat is snug and cosy, yet bursting at the seams with jewellery, chinaware, novel gifts (ever come across a tiny box of 50 things you must do before you die? Neither had I), and greetings cards. The back section is dedicated entirely to toys of every shape and size, from teddy bears to cute little wooden toys. I could've spent all day having a nosey - it's that kind of shop. My sister and I were joined by some well-spoken English customers, and they were being well seen to - all questions answered. This did mean that no-one spoke to us, but I didn't expect them to, and they were right to focus on the English ladies. Such a lovely place to pick up a gift for just about anyone. Hopefully you'll be grinning by the end of it too...

If you have any small children to buy presents for you must visit this shop, a treasure trove of…read moretraditional toys, games and puzzles in the back room of shop with a more grown up gift shop at the front. At the door there's an old rocking horse which they call Dapple, of the sort that used to fascinate me as a child. Children are free to have a ride on Dapple, though at their own risk or words to that effect as stated on a notice that I suppose is a necessity in these days of health and safety, more's the pity. Everything in the shop is about quality and tradition with a bit of nostalgia included. Several visits are needed to have a proper look but there is a good choice of small items and up to date interesting little things too so despite the upmarket feel you can still get something without having to spend a lot of money.