5 enchanting stores to shop for kids in Springfield

No one’s denying that some holiday gifts will come from Amazon, but if you’re looking for a more whimsical experience this season, Springfield has plenty of places where shopping still feels like an occasion.

Personally, I miss the Christmas shopping of yesteryear, when jingling doors greeted you and the smell of hot chocolate and buttered popcorn drifted through the air. Shopping wasn’t just about efficiency and purchases. It was about being present during a moment in time; feeling the hum of a warm, crowded store, chatting with the shopkeeper who knew your kid’s name, or stumbling on a truly serendipitous gift.

These five Springfield shops bring back that magic. And bonus, they’re all really close to each other, minimizing time stuck in the car.

Big Box store add-ons: These charming little shops are surrounded by big box brethren. I’ve added these to the locator map at the bottom of this article for mapping out your holiday shopping routes.

(Jump to the end for a locator map to plan a route for holiday shopping).

Bricks & Minifigs

Location: 1570 E Battlefield Rd Suite E, Springfield, MO 65804

This is the store that made my 5-year-old son gasp. Far larger than it appears from the outside, the multi-level shop is bursting at the seams with Lego sets, used bricks and mini-figurines, and accessories. Even during the middle of a weekday, this shop was bustling with customers, from children and their parents to grown-up Lego enthusiasts. While there’s an enormous selection of sets, this store is perfect for littler children, too. The used bins are magnets for young ones, and there’s even a build-your-own minifig bar with tons of heads, bodies, hats, legs and accessories to choose from, perfect for customizing a gift for your child.

Hobbytown

Location: 3065 S Glenstone Ave, Springfield, MO 65804

Hobbytown likely has the best selection in terms of variety and quality of toys here in Springfield. The massive store, recently expanded this spring, is home to aisles and aisles of the kind of toys that truly engage children: open-ended play, creative play, and imaginative play. For littles, there’s a huge Brio train track selection, a Schleich Farm World collection, high-quality dress-up and pretend play gear from Great Pretenders, cars, trucks, and so much more. For older kids (and adults), there’s the popular Gunpla (model kits of plastic robots), RC cars, airplanes and boats.

BONUS FOR MOM: While I’m not personally into RC cars, I appreciated that this store was also well-stocked for more cozy hobby pursuits, like puzzles and paint-by-numbers. The manager told me that the hottest thing in the store right now are these miniature craft kits called Rolife, used to build darling, cozy scenes of bookstores, cafes and train stations that can sit on your bookshelf as decor. This is definitely on my personal wishlist!

Jellybeans

Location: 2632 S Glenstone Ave, Springfield, MO 65804

One of the most aesthetic stores to shop for children in Springfield, Jellybeans has a wide variety of toys, stuffed animals, books, clothes and more. My favorite thing about this store is their thoughtful curation of seasonal items. They have high-quality Christmas pajamas and dress clothes for your big family holiday party, as well as holiday picture books, Christmas Tonies, advent calendars and super unique gifts.

At Jellybeans, it’s all about high quality and beauty. Expect to be enamored while you shop. The shopkeepers said to expect sales the Sunday before Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Small Business Saturday.

BONUS SHOPPING NEARBY: This store is in the Brentwood Shopping Center, which is also home to Bon Bons (listed below) and H.I.M., the latter of which is a wonderful place to get Christmas gifts for the men in your life.

Bon Bons

Location: 2720 S. Glenstone Ave, Springfield, MO 65804

Recently featured in the Springfield Daily Citizen, this adorable candy shop is home to some viral internet trends — Swedish candy (no artificial flavors or dyes) and Dubai chocolate, which food writer Juliana Goodwin says are taking TikTok by storm. I love the idea of tucking some brightly colored Swedish candies into my son’s stocking, all wrapped in crinkly cellophane!

The shop is perfectly set up for holiday gift shopping, with rows and rows of taffy, toffee, chocolates, fudge, and specialty candies, which make great gifts for all ages.

EntertainMART

Location: 3040 S Glenstone Ave, Springfield, MO 65804

This store has been around forever, and maybe it’s the 90s kid in me, but I find it especially charming as a holiday shopping stop for kids. In an effort to keep screens at a minimum in my house, my 5-year-old son has a CD player in his bedroom. He takes great joy in collecting albums and re-listening to them a zillion times, and I take great joy in not having to coordinate or referee his music all the time. It gives him autonomy without access to an Alexa, phone, or media player.

EntertainMART is one of few stores left that sells physical media like CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, games and consoles. It’s a great stop for older kids into vintage media, along with fans of manga and anime. The store also carries collectible toys, vinyl figurines, puzzles, and record players. I was delighted to discover they also have a massive collection of new and used books taking up the whole south wing of the store.