Owners Nancy Renick and Ellen Durand escort whippersnappers of all ages through Village Toy Company's trove of specialty diversion tools, including stuffed toys, do-it-yourself craft and science kits, sports equipment, and board games. Kids gussy up a plush dog in a spa mask, a tutu, and a rhinestone collar with the Creativity For Kids puppy spa before coloring in the included stickers and interviewing the pageant-ready pooch on trending political issues ($20.99). Youngsters can safely hone spirals with soft Poof footballs ($8.99–$12.99) or string together homemade jewelry with a Melissa & Doug Create-A-Craft bead kit ($4.99). The award-winning board game Bananagrams ($14.99) pits wordsmiths against each other and the clock as they build a grid of intersecting text tidbits, which invariably spells out the entire script of Samuel Beckett's Endgame. Village Toy Company's staff happily advises guests on personalized gift ideas and can etch containers with custom names and drawings on-site.
