Like amateur magicians, childhood toys are full of old gimmicks and appear to wince when sawn in half. Enlist a dependable new plaything instead with today's Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of toys, dolls, and games at Toy Village in Lansing.

Captained by Betty "Toy Lady" Gillison and her son John Slagh, Toy Village has garnered praise from AllBusiness.com and Capital Gains for its vast menagerie of toys, games, and collectible dolls. Betty holds the 2010 Crystal Award for Industry Leadership, and has ensured that her fun-filled wares meet rigorous safety and manufacturing standards for more than 50 years. Whippersnappers can backtrack to medieval epochs with a Melissa & Doug Royal Family wooden-doll set ($20) and train a bright stuffed dragon ($32) to roast Lego bratwursts. A Playmobil giant-octopus set ($25) prompts youngsters to stage cephalopod duels at sea, and a game of Brain Quest States ($27.50) steers developing minds through geographical trivia about America's landmarks, cities, and geysers that whistle the national anthem. As those with a fondness for figurines peruse a trove of collectible dolls and bears, toddlers can dictate traffic at one of several play displays throughout the two-story farmhouse.