Hank ‘Digs’ the TreeHouse Toy Store

Adults are prone to binge-watching their favorite TV shows; kids are prone to binge-playing. There might be a dinosaur phase when they suddenly can name every species of dinosaurs and pretend they are paleontologists. There might be a train phase, when your living room becomes a maze of tracks and switches and low-speed but noisy collisions.

The TreeHouse Toy Store is prepared for all your kids' deep (and perhaps, brief) interests, and Mr. Dave, who owns the store with his wife, Gaetana, recently showed Hank some of their digging toys. We might have a little earth-mover in our house this holiday season!

This is what Hank found in his special Toy Box at TreeHouse Toy Store:

Bruder MACK Granite Dump Truck, which features "chrome-plated bumpers, side doors with folding mirrors, and realistic dumping action from gate in back of the bed," according to its online description.

You wouldn't think that a toy of this size would make a good bath toy. However, Hank refused to let this truck out of his site for the first few days! It even made its way in to the bathtub one evening! That's what I love about a traditional toy store like this, you can find toys that not only inspire imagination, but last and are durable enough to stand up to whatever a 2 and a half year old can put them through!

The Noisy Diggers book, complete with buttons little hands love to press to hear the digging sounds. I use this book as a test every night before bedtime. Hank is getting very good at identifying each machine!

As a parent living in the age of big box stores and Amazon, I love the neighborhood feel Gaetana and David have cultivated at The TreeHouse Toy Store since they opened it in 1996. Their shop is a reflection of both their talents: Gaetana hand-picks all the toys with an eye for ones that spark children's creativity and imagination, while Dave (who enjoys both woodworking and math) handles the financial side of the business and has built all the displays, including the large bucket-filled counters.

They wanted kids of all ages to be able to explore The TreeHouse as if they were in an actual treehouse with fun things to discover around every corner and cool toys tucked into every nook. They created a shop where kids could come with their allowance and always feel like they could find something new and fun.

They also have a full-service website (including in-store pickup — or “TreeHouse Take-Out” as it’s called), TreeHouse Loyalty Club, shipping services, wishlists and good old-fashioned customer service.

If you want to give your kids a special treat, SHOP LOCAL! I highly recommend you visit The TreeHouse Toy Store at 793 Elmwood Ave. (at corner of Auburn in the Elmwood Village) or call them at 888-882-1322.