Tadpole

Soooooooo helpful and kind. Test drove strollers, sat in Monte chairs, will be back for sure. Amazing help and support and guidance.

Before I became pregnant this was my go to place to purchase gifts for childrens birthdays and newborns. Our gifts were always a big hit with the families and children we bought them for — fun, well designed, thoughtful and always beautifully wrapped.
We always appreciated the helpful staff and wanted to support a local store, so when we got pregnant we decided to register for some essentials here. One of the staff members took the time to discuss products, offered pros and cons and really gave us the personal attention that we wouldn’t get at one of the larger name stores. Once the gifts were purchased they graciously agreed to hold our items while we prepared our apartment. A huge help as we had to rearrange everything to make room for our new arrival. They also offer a 10% store credit based on total purchases once you complete your registry. Something that will definitely come in handy when you need to grab last minute stuff without getting into your car, if you even have one living in the city.
I really do love this store. They take alot of the guesswork out of making purchases by streamlining the products to fit the needs of the urban parent. Touring the larger stores, it is easy to get overwhelmed and feel as though you need more than you really do. Shopping at a local boutique store simplifies your choices, something I greatly appreciate.

Great selection of extremely high quality baby and young children essentials/​fun things. Great customer service and really good location. They are experts for those on the market for top quality/​safety crib etc. beautiful little things you never thought you would need like glitter socks for babies!!! Exquisite gift wrapping!!!

Workers are friendly and the medium-​size store has a good selection of high-​end baby gear.

We recently moved to the South End and stumbled upon Tadpole while exploring the neighborhood. What a gem!
It’s perfect for finding unique baby/​toddler gifts for friends and also the necessities in preparing for the arrival of our little one.
Dave and the entire staff have gone out of their way to make our experience in their store exceptional — friendly, generous with their time, opinions (if wanted), free gift wrapping, etc.
We look to support local businesses and Tadpole is the place for us!

If you are looking for a baby/​kids store-​look no further because Tadpole is THE place to go. Not only is the customer service exceptional (the owner, Dave, and his staff are friendly, prompt w email communication, and go above and beyond to help you find what you are looking for, even if they don’t have the item in store-​they will try to get it for you).
As new parents, we found this store to be the perfect place. It’s just the right size, in the lovely neighborhood bordering Back bay/​South end), with expert staff who were knowledgable to help us put together our ideal baby registry… which we HIGHLY recommend you register with them. Forget hose big name baby/​toy stores, or even other local ones we’ve tried… This place has the same brands and better ones they’ve vetted over time and experience. Plus, they give you back in store credit 10% of the total value of what’s been purchased off your registry. When we closed out our registry after our baby was born, we were able to apply the generous store credit from all our gifts to purchasing our beautiful Monte recliner! Yes, they even have one in store to try out (but fair warning, once you sit in one, no other glider/​recliner is the same)
We fell in love w Tadpole and we think once you give it a try you will too! It’s personalized to your needs (even if as a parent or friend/​family member you don’t know what you may need for the child in your life)…go to Tadpole and they are bound to help you figure it out one of in the best experiences possible.

The local neighborhood toy store in the South End. Everyone who works there is super nice and helpful, especially when buying baby gear. They really know their stuff. They even came out to our car to check out our car seat to make sure we bought the right adaptor. You also earn tadpole points each time you buy something that gives you money towards your next purchase.

Stephanie and Dave have been so helpful with our every need and question from the moment we stepped into tadpole. Stephanie answered every question and concern without pushing or overselling products!!! We ordered all of our key items and when it came time to receive our gear and furniture purchases, they were available via email for on going questions and support. It’s so nice to get help as a first time parent from someone that knows all the gear and what you truly need. Thank You!

Located just steps from the Back Bay/​Dartmouth station, Tadpole is a modern day take on the toy and children’s boutique.
The shop’s owner, Dave, was incredibly helpful in finding the perfect gift for my 3-​year old niece: a Janod Height Adjustable Easel with chalkboard and white board. His prices were completely in line with Amazon’s and he was even able to help me ship it to Michigan before the Christmas holiday. Dave even helped with Bubblegum Brushes designed for small hands.
Seriously, Tadpole made my Christmas and made recommendation that allows my niece to engage with her imagination. I will definitely return to Dave and his incredible staff.

Excellent place to register for a baby shower. Prices are the same as you would find on line or in box store. You receive 10 percent back in store credit for every gift you receive. The store carries the best brands so you dont have to waste time combing through a giant box store. The customer service is great! They will track your purchases for you to make sure items arrive on time. The owners are very patient and will take time to educate you about baby products. Best place to buy baby products in Boston!

If you’re in your early 30s, hold on tight because an abundance of babies is headed your way. These days it seems nearly impossible to go to my inbox or mailbox without finding an announcement that a baby is on its way or newly arrived. Thankfully, Tadpole has something for every bundle of joy. This is a great little shop, filled to the brim with adorable baby gifts, from the practical (sippy cups, bouncy chairs, swaddling blankets) to whimsical (finger puppets, books, playsets!). The staff has lots of helpful advice and can help you make a decision if you’re stuck because everything there is so darn cute!

Great service and decent selection for a small toy shop.
They may be the only toy shop in Boston. I went there to get presents from my friend’s kids, the staff were very helpful and helped me pick a toys for 2 kids of varying ages. Most of the toys are for younger kids (less than 10 years old?).
Prices didn’t seem expensive.

Whether you are looking for a gift for a baby acquaintance or a high-​end stroller for your own spawn, Tadpole is the first place I would recommend visiting if you are near downtown Boston and want to duck in and out. They have a great selection of books, toys and gear, and the ambience is actually calming. It’s also in a pretty area of the South End, easy to get to from Back Bay MBTA station, and there are some nice nearby places to grab lunch… Might I suggest Flour?

Best baby store in Boston. The owner is extremely knowledgeable & helpful & has very good taste.

Great mix of gear (strollers, carseats, bottles, etc) stuff and gift (toys, clothes, etc) stuff – so nice to have it right in the city. The prices for gear are comparable to anywhere else (including online), and the owners and employees really know their stuff. Plus, no sales pressure whatsoever (unlike, hmmm… Isis?); they even told us not to bother with the $ 1000 Bugaboo as the $ 500 Bumbleride was better for Boston sidewalks. We have also found the staff to be a great and nonjudgmental resource for general city parenting advice.

I stopped in here on my way home from work to see if I could get my nephew a 5^th birthday present as we had dropped the ball on his gift and had to go to his party that evening. I knew that I would be a little sticker shocked, but the convenience for me was worth it. I had limited time so I immediately asked the nice girl working at the counter what she would recommend for a gift. She brought me right over to a small selection of toys and gave me some different ideas and within a minute I had a gift in my hand headed to the register.
There was a sign that said «Free Gift Wrapping» but I assumed there would be some rules on that since my gift was only $ 15 (I’m a cheap aunt, I know, but he LOVED the gift) and when I asked, she said she would absolutely wrap it up at no charge. As she wrapped I wandered the store and found some seriously super cute toys for our nieces and nephews. Prices are a little high, but so is their rent.
I’ll absolutely shop here for the kids in our families in hopes I’ll find something perfect, but since the selection is a tad limited I know it won’t be my be-​all end-​all one stop kids shop.

Terrific customer service. We were looking for an inexpensive gift and decided to try Tadpole because we had limited time and live in the neighborhood. They have two stores on the same street; one for clothing, strollers, beds, etc. and the other had toys. We entered the former, explained that we were looking for a toy less than $ 30 and then we were directed to the toy store. By the time we arrived, the sales woman (evidently notified by the other store) knew what we were looking for and our aforementioned price range. She wrapped it beautifully, free of charge! It was a fun and extremely convenient shopping experience. Plus, they welcomed and spoiled our puppy with a treat!

As a first-​time auntie and frequent guest at baby showers/​child birthday parties, I was thrilled to discover this lovely shop! They carry toys for children in addition to «must haves» for new parents. Even better, they provide terrific advice for shoppers who don’t know what is age appropriate, absolutely necessary for first time parents, etc. within your price range. They have been a fabulous go-​to spot for me for birthday parties and baby showers and they give you points when you shop! This is the place to go for a special present (I love the wooden toys… so precious) for the munchkins in your life!

my friends recently had a baby, which gave me an excuse to stop in here. clearly, i was ill-​equipped to be baby shopping as a non-​parent myself — what do new parents need? luckily, the woman at the front desk was very helpful and suggested a few things that every parent could use a few of (sleeping nightgown type things, hooded towels) and even wrapped my gift beautifully. this store is a little pricey but they have a ton of well designed stuff for parents who don’t want to give up good design and cool modern things just because they had a baby (e.g. dwell baby linens, cool built NY neoprene bibs). OK, it’s yuppie central, but i am a sucker for dwell anything!

Good things: high end toys, well-​made clothing, very nice owners.
Bad things: very expensive, limited range of toys
Good things: awesome gift wrapping, great present ideas for the stumped
Okay so good things win I think. As long as you have deep pockets. If you don’t then I recommend you shop elsewhere. Target anyone?