Christmas is the most magical time of the year – especially for little ones. And there’s no better city to celebrate the festive season than Berlin, a capital of cool all year round. The city is renowned for its incredible independent shopping scene, with quirky boutiques waiting to be explored in every neighbourhood. In true Berlin tradition, you’ll find plenty of cute little gifts with a twist in some of the city’s best off-beat shops for kids. Here are a few must-see children’s stores for great kids’ gifts on your Berlin Christmas shopping trip.
Tip 1: Shop lovely organic clothing and more for little lambs at Lila Lämmchen
Lila Lämmchen is the perfect spot to pick up gifts for your little lamb. This Neukölln boutique stocks a stunning, hand-picked selection of sustainable clothing and toys for kids, for Christmas gifts full of love and care. The store only works with suppliers using the highest quality organic materials, for ultimate peace of mind when it comes to protecting the planet as well as your little ones. Alongside the extensive range of ethical fashion, you’ll find organic toys and accessories on Lila Lämmchen’s shelves – including a wonderful range of wooden toys. Simply lovely.
Where: Maybachufer 23, Neukölln and Dunckerstraße 79, Prenzlauer Berg
More information about Lila Lämmchen
Tip 2: Find fabulous fun and games at family-run Spielvogel
This independent boutique in Wilmersdorf is dedicated to bringing joy to little girls and boys – and the grown-ups who love them. Keeping it in the family, the Elsenbroichs have been running this store for three generations and counting, and their knowledgeable team are on hand to share their expertise with regular customers and new visitors alike. Their traditional toyshop stocks all the big names and popular favourites alongside a selection of quirky treats for the young and young at heart. The ideal spot to pick up a statement Santa gift while little eyes are looking elsewhere.
Where: Uhlandstraße 137, Wilmersdorf
Tip 3: Shop gifts made and selected with love from Me & myMum
Leafy Prenzlauer Berg is a beautiful area beloved by young families, with lots of parks and squares where little ones can frolic. Stop off in this lovely neighbourhood on your Berlin Christmas shopping trip and check out beautiful boutique Me & myMum while you’re at it. Founded by Thao Koch, this one-of-a-kind independent store is named in tribute to the support she received from her expert seamstress mother when the store was first established in 2006. Thao and her team now stock a carefully selected range of beautiful toys and clothing for children, featuring familiar names like Djeco and Petit Bateau alongside more offbeat brands, as well as a small selection of handmade accessories. Stop by and pick up a token of love for your little darlings.
Where: Marienburgerstraße 2, Prenzlauer Berg
Tip 4: Find your next fun family activity at Flying Colors
Windy winter weather is no obstacle to fun this festive season. Stop off at this specialist shop in smart Schöneberg to discover your new favourite hobby. Specialising in all kinds of kites, Flying Colors is the ideal spot to pick up a statement gift that will get you and the kids active doing something you enjoy in the great outdoors. It’s a fantastic spot for grown-up gifts, too: the slick and stylish kites are serious bits of kit, and the shop also stocks a wide selection of quality boules, juggling balls and even unicycles for the young (and daring) at heart. Get the festive season off to a flying start.
Where: Eisenacherstraße 81, Schöneberg
Tip 5: Freshen up their wardrobe with a vintage style from Limonadenbaum
Limonadenbaum is another essential stop on any sustainable Berlin Christmas shopping trip. Neukölln, the hip neighbourhood it calls home, has become a hub for all things vintage in the past few years – and children’s stores are getting in on the act. This quirky little boutique – its name means ‘Lemonade Tree’ – offers a fresh twist on kids’ clothing, stocking a mix of beautiful new products from ethical labels and unique pre-loved items. Stop by and have a rummage for a one-of-a-kind piece that’s as inimitable as the little one who wears it. A refreshing twist on Christmas.
Where: Nansenstraße 17, Neukölln
Tip 6: Build all things bright and beautiful at Werken Spielen Schenken
This bright and exciting toy store in Steglitz is guaranteed to thrill the kids. Packed to the rafters with all they need to play, dream and create, this place is a child’s delight. It’s an especially exciting spot for kids (and grown-ups) who love to get crafty. The shop stocks all you need to put your dream model railway in motion or build your own trains, planes and automobiles, with an incredibly well-stocked crafting selection that is truly the mother of invention. Let this bright and beautiful emporium of crafting and creativity whisk you and your little ones away to a world of imagination.
Where: Schloßstraße 110b, Steglitz
Tip 7: Wunschbaum & Spielzeugbude - children's fashion and wooden toys
Here you will not only find baby and children's fashion, but also selected wooden toys, puzzles, cuddly toys and first books and board games for the little ones. The opportunity to have gifts personalised directly on site is particularly nice, whether it's clothing, cushions or decorations for the next big birthday party - or baby shower - of your Christkindlein.
Where: Rüdesheimer Platz 1, Wilmersdorf
Tip 8: Take the hassle out of toy shopping at Jibboo
This fabulous little toy store in perennially hip Friedrichshain is the ideal spot to while away the hours exploring to your heart’s delight. Spanning 120 qm, this colourful and lovingly designed space is home to an array of cute and quirky toys for under-10s, ranging from recognised brand names to offbeat international labels. Your little ones will love rummaging for that special something – and the shop offers a unique wish box service, so Santa Claus can come back and surprise them later with something they’ve picked out in store. If all that Christmas shopping is taking it out of your little ones (or tired grown-ups), you can have a rest on the comfy sofa before you get stuck back in. A parent’s paradise, too.
Where: Bänschstraße 53, Friedrichshain
Tip 9: Shop cute and quirky toys catering for all ages at Die wilden Schwäne
Stocking a wide variety of popular and independent children’s brands, this chic children’s boutique in family-friendly Prenzlauer Berg has the whole family catered for. From plush bears they’ll fall in love with to unique and beautiful rattle designs, it’s got everything you need to make babies’ and toddlers’ eyes light up. Little ones will love discovering music and rhythm with bright and beautiful toy instruments, and you can tempt older kids away from their tablets with real-world juggling games and tricks that will keep them occupied for hours. Go wild on your Berlin Christmas.
Where: Schönhauser Allee 63, Prenzlauer Berg
Tip 10: Explore entertainment for the whole family at the Brettspielgeschäft board game store
This breath-taking boutique in Prenzlauer Berg is a magnet for board game fanatics across Berlin, stocking over 3,000 titles across 2,000 m of shelves. Whether it’s bright and colourful party games for little ones, complex tabletop adventures of strategy and risk for teens, or fun and games for all the family, this store has you catered for. Browse the array of delights on offer or ask for recommendations – the team at Brettspielgeschäft truly know their stuff and are on hand to offer advice in German, English and Spanish, with an increasingly international selection of titles on offer. Whatever you choose, one thing’s for sure: there’s no such thing as boredom with all these fabulous board games to play.
Where: Eberswalder Straße 27, Prenzlauer Berg
Tip 11: Explore a lovely store for little ones in Lichtenberg at Ab ins Kind und Kegel
This lovely store in Lichtenberg is designed to put smiles on little faces. Specialising in brightly coloured helium balloon designs and beautiful wooden toys, it’s the perfect spot to pick up an unusual Christmas gift. The shop also stocks a delightful range of fun and quirky fabrics so stitch wizards can sew them something they’ll love and treasure. The store also runs a music school with lessons for little ones who love to sing, dance and play – the perfect accompaniment to a Christmas gift of a musical instrument, or a way to make those family carolling sessions sound a whole lot sweeter.
Where: Weitlingstraße 37, Lichtenberg
