Find kids games, toys and specialty products at the Kids Market on Granville Island, Vancouver.

Kids Market on Granville Island, Vancouver takes shopping to a whole new level for families. Browse through one of the 28 independent stores, grab a bite to eat at Beanstalk Bistro and head outside to the pond for playtime. If it’s cold out there, stay indoors and have a ball in the supervised play area or shop the clothing stores, hair salon, candy stores, restaurants, toy and game boutiques, and bookstores. On top of shopping, kids can play around the outdoor pond, in the arcade and in the play area.

Kids Market Stores

Just like a mall, the stores vary from clothing and shoe shops to candy and toy stores. Some of the highlights are:

Granville Island Toy Company: A purveyor of high quality, ingenious toys for children and those that take care of them.

Humpty Dumpty Books: A cute shop selling books, CD’s, DVD’s and posters.

I’m Impressed Paper Arts: Try your hand at stamping, making a scrapbook, taking a class and buying arts and craft supplies.

Ribbit’s Candy Corner: This is where kids will go crazy with sugar as they discover novelty candy and a room full of sweet treats.

Kids Activities

Instead of trying to get in and out of here quickly, plan a whole day outing with the family. Kids will be in heaven as they choose between a full play area that is supervised, equipped with balls, tunnels and fun; an arcade filled with games for the older kids; a picnic area to chow down on lunch; and an outdoor play area with a caboose and a bridge over the pond.

The Services

Don’t think that this market is only for toys and games, though. Families can get their hair cut and ears pierced at (The) Hairloft or have a birthday party for all their young friends. Clownin’ Around Magic has magician supplies and puts on free magic shows at certain times. Call the store to find out when the next one will be: (604) 682-0244. Food is also a given, with Beanstalk Bistro and Pedro’s Organic Coffee House turning out meals for active youngsters. There’s even a pet store, Woofles & Meowz, to keep the family pet happy.

Getting to Kids Market on Granville Island

1496 Cartwright Street

Vancouver, B.C. V6H 3Y5

Tel: (604) 689-8447

Fax: (604) 689-0821

Hours of Operation: 10:00am- 6:00pm daily

By car: From West 2nd Avenue, turn north onto Anderson Street (under the Granville Street bridge) and Kids Market is on your right hand side.

Parking: Always a challenge, parking is achieved by roaming in a counter clockwise direction until you see an empty spot. The good news is that it’s free; the bad news is that it’s extremely limited.

By Bus: the #50 False Creek/Waterfront bus will take you to the mouth of Granville Island, at West 2nd Avenue and Anderson Street. The walk is equivalent to about 2 blocks.