
Making the most of your retail space is vital when running a small toy shop. The right product display can attract customers, drive sales, and enhance the shopping experience. Consider these seven tips for displaying toys in small shops to ensure a well-thought-out layout and create a brilliant environment.
Why Toy Displays Matter
An eye-catching toy display is more than just an arrangement of products; it’s a way to tell a story and engage shoppers. It draws customers into your store, sparks joy and, ultimately, influences purchasing decisions.
With limited space in small shops, strategy is essential. The goal is to create displays that maximize visual impact while conveying the toys’ fun and value. You can effectively guide customers through the store and showcase promotions by strategically positioning items.
Creating engaging displays showcases your shop and the business’s personality for everyone to see. For example, making a play area with related toys can encourage children to envision themselves in fun scenarios, persuading children and parents to buy.
Create the Best Toy Display for Your Shop
Different shops will have various ways to advertise their toys, so figuring out what works best for you is key. Making the most of toy displays is super important in smaller spaces, so follow these tips for more ideas to improve your setup.
1. Segment by Age Group
Often, parents shopping for toys have a specific age group in mind. Make it easier for them to find the toys their kids like by grouping your products into categories such as “For Toddlers,” “Preschool Fun,” and “Older Kids.” Segmenting your toys by age group keeps each area of the store clearly labeled and easy to find.
Minimal designs can keep the display appealing if you must place the toys in the same spots. Position the younger kids’ toys lower so they can see the display, and place the older children’s toys on the taller shelves with signs to show the age group. Simplify shopping and create a seamless customer experience by segmenting your store’s toys by age.


2. Create Themes for Displays
Themes can bring your displays to life and make them instantly memorable, especially with kids. You can use seasonal themes, such as “Back-to-School,” “Holiday Gifts,” or “Summer Fun,” to keep your shop relevant throughout the year. Alternatively, consider themes based on popular franchises, such as superheroes or animated characters, so that kids notice their favorite characters while walking through the shop.
Props can provide extra pop for different themes. Artificial snow can bring winter themes to life, while balloons could highlight birthday party-related toys. Themes are engaging and can help upsell products by showing customers how items work together.
3. Regularly Rotate Your Displays
Freshness is key to keeping customers curious and excited. Regularly change your displays, especially in high-traffic areas, such as your shop’s entrance and checkout counter. Doing so adds variety to your store’s look and encourages everyone to browse and discover new products.
Rotating products from displays will keep everyone looking for what is new in the shop. Sales data for larger stores can help you decide which toys to feature in rotating exhibits. You can also use this data to create displays with newer or older products that don’t sell as often. Frequent updates keep shoppers returning to see what’s new, improving foot traffic and boosting sales.
4. Utilize Vertical Space
Floor space might be tight in smaller shops, so vertical space offers untapped potential for toy displays. Use shelves, wall mounts, hooks, and pegboards to exploit this prime real estate and keep customers looking around.
Wall shelves are perfect for displaying boxed toys, such as puzzles and board games. Pegboards can hold smaller items, such as plush toys, action figures, and art supplies. These displays maximize your space while keeping the store tidy and easy to browse.
5. Incorporate Interactive Elements
Kids love to touch, play, and explore. Incorporating interactive elements into your displays can make your shop even more exciting for young customers. These interactive elements could consist of several designs that would work for your store.
Setting up a small play table where kids can interact with popular toys is a great option to showcase which toys children can choose from. If there isn’t space for a table, the vertical shelves can showcase demos of tech-based toys, such as robots or remote-control cars. These experiences entertain and demonstrate the toys’ value, making parents more likely to buy.


6. Use More Lighting
Lighting can make all the difference in how kids and adults perceive your displays. Bright, targeted lighting draws attention to specific products and highlights their details. LED lights provide a spotlight to illuminate toys, making them appear unique.
String lights or colorful lamps can create a magical atmosphere around displays, showcasing the toys that may fit well with your display’s theme. Good lighting enhances your merchandise’s appeal, making the entire store feel welcoming and fun.
7. Tell a Story With Toys
Storytelling can transform your displays into mini-adventures. Place your toys in a way that helps parents imagine how their kids will use them. You could create a pretend play area featuring kitchen sets, costumes, or building blocks already in use.
Set up train toys with the accompanying tracks to show parents and kids what it would look like in their homes. These displays may take up more space, but you can also display toys inside the tracks to entice people to buy them.
Pro Tip for Displaying Toys at Checkout Counters
Don’t overlook your countertops! This space is ideal for displaying small items, such as blind boxes, collectible figures, or pocket-sized plush toys. Make sure not to overwhelm the space with toys, so it doesn’t feel cluttered. By properly balancing the space, you can show the smaller, affordable toys, perfect for last-minute impulse buys.
Build Stronger Connections
A well-organized toy display does more than sell products; it builds a delightful and memorable shopping experience. Consider implementing these tips for displaying toys in your small shop to encourage kids and parents to associate your store with joy, fun, and convenience.
With Joissu, you can stock the best wholesale toys and novelties for your displays. We can provide the best and most affordable options for your store’s needs, from light-up toys to plushies. Joissu is your trusted partner for sourcing high-quality wholesale toys that captivate audiences of all ages. Browse our catalog today and see how our toys can transform your displays and boost your business success!