Our Expertise
We’re the Play Experts
Before founding MudPuddles Toys & Books, Eddi Miglavs taught kids of every age from kindergarten to high school. After leaving the California public schools and moving to Oregon, she became a child and family therapist, using her knowledge of developmental psychology and the importance of play to heal and enrich the lives of families. In 2000, Eddi had a new vision: a toy and book store built from her knowledge and experience with kids at all stages of development, a place where families could both play and learn, and be guaranteed the perfect toys and books for their children and a staff of experts to advise them. From this vision she created MudPuddles Toys & Books.
Eddi isn’t the only expert on the MudPuddles staff: every member is selected with extreme care, then continually trained in the science of children and play. We’re the Play Experts. One of our first hires was a kindergarten teacher who came out of retirement just to help the MudPuddles vision. We have teachers, nurses, home schoolers, parents, grandparents, aunts, and one uncle. All coming together to form the smartest, most experienced group of kid experts any toy store has ever had. Don’t worry, we may know a lot, but most importantly we know how to play and have fun. It’s our job..
How We Select Toys and Books
We don’t carry most toys. That’s because we honestly believe most toys that are out there (the TV-advertised movie-tie-ins, the crummy plastic doodads that are sure to break, the stupidly-violent toy weapons, the electronic wiz-bang gizmos that play themselves) aren’t worthy of our kids. Other stores are happy to sell whatever makes money, but we’re only satisfied if we’re doing what’s right by our families and our community, and choosing toys kids will actually play with and learn from.
Let us say it clearly: there is no junk at MudPuddles.