Birthday registry
Kids pick, parents share the link, and nobody arrives with the fourth copy of the same set.
On Monroe Street since 2012
Toys that survive a second kid
Open play tables, a staff that will ask what your child is actually into, and no screens for sale anywhere in the building.
14 yrson Monroe Street
4open play tables
Freewrapping and gift receipts
0 to 12ages we stock for
In the shop
Play first, then decide
Nearly everything on the floor has a demo version out of the box.
Free gift wrapping
Wrapped at the counter with a gift receipt tucked inside so exchanges are painless.
Game and puzzle nights
Second Friday of the month for ages seven and up, with the fee going to the demo library.
Staff gift matching
Tell us the age and one thing they love and we will hand you three options in the right price range.
Classroom supply orders
Bulk pricing for Madison area teachers and childcare centers, purchase orders accepted.
Repair and replacement parts
Lost marbles, missing meeples, and broken track pieces, pulled from our spares drawer.
Why we opened
A shop run by people who play the games
Tinderbox opened in 2012 above a former bakery, and the smell allegedly lingered for a year. Every staff pick tag is written by someone who has actually played the thing, usually with their own kids or at game night. We stock toys that hold up to being handed down, which sometimes means a higher price and always means fewer batteries.
•Demo versions of most games and puzzles out on the tables
•Age guidance based on the child, not the box
•We keep spare parts so a lost piece is not a dead toy
Reviews
From Madison parents
“They asked what my nephew likes, not what is popular, and got it exactly right for thirty dollars.”
Lauren H., Middleton
“The registry stopped the great duplicate-gift disaster of last year. Worth it for that alone.”
Diego S., Birthday registry
“My daughter lost a piece from a puzzle and they just gave us a replacement out of a drawer.”
Molly R., Monroe Street
FAQ
Parent questions
Can kids play with toys before we buy?
That is the point of the four tables in the middle of the store. Most games and building sets have a demo copy out, and we would rather a child find out something is not for them here than at home.
How do you recommend toys by age?
We start with what the child is already drawn to, then use the box age as a floor rather than a rule. A cautious five year old and a determined three year old often want the same set.
Do you have a return policy on gifts?
Thirty days with a gift receipt for exchange or store credit, and we tuck one inside every wrapped gift automatically. Opened puzzles and games can still come back if pieces are all present.
Do you sell anything with a screen?
No, and that is deliberate. We stock plenty that connects to a tablet-free imagination, and we will happily point you to a store that carries electronics if that is what you are after.
Contact
Stop in on Monroe
We are across from the ice cream shop with street parking and a stroller ramp at the door. Call if you want something held or wrapped before you get here.
Phone(270) 555-0170
Address1809 Monroe Street, Madison, Wisconsin
HoursMon to Sat 10am to 6pm, Sun 11am to 5pm
AreaMadison, Middleton, Fitchburg, Verona, Sun Prairie