Smart Toys and Books — Local services in Knoxville

My family won’t be back. Today was our first experience here after hearing great things. The play area is great, minus the pirate ship being slippery for a place requiring kids to wear socks. This place is unorganized chaos. Not something anyone wants to walk in with. Let’s begin with the parking lot situation. It is holiday season, there are other stores, I get that. But the parking lot is an absolute NIGHTMARE. I drove around forever to find a spot. People speed through the lot despite the fact lots of kids and families are present, no one cares. Be aware if you decide to try this place. Next, when you finally get to the door, know that on busy days you may be standing in the doorway holding the door open or you may be stuck waiting outside. There were 2-3 employees working the front, but these employees ring people up for purchases as well as sign people in for play time. I stood in line with my toddler, who was trying to get up from the stroller constantly because the playground is right there and very enticing to a child (it was a struggle, very frustrating) for about 10 minutes waiting for my turn. Then an older woman decided to cut in front of me to make her purchase and despite the staff knowing I’d been standing there, she checked her out anyway. I’d been standing there for so long trying to keep my child and safe, but they cut me in line and that was acceptable. Beyond ridiculous. By the time the other employee finally got to me my face was probably flat out angry. I really didn’t care. This was my first impression of this place and they failed miserably. She asked if it was our first time and made me take a tablet to complete a waiver. Didn’t explain what to do with the tablet once done. The tablet didn’t want to work. Again, all while my hands are full and my toddler is fighting to get out of the stroller, and kids and screaming everywhere around us. It was absolutely packed, despite having to make a reservation ahead of time for a time slot to play for 2 hours. $9 for 2 hours. Also ridiculous. Finally get inside the play area, finally get the tablet to accept my choices and move forward to compete the waiver. Once my child was out playing it seemed ok, despite being absolutely packed. That part was very annoying, when they claim the time slots are to keep crowds down. Within the first 10 minutes of being in to play, a child who was crying the whole time and my child were near each other. I looked away for maybe 30 seconds and suddenly an Asian woman is shouting at me that my child just hit her son. She didn’t speak clear English so I tried to understand her better by asking clarifying questions. She didn’t like that and threw her hands up in disgust. I apologized anyway and moved my child away from her two children. About 10 minutes later I follow my child to the back corner and see her children approaching mine. I’m a little behind mine and I see this woman grab my child by the arm and pull back. I walked up and said DO NOT TOUCH MY CHILD. I didn’t want to make a scene or cause trouble but this woman felt is was acceptable to grab by the arm a stranger’s CHILD. She’s very lucky I’m a calm and rational person. I guess these are the types of people who frequent this place.

Later on a little girl was playing at the kitchen area near my child and saw my child put a toy to their mouth. She told me how DISGUSTING she felt that was and looked at them as if they were the nastiest person she’d ever seen. No parent around to tell her how wrong that was. My child is only 2, still learning not to do that and I was right there to correct my child. I left this place feeling attacked today. It was horrible. To top it all off, there are no signs or rules for cups and food to be placed up high out of kids’ reach in the play area. A mom left her straw cup sitting at eye level to toddlers. My toddler ran up and drank from her straw before I could stop them. I was seconds too late to stop it from happening, kids are fast. Prevention is what keeps kids safest. This place fails to do that, we will...

Went in today with my family and we were told our little boys couldn't play in the play area because there was a private party happening. That was completely understandable. I asked what time the party ended and the employees behind the counter told us 3pm. It was 20 minutes until 3pm so we figured we'd shop around the store until then. At 3 we took our toys to the counter which totaled over $100 and while my mother in law was paying my son went to go play and they said no, there's a private party happening. We stated that it was past 3 and they'd told us at 3 the party was set to end and they said that another parted started after, but they didn't tell us that when we originally asked for the parties end time and they heard us say we'll go shop until 3. When my toddler started crying I told them that wasn't right for them to mislead us like that and the employee responded saying "in life you don't always get what you want, they need to learn that". I will absolutely never shop or support this...

A good/ok space to entertain children. A small variety of activities for children to occupy themselves. Wish it had more instead of the same few to provide variety for a child. Has a wide selection of toys, books and educational items that are pricey and probably cheaper on Amazon to purchase. Went to the restroom to change a diaper and the change strap was non existent. Was very worried my child would roll over as I had one hand down and another cleaning the diaper. I cited my concerns to the owner (blonde haired lady) and she issued an excuse that it probably happened that morning. I explained that it's been that way for a while since the strap was frayed and showed age. She stuck with her story and was disappointment as a parent that a person running a children focused business would have such disregard for the safety of her patrons in her...