I am no stranger to Mildred and Dildred.
I remember visiting the toy store as a kid, when it was located at La Encantada. Stepping inside felt like walking into a storybook. My imagination would immediately kick in, and for a little while, I could be anything I wanted to be.
Now, as an “adult,” I still feel that same sense of childlike wonder whenever I visit.
I put adult in quotation marks because, although I am 26 years old, I will use almost any excuse to feel like a kid again. Sometimes, I think we lose the plot in adulthood and forget how fun, comforting and even healing it can be to reconnect with our inner child.
Mildred and Dildred is the perfect place to do exactly that.
The locally owned toy store carries books, stuffed animals, art supplies, games and plenty of tiny treasures. It has also gotten some extra attention recently thanks to the growing popularity of trinkets, blind boxes and squishies.
Thankfully for this week’s $25 Challenge, there was no shortage of fun finds within budget.
Viral squishies and tiny trinkets
One of the first displays you’ll see when you walk into the store is appropriately labeled “Squish Central.”
The display is packed with viral squishy dumplings, sticks of butter, sugar cubes and other tiny objects. There were so many varieties that I genuinely felt overwhelmed by the options, in the best possible way. I literally felt like a kid in a toy store.
Mildred and Dildred also carries popular collectibles including Sonny Angels, Smiski, Monchhichi, Miffy and Calico Critters. Calico Critters blind bags cost $10, and there is a huge assortment of other blind boxes throughout the store. Sonny Angel collectors can even use the store’s trading post to swap figures.
I wasn’t the only adult browsing without a child, either. I saw plenty of other grown-ups picking out trinkets of their own. Of course, watching kids explore the store with their parents was part of the fun, too.
Palm Pals for every personality
One of my favorite sections was the massive assortment of Palm Pals — small stuffed animals that fit in the palm of your hand.
The selection was neatly divided into categories including aquatic animals, zoo animals, pets, farm animals, fruits and vegetables, food, sports and mythical creatures. With so many tiny characters lined up on the shelves, it would be difficult not to find one that matches your personality.
Regular Palm Pals cost $9.50, while clip-on versions that can double as bag charms cost $8.50.
Coloring books, slime and other creative finds
Coloring has no age limit, and Mildred and Dildred has shelves filled with options for kids and adults. Coloring books ranged from about $6 to $15, making it easy to pair one with a few gel pens for $1.50 to $2.50 each.
The store also carries slime from Kawaii Slime Company for $15 to $18, along with stickers and temporary tattoos ranging from $1.50 to $5.50.
Book lovers can find plenty within budget, too. Little Golden Books and titles from the “Who HQ” series cost $5.99 each, while colorful holographic bookmarks cost $5.
Accessories, animals and little surprises
If you’d rather wear your find, the store carries mood rings, playful jewelry and colorful accessories. Large hair claws in fun shapes cost $10, mini hair claws cost $4 and funky socks cost around $10 to $11.
Animal lovers can browse Schleich figurines ranging from $4.99 to $9.99. I also spotted a $16 miniature mouse door from Sam & Julia that looked like a tiny entrance into another world.
For your inner troublemaker, Mildred and Dildred carries classic prank toys like fake insects, fake poop, snap gum and ice cream shooters. Naturally, I found whoopee cushions, too. They come in different sizes and cost around $4 to $5, proving that some jokes truly never get old.
Tiny treasures starting at 25 cents
Near the checkout counter, an entire display is filled with candy, finger puppets, Silly Putty and all kinds of tiny toys and novelty items.
It’s the type of display that makes you want to inspect every compartment just to see what you might find. With prices ranging from 25 cents to about $5, you could fill a small bag with surprises without coming close to spending the entire $25 budget.
There is so much packed into Mildred and Dildred that I couldn’t possibly list every item under $25. Whether you’re shopping for a child, searching for a gift or looking for an excuse to reconnect with your inner child, it’s the kind of place where you can spend a long time browsing and still discover something new around every corner.
A butter squishy, Sonny Angel blind box, cloud hair clip, crunchy soap squishy and egg-shaped fidget keychain were among the items purchased during a recent visit to Mildred and Dildred.
What I brought home
You didn’t think I was going to leave empty-handed, did you?
I brought home an $8 butter squishy that I had been eyeing for a while, along with the cutest $10 cloud hair clip. I also couldn’t possibly leave without at least one surprise to open, so I picked up a Sonny Angel Hippers Harvest Series blind box for $14.
Then, while I was checking out, I spotted a “crunchy squishy” shaped like a white bar of soap. I tried one while the cashier was ringing me up and immediately added it to my basket. It has one of the most interesting squish sensations I’ve ever felt.
My favorite purchase, though, might be the $7 boiled egg clicker fidget keychain. It’s adorable, incredibly satisfying, and I’ve been clicking it nonstop since I bought it.
If my goal was to reconnect with my inner child, I’d say this challenge was a success.
Mildred and Dildred is located at 1725 N. Swan Road and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, visit their website or follow the store on Instagram for updates about new arrivals and collectible drops.
