Reach and Teach Books, Toys, and Gifts

I love this store so much! Whether it's presents for kids / family members or a new book for me, their store has it all. I love the personal attention and recommendations. I'll say, " My kid has liked these books/games any recommendations for what's next?" One or two questions later and we have 5 amazing options. I always walk out with new delicious fair trade chocolate, green products and fun games for the whole family.

Big secret, I sometimes go there when I simply want to feel better (for example, I'm bummed about politics or world news). Craig and Derrick are gentle, kind people and, after visiting their shop and absorbing the relaxing vibes, I go home feeling gentler and kinder, too.Plus, I always find something perfect for a special gift. If I'm stumped, they have fabulous suggestions. Their shop is magic!

Just walking into this store is a treat. Walking around inside the welcoming shop is a wonder. Such an amazing range of fascinating, uplifting, and fun items. *Updated Feb 2024 - The new space in San Carlos expands on the "wonder" part of what I wrote earlier. This shop is unique, as in truly one of a kind. (Also adding photos from the San Carlos location, taken in August 2023.)

Really great local gift, toy store, and eco supplies store. We come here most often to refill our laundry detergent ($0.12 / oz) but also love it for birthday gifts for our daughter’s friends. Loads of good STEM gifts, puzzles, games, books, etc. The owners are very knowledgeable about all of their products and are happy to make age appropriate recommendations.

This wonderful local store is a 10! I first found Reach snd Teach on Palm Ave. as a refill store. Wanting to reduce my plastic purchases. Reach snd Teach then grew to a new location on 25th Ave. Adding more books, recycled plastic toys, Fair Trade items from around the world. Now, Reach and Teach has grown again to a new location in San Carlos. More of everything including an extensive LGBTQ+ books and life lessons section. The toys and books are fantastic. I’ve purchased gifts for friends and family at Reach and Teach. It is definitely my go to store to “shop small”.

Beautiful cozy mom & pop bookstore.
The owner is very welcoming & friendly.

Great hand picked collection of kids books & greeting cards!

Great shop! I came for the soap and detergent refill station and was not disappointed. Excellent products at a very reasonable price. They have shampoo, hand soap, dish soap, and laundry detergent. All products are eco-friendly and not tested on animals. Prices are per ounce, so make sure you know the size of your container! It sounds like hair conditioner may be coming soon.

I’m so glad San Mateo has a refill spot that helps its residents reduce waste in our local landfill!

Want unique gifts and books and great customer service and help finding what you need? This is an incredible gem in San Carlos.

In town for a meeting and stumbled across the store. Great place for gifts. Very positive place. And very knowledgeable and helpful!

BEWARE! You will spend far more than you had planned because Reach and Teach is THAT awesome :-)

R&T is the kind of place where you keep finding things to add to the pile for checkout. In a day of specialization, R&T offers a wonderfully diverse selection of items that are all about care, justice, love, and healing. Whether you need a book for any age and topic, a toy that is environmentally and developmentally awesome, or a whimsical item to express goodness in the world, you will find it here!

Lastly, the owners Craig and Derrick, are the epitome of small business owners who are invested in the community and committed to their local clientele. While they have a robust online ordering system, their connection to the people who enter the store makes this place special!

Get there today!

My daughter and I sussed out this store specifically to buy a Trans flag for Trans Day of visibility and found So much more! Dennis, the store's owner was so friendly and inviting. My teen was stopped by the puzzles and games at the door, and the plethora of neurodivergebt toys inside. They have an incredible selection of LGBTQ books for all ages, and we bought a few of those. I can't wait to return again and again. It was a true jewel.

This store is a local treasure. It's my go-to for gift shopping and books, but it's also fun to pop in and browse! Everything has been carefully curated by the shop owners and they know so much background information on the items they carry. They have a wide assortment fun yet educational children's games and toys, beautiful puzzles, books, greeting cards, and also sustainable chocolates, soaps, gift items, and home goods. If you're unable to find a book you're looking for, they're able to order it and have it shipped directly to you. I always leave this shop in a very positive mood, the people who run it are very lovely humans!

A terrific store. Many years I’ve been able to do all my Christmas shopping there. Games are great and I especially like the noncompetitive ones. Amazing unusual puzzles. Science and art kits. Fair trade jewelry and purses and even chocolates. Cards, lots of books and they will order books and calendars for you. Nice little corner of San Mateo, you can shop then get lunch. At dinner time La Lanterna is wonderful.

The owners/staff at this shop are truly some of the most passionate, helpful, and kind folks around. They have so many interesting books, STEM toys, and international/artisanal goods. A great little shop for both kids and adults!

I love this store so much. Every town needs a store like this, where the owners themselves are part of and participate in working to better the community through education, acceptance and kindness. They've worked tirelessly through the pandemic to make sure people are able to get materials for their kids or for themselves. My kids are now grown, but that doesn't stop me from going in to get all kinds of unique toys, books and other gifts for others, and the occasional "toy" for myself.

Reach and Teach is so many things: gifts, toys, books, kitchen essentials, chocolate (!), and more, all with an emphasis on ethical and sustainable living. The owners are friendly and welcoming, and know their products well. You can be looking for ideas for a gift and they’ll help you find exactly the right thing. Or you can just have a wonderful time browsing and then find what you didn’t know you needed! We are so fortunate to have this business in our neighborhood. It’s truly one of the best stores in San Mateo.

Really cute store on a random street in San Mateo with a lot of little shops and restaurants. This place reminds me of a fantastic fair-trade shop called "Ten Thousand Villages" from the Pacific Northwest. The owner/host of the store is very nice and friendly, and offers you water, tea, and even a little piece of dark chocolate (tastefully/hygienically covered with a little clear plastic cup) when you enter the store. I could spend hours in this store looking through the interesting/eclectic book selection; toys; body butters/lotions; and other gifts. There are so many unique toys and gifts with their inspiration or actual origin from all over the world. The back half of the store is designed a children's play area with a table for arts and crafts, and surrounded by bookcases full of children's books. My favorite sections, though, are the toy and music sections where there are a lot of fantastic musical toys, puzzles, and other items that could easily keep both you and/or a child entertained for hours. They have puzzle toys and other small games similar to the Marbles: The Brain Store, but also other unique gifts like building blocks with Korean, Chinese, Japanese, ASL; toy trucks/cars on a string; ankle beads that can be both decorative and a percussive instrument; and my favorite, a fantastic xylophone built entirely of wooden pieces. Another lovely thing: they have beautiful greeting cards that are made locally and/or handmade, some of which are very unique and quite beautiful. You can probably tell: I LOVE THIS STORE.

There should be more small independent businesses like this one. Unique blend of children's toys, books, music - very interesting selection. Fun demos keep the little ones entertained while you browse. They specialize in educational and / or sustainable themes. Very friendly staff. Definitely worth a visit!

This is my favorite place to buy toys for all the young children I know. The selection if superb. I always start out browsing, but the staff members ask a few questions about the interests of the gift recipient and they swiftly select several products that would be perfectly suited. I have gone with the recommendations each time. I even threw a curveball with a unique and fun gift for my husband, a literary aficionado, and was quickly directed to the graphic novel version of Fahrenheit 451. Perfect! I highly recommend this store, it is a San Mateo gem!

Reach & Teach is more of a renewing experience than just a book and toy shop! Craig and Derrick welcome you with delicious tea and chocolate and then invite you to explore the educational books and toys, the fair trade jewelry and gifts for people of all ages. They are incredibly knowledgeable about every item, often knowing the artist or author personally. Peace and social justice are the main themes of Reach and Teach and their origami classes and readings by local authors are part of the community space that encourages curiosity, compassion, and sharing! They have created something very special! We stop in every time we are in the Bay Area and come away with very special items for ourselves and our loved ones!