Wooden Toys: The New Wonder Toys
As a savvy parent, you know that toys aren’t merely for play or to keep your child busy while you finish up dinner. Instead, you know that playtime is a valuable opportunity for your little one to strengthen their developing skills.
While toy manufacturers are constantly pushing the latest new trend, wooden toys still remain the leading choice among kids of all ages. When you give your kid a new toy made from natural wood, you can feel good knowing that they are enjoying a wealth of benefits that no other type of toy provides.
For your convenience, this article has been broken down into two parts:
- Wooden toys for babies to preschoolers.
- Reasons why you should give your kid wooden toys to play with.
Wooden Toys For Babies 6 Months+
Natural wooden baby teether toys
What moms are saying:
Christine S – “My daughter was constantly chewing on her brothers wooden railroad tracks, so I set out to find quality wooden teethers. We followed the directions to seal them (we used coconut oil) and they are gorgeous and she loves them. Perfect size for her to carry with her. Would buy again for my children or for use as a shower gift.”
4 Piece Wooden Push Toy Set with Car, Airplane, Truck and Helicopter
What aunts are saying:
Peace feline – “I purchased these as Christmas gifts for my great nephew. He liked them and played with them as much as a 1 year old would. His older sister even played with too! I looked at them and they seemed just as good as some higher priceg items I had seen at the store. Sturdy, not cheap looking at all.”
Manhattan Classic Rattle and Teether Grasping Activity Toy
What moms are saying:
Courtney – “I found this toy in an attempt to keep the toys for my daughter simple, no loud noises and lights. My 3 month old LOVES this toy! She has been completely enthralled with it since she was about 2 months old. She loves the colors and watching the wooden balls slide up and down the strings. She is just starting to be able to grasp it with her hands. I think this will entertain her for many more months to come!”
Manhattan Classic Baby Beads Wood Rattle, Teether, and Clutching Toy
What moms are saying:
Amy – “This toy is a hit with the whole family. I bought it for my 9 month old and he loves it. Even my husband and I like to play with it. It’s a good size for my son to hold but not too small to choke on. We still watch him when he plays with it. After all we are paranoid first time parents haha. The colors are bright and fun. I recommend.”
Melissa & Doug Rainbow Stacker Wooden Ring Educational Toy
What moms are saying:
Natasha Robinson – “REI purchased this for my 11 month old and he enjoys removing the rings, playing with each disk and is even grasping how to stack them already. I love being able to see his wheels turn as he plays with this product and I would purchase again. I was expecting it to be a bit bigger but I’m glad it’s not because it doesn’t take up a lot of space and it’s the perfect size for him.”
Hape Elephant Wooden Push and Pull Toddler Toy
What grandma’s are saying:
Lisa – “A Christmas gift for my first grandson! He is still on the floor trying to crawl but he loves to tug on this and pull it around. When he starts walking, no telling how much he will like it. His great mommy loves it because of the great quality with this brand so how could I go wrong there!”
Melissa & Doug First Bead Maze
What moms are saying:
Sidra – “Love this beaded maze! It’s so small that it fits perfectly on the highchair tray to distract a poor eater. The suction cups are awesome so we keep it on the coffee table. The pieces are all made of wood except for the yellow plastic squares, which are lighter and make a clinking sounds when they touch. My daughter now speaks and run up to it and shows us that she recognizes “Yell-loo” on the maze! This toy is a great for ages 8 months and up. It’s great for children learning to use their hands and fingers to move items around and continues to be a good tool to teach toddlers (around 18-24 months) their colors and shapes. Also makes a great gift!”
Wooden Pull and Push Toys
What moms are saying:
K. Collison – “My almost 1yr old son received this as a birthday present and he loves it. It’s the perfect size for little ones, it’s very well made and completely true to it’s photo description. It’s a very simple toy with bright colors. My son does not like toys that light up and make a bunch of noise so the simplicity of the toy is great. There is a pattern on the wheels not perfectly centered so when the wheels move my son can see the pattern move too.”
Chomp and Clack Alligator Wooden Push Toy and Activity Walker
What moms are saying:
HockeyWife4Life – “We really like this because compared to other walkers- it doesn’t slide out in front of our son is he pushes on it. A different one that we had seems to slide out in front of him, causing him to fall forward more often. Since this is built on a 90 degree angle, it does not do that. He also loves how the alligators mouths open and close as he walks!”
Wooden Toys For Toddlers 1 Year And Older
Walk-A-Long Puppy Wooden Pull Toy For Toddlers To Sit, Stand and Roll.
What moms are saying:
El In AZ – “We bought this for our son at 13 months, when he showed an interest in dragging things around. This little dog is perfect! The moving head matches up with the angle that he pulls it at. The wood is smooth and although he enjoyed chewing on the tip of the tail, the paint is still intact and the bite marks are not very prominent at all. It pulls easily with a fun little *walking” wobble. This is a great wooden toy with a solid build.”
Classic ABC Wooden Block Cart With 30 Solid Wood Blocks
What grandma’s are saying:
Kathy Holt – “My grandson loved his new block wagon. He likes to take the small blocks out of his wagon and stack them up in a tower, then carefully take one at a time off and lay them back on the floor. He also likes to wheel his wagon around on the floor with his blocks in it. His new blocks are a perfect size for a one year olds hands. The wagon and blocks are well made. They were wrapped up in this thick plastic that kept everything together before it was unwrapped. This toy was well worth the price. It arrived safely.”
Pound and Tap Bench with Slide-Out Xylophone
What grandma’s are saying:
B. Buell – “My granddaughter loves this toy. When she first got it, she loved just playing with the balls, now she is older she enjoys all the elements; from pounding the balls with the hammer, to playing music. This toy has grown with her and will always be a staple for me when I buy gifts for children.“
3D Jigsaw Puzzles Toys For Toddlers - 3 Pack Animals
What grandma’s are saying:
Linda Krajec – “Bought for our grandson birthday he loved them. Can be used to take along on road trips etc. small enough to carry without a problem.”
Wooden Bead Maze Shape Sorter
What moms are saying:
J – “Got this activity center for my sweet girl. The wooden finish is smooth and no strong smells.”
Activity Cube With Wooden Bead Maze & Shape Sorter
What moms are saying:
Amanda Hakes – “Sturdy material, bright fun colors, plenty of textures and objects for my 1 year old to play with. Best of all, his older siblings loved playing with it too, making it a great toy for the family! I’m so glad I bought this for him!”
Wooden Xylophone With Two Child-Safe Wooden Mallets and a Eagle Whistle
What moms are saying:
Raven – “I just got ours delivered today and I am so excited about it!! My husband is a musician and is very critical about our sons musical toys. I have to pretty much rule out more better known toy brands like fisher price because they don’t meet his approval. This however got the nod of approval and of course he had to play with it before the baby. It makes a great sound. Definitely happy with my purchase! Also the whistle it very cute! It looks hand carved and painted. It isn’t very loud.”
Wooden Toys 2 Year And Older
Wooden Pounding Bench With Mallet
What moms are saying:
Kimberly Mackay – “My 2 yr old got this for X-mas, and he LOVES it! The “gears” that pop the pegs up on the other side is an EXCELLENT feature. This pounding bench can take a beating and it entertains him for a decent amount of time before he’s off to some other toy. It’s solid wood and very sturdy. It can take all the abuse a rough and tough toddler can dish out. It’s been beat on, tossed around, and thrown to the ground and it’s still in one peice.”
Shape-Sorting Wooden Dump Truck Toy With 9 Colorful Shapes and 2 Play Figures
What aunts are saying:
Michelle B. – “This is a really cute item. Very unique. I wanted something educational but fun too and this fit the bill perfectly. I bought it as s gift for my nephew, who is almost 2. I have received great reports from my brother. The little boy thoroughly enjoys the toy and it is holding up well. In general, I love Melissa & Doug because they are quality products that are built to sustain the roughest play.”
Melissa & Doug Geometric Stacker
What moms are saying:
Cary – “Our daughter loves these! They’re so bright and colorful and the perfect size for her hands to hold.”
Wooden Educational Toys for Learning Colors, Counting & Sorting Toys. Quality Crafted & Made With All Natural Products.
What dads are saying:
Josh Bennett – “My 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old both love the apple sorting bowls…they are the perfect size for their little hands! They came beautifully packaged and in perfect condition. With so many different activities you can do (counting by ones and twos, scooping, color sorting, matching, etc) my littles are kept busy and are learning through play.”
Wooden Preschool Shape Puzzle
What dads are saying:
Stan Bridgman – “Just a great find. So simple yet so much gained by my son by playing with this. He mastered it over the first week. But he and Dad ‘play’ with this most every day. My son loves it and I love the time I get to spend cheering him on. Fine motor skills, problem-solving, shapes, colors, numbers….. so much to learn. GREAT BUY!”
Cutting Wooden Fruit Set
What moms are saying:
Tracy M Pelkey – “I’m just a huge fan of all things Melissa & Doug. My youngest son loves it all. I love it, because it actually makes him use his imagination! It doesn’t have lights and sounds and he doesn’t have to sit in front of a screen to play with it. This is one of his favorite toys!”
Wooden Rainbow Nesting and Stacking Set
A little different from regular stacking and nesting cups. With it’s arches, your little one can make tunnels, houses, hills, rocking chairs, beds for little dolls… and more. It’s the kind of toy that inspires creativity and offers open ended play.
This set is suitable for kiddos of all ages, so if you buy it early, it will grow with your child.
Wooden Educational Shape & Color Recognition Geometric Board
What moms are saying:
Rose H – “It’s a perfect gift for toddler learning. All the parts seem to be well made and quality wood, nice vibrant colors, and the size worked out perfectly for little hands. It’s sturdy for the baby and it is safe to play with. My son loves playing with this toy and it keeps him entertain longer. I would definitely recommend it.”
Wooden Toys 3 Years And Older
Hand-Painted Wooden Food Pieces and 4 Crates
What moms are saying:
Jenny S – “We just got our toddler a play kitchen and this food set is the perfect addition. I love it because so many other food sets are either cheap plastic that look terrible and are destroyed easily, OR they include things like pretend cookies, candy, etc, which…ok, we do give him cookies once in awhile, but if he’s playing, I’d rather encourage healthy food choices. This set has the perfect balance of food groups and includes healthy food, plus it’s all sturdy enough to handle being played with by an active toddler. Our son loves the variety!”
Car Carrier Truck with 4 Wooden Cars Set
What grandma’s are saying:
LauraM. – “My granddaughter saw this little truck on a video. I got it for her when I found it on Amazon and was so delighted with her response. First I showed her the video and then pulled the truck out of the bag. She was open mouthed thrilled. She loved it, kept telling me thank you Meemaw, thank you.”
Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Clock
What dads are saying:
Russell – “I like this clock so much. I love that it is wooden and very well made. I also like that it is a puzzle with removable shapes as well as a clock. I like that the minute and hour are movable and that the minutes are listed on the clock to help learners understand. I home school a kindergartner and I use this in in my home school classroom pretty regularly.”
12 Pcs Wooden Engines & Train Cars Collection, Compatible with Thomas Wooden Railway, Brio, Chuggington
What moms are saying:
Cynthia E Tanguay – “My daycare children, ages 18 months to 5 years, love these train cars. They fit our Brio train set, but even more importantly, because of the strong magnets on each car, the children can make very long trains and play with them on the hard wood floor as well as on carpet and they don’t pull apart ! There’s no more fighting about who gets the engine because there are three of them. The materials and construction are high quality and the price can’t be beat. One of the best purchases I’ve made for my daycare.”
Wooden Building Blocks Set - 100 Blocks in 4 Colors and 9 Shapes
What aunts are saying:
LoverofPrime – “My nieces and nephew literally play with these blocks FOREVER, sometimes lol. But it’s great for helping them learn, build, and share. It wasn’t expensive and they honestly love the blocks so much they don’t even care about TV or more expensive gifts, the majority of the time! From building houses to cars to just giving blocks to one another, this is hands down a great toy for kids. One of their favorites, for sure.”
12 Piece Tool Box Set | Solid Wood Tool Box with Colorful Wooden Tools
What dads are saying:
Rocky – “My boys (2 and 5) love this kit! I love that the tools are wooden and they all have a nice place to go when it’s time to cleanup.”
Melissa & Doug Fold & Go Dollhouse
What grandma’s are saying:
Daisy – “Bought two of this dollhouse for my 3 year old granddaughter for this Christmas, one to play at home one for play at grandma’s place. I love the house came without color so you can paint it over. I done a completed makeover for it. My granddaughter will be very happy when she see it.”
Melissa & Doug Let's Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! 6-Piece Pretend Play Set
What moms are saying:
Ally Risley – “If you ever dream of having wild animals randomly cleaning your house like Snow White, but instead you just have small children, you should buy this! This was my toddlers Christmas gift, so she would stop stealing my broom and knocking over everything on the tables and bookshelves. My 2 and 4 year old both love it and it actually does a good job cleaning! The duster is super soft. I keep the set near my broom and when they feel the urge to tidy up, they naturally go to their cleaning supplies instead of mine.”
Toddler Musical Instruments | 22pcs Wooden Percussion Instruments for Kids with Storage Backpack
What moms are saying:
RocketMom – “The backpack comes with so many different instruments. There was a cute note inside asking if you are happy or not with the products. I was extremely happy to see the smile on my two year old daughter’s face. She wanted to open everything and play with every single instrument. These are very high quality toys. My daughter and I like to make music together now. She can play with them for a long time because she can easily move on to the next instrument when she is bored. It is also great for a group, they will not have to fight over toys anymore.”
Kid-Sized Wooden Shopping Cart - For Pretend Play
What moms are saying:
CSewell2004 – “We ordered this as a birthday gift for our daughter who just celebrated her 4th birthday. Took about 45 minutes to put together and is just perfect for her! Excellent quality, sturdy, and fun!”
Eco-friendly Lacing Button Toy To Boost Learning
What moms are saying:
Krista Colleen Beaman – “Love it! I love the additional piece and I love how many ways there are to lace this. I keep it in my purse as an emergency distraction for my kiddos while we’re out, but I play with it myself when I’m waiting in line sometimes! Hardy, well-made, and beautiful.”
Montessori Educational Toys For Early Math
What moms are saying:
Honest – “This is a great toy. My daughter who is 3 like counting the sticks and placing the matching numbers. My son who is 5 plays in so many ways but I’m glad that I can introduce addition, subtraction and multiplication.”
KidKraft Fire Station Set
What aunts are saying:
Shay – “My nephew got this before he turned 2 and at almost 4 it’s still one of his favorite things to play with. I love how you can rearrange the furniture, beds, computer, desk, chairs, dining set, bunk beds and toilet and sink. The firetruck and helicopter and helipad are great additions, along with the firedog and giant fireman. This is a hit for both boys and girls, and the lazy Susan allows for cooperative play without arguing over which side is in use. Perfect firehouse!”
Reasons Why You Should Give Your Kid Wooden Toys To Play With
Wooden Toys Have Never Gone Out Of Style
Wood toys have been trending for years, and there’s a good reason why they stay in fashion. The same classic toys that your child’s grandparents played with still holds the interest of kid’s today. Although you may notice differences in the colors or designs of modern toys, they still retain the same concepts and educational value as the ones made in years past.
Wooden Toys Are Durable And Lasts Longer
Wood is one of the most durable materials that is used to make toys, and this really matters when you know that your little one gets obsessed with their favorite play activities. Unlike plastic, wood can take a beating without breaking into tiny hazardous pieces, which makes it an overall safer choice for tots. You’ll also love that you get more bang for your buck since toys made from wood can last through multiple children. In fact, you may even find yourself stashing them away in storage for your future grandkids.
Wooden Toys Stimulate Your Child’s Imagination
Do you remember when you had to make up your own pretend world as you played? Toys that come already equipped with bells and whistles rob your child of the opportunity to develop their imagination. Since wood toys typically follow simple and timeless designs, you can enjoy knowing that your child gets to make their own car sounds or create an entirely made up world using a set of wooden shapes or blocks.
Wooden Toys Are Designed To Be Used Over Multiple Age Groups
The majority of toys for kids come with recommendations for ages, and you’ll discover that your little one quickly outgrows the latest new gadgets. While those plastic and electronic toys may keep your tot entertained for a week or two, kids get bored with toys that don’t encourage them to constantly develop new skills. Wooden educational toys such as puzzles and blocks are designed for kids of multiple ages to use, and you’ll love watching how your child engages in new types of play with their favorite ones as they mature.
Wooden Toys Strengthen Your Child’s Attention
Today’s kids are so inundated with noisy toys that they rarely have time to think. As a parent, you may find all of those beeps and songs annoying, but they can also be overly stimulating for children. Keep an eye out for signs that your child’s other toys are stressing them out such as frequent tantrums, and swap out electronic toys for wooden ones before they reach their limit. Since wooden toys are less noisy, your child can strengthen their attention span as they engage in a quiet activity.
Wooden Toys Encourage Interactive Play
Once your kid sets up an imaginative play world, they naturally want to generate some interaction. Since wooden educational toys don’t automatically react to the press of a button, kids are more likely to seek out their friends and siblings to take part in their creative scenarios such as pretending that blocks are groceries as they go shopping. If your child is playing alone and your goal is to teach a new skill, then you can provide the interaction. For example, pointing out the colors of a puzzle helps to reinforce your child’s vocabulary.
Wooden Toys Enhance the Aesthetics of Your Child’s Environment
Children who grow up in clean, organized spaces are calmer, and your child is more likely to engage with their toys when they are aesthetically pleasing. Whether your child’s toys are made with a natural wood finish or painted, they’ll always fit into your home environment. While you’ll love how easy to clean they are, your kid will be excited to help stack them up or display them on a shelf when it is time to put their toys away. In fact, clean up time feels a lot like play to kids who enjoy putting wood toys such as puzzles or block buildings back together again.
Note From The Author
The toys that your child plays with shapes their world, and you should know that every item in your kid’s play space is safe and designed to stimulate their development. While you might find that other toys are flashier, the truth is that simple is often best. When you give your child a toy made from natural wood, you can enjoy watching them enjoy the same types of benefits for their growth and development that you did as a kid.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO RAISE SMART BABIES AND TODDLERS
You don’t need to be a teacher, to teach. Here are tons of useful resources to guide you.
Playing Through Learning
- Smart Toys For Smart Kids of Every Age
- Top Rated, Toddler Approved Wooden Toys
- Educational Toys For Three-Year-Olds
- Toddler Activities To Learn Shapes And Colors
- 2018 Best Puzzles For Toddlers
- Top 10 Outrageously Fun & Parent Approved Board Games For Toddlers
- Mom & Toddler Approved Games For 3 Year Olds