14 wooden toys your kids will actually play with
Photo: iStockphoto
These classic toys aren’t just for the ‘gram. Often more durable and safer, wooden toys encourage creative play, promote sensory development, and give kids a tie to the natural world. Our child-tested list of the best wooden toys kids:
1. Rainbow bead abacus
How many ways can your little one count with ten rows of ten beads? This brightly coloured abacus is a great tactile toy for a toddler, an introduction to counting and grouping for a preschooler, and even a fun way for older kids to solve simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems. $32, indigo.ca
2. Rock blocks
Wooden blocks may seem obvious, but these eco-friendly, naturally dyed (using cranberries, blueberries, wild indigo and beans) wooden blocks come in organic shapes that are perfect for building, balancing, stacking, and sorting. Choose from an array of palettes like rainbow, blue, pink & green, and natural, or mix and match your favorite sets to create your own multicolour collection of handcrafted "stones." Set of 8 in Rainbow, $39, rockblockshop.etsy.com
3. Customizable wooden family
Two moms? Single dad? Triplets? Young kids will love seeing their family reflected in their own unique wooden family set. These adorable peg dolls are built to last, with woodburned faces and a beeswax finish. Choose natural wood or coloured (non-toxic acrylic) for a keepsake item that's plenty of fun to play with, too. Colourful (family of 5), $24, steppingstonesshop.com
4. Stack & Sort board
This pretty peg board with stackable shapes is ideal for supporting the development of your little one's fine motor skills, in addition to helping them practice sorting, shape identification, and counting. $13, amazon.ca
5. My Busy Town activity cube
This 5-sided wooden activity center from AlexBrands is designed for toddlers 12 months and older, but it can easily engage preschoolers and kids in early elementary with its turn and learn ABC, 123 and first word tiles, curvy wire bead trains, peek-a-boo doors, and spin-and-match animal characters. This toy grows with your little one for a worthwhile return on investment, providing smiles year after year. $130, amazon.ca
6. Chunky clock puzzle
Versatility is the biggest draw of this cute puzzle from Hape. Preschool-age kids learn shapes, numbers, and colors as they grow familiar with the practice of telling time. $19, allstarlearning.ca
7. Tree slice alphabet tiles
Word play is the most fun when it's tactile and sensory. To craft these beautiful, all-natural letter sets, small birch tree slices are kiln dried and lightly sanded, then woodburned with a matching upper and lowercase letter on each side. Each set is handcrafted by a Keswick-based kindergarten teacher and toymaker. $65, steppingstonesshop.com
8. Farm cube puzzle
If you're worried about the short shelf-life of some puzzles, this 16-piece cube set keeps boredom at bay with six different farm animals. The shape adds a tactile element and means this puzzle can double as a set of blocks, too. $17, amazon.ca
9. Grimm's stacking rainbow
Let imaginations run wild with this beloved and iconic open-ended wooden toy. The arches can be stacked, flipped, and rearranged to create towers, bridges, car ramps, fairy houses—you name it. Hand it over without any instructions and watch the magic happen. 6-piece set, $40, nest.ca
10. Kinderboard
Promote physical play with a durable balance board made from beech plywood. With a little creativity, watch as this Waldorf toy easily doubles as a slide, extra seat, step stool, seesaw, pirate boat, or rocket ship. Kids love it, but it's sturdy enough that even grownups can take a turn. $230, amazon.ca
11. Fantasia blocks castle
This set of 22 uniquely shaped blocks can be arranged to create a whimsical castle straight out of a fairy tale. Kids love matching, stacking, and designing while working on their fine motor skills. $44, walmart.ca
12. Oval xylophone
The gift of music keeps on giving as it grows with your child. This cute wooden xylophone from Plan Toys engages kids through sound and colour, and it's made from recycled rubbertree wood and child-safe, water-based dyes for extra peace of mind. $30, mastermindtoys.com
13. Grimm's Wankel stacking tower
Introduce your little one to colours and shapes or help an older toddler develop spatial awareness and fine motor skills with this stacking tower from Grimm's, the lauded Germany-based natural and sustainable wooden toy company. $45, avasappletree.ca
14. Pattern blocks and boards
Little artists everywhere will love this set of coloured wooden tiles. Ten template boards let kids design their own bunnies, butterflies, flowers, and suns by mixing and matching 120 wooden tiles in six different shapes. Tired of the templates? Craft a one-of-a-kind, freestyle mosaic instead. $25, well.ca