Vintage (wooden) toys are making a comeback as parents become more conscious about the environment. Wooden toys are functional, durable, safe to use, elegant and also provide educational value.
For quite some time now, wooden toys were considered a bit old-school compared to the more modern and savvy looking plastic/metal toys.
However, wooden toys are making a comeback due to growing awareness about the need to protect the environment and also due to safety concerns of children.
Wooden toys fulfill children’s basic need for happy and boundless play, these toys offer children space for their own world of ideas and help develop imagination and creativity, these toys encourage children to dive deep into their play and discover new things. From playing to learning, these toys offer playing and learning experiences that will stay with your kids for life.
Related: Many of the earliest toys were made of wood.
Why wooden toys are better than plastic?
Here are top reasons why wooden toys are better than plastic ones:
Safer for your child
Small parts on plastic toys are a choking hazard and once they break, pointed edges can cause injuries/bruises. Wooden toys, on the other hand, do not come with many smaller pieces, and they are difficult to break, even by adults. So, wooden toys are generally much safer to use, especially for kids aged under five years old.
Better for the environment
This is the main reason why many parents have been considering using wooden toys; they are environment-friendly and easy to reuse and recycle. Countries around the world are producing millions of tonnes of plastic waste every year, and a significant percentage of it comes from broken and wasted plastic materials from things such as toys.
Using wooden toys, on the other hand, means doing your bit for the environment.
Wooden toys do not go out of style
Wooden toys are timeless and never go out of style. Most plastic toys on the other hand are fad driven and are backed by a lot of commercial hype; but the hype eventually fades away and then there will be some other fad which will take over. The charm of wooden toys, on the other hand, remain for ages and these can be enjoyed for generations.
They last longer
Compared to wooden toys, plastic toys are breakable, even if they are made from durable material; plastic toys are also more likely to malfunction within a short span of time.
Wooden toys on the other hand have a much longer life. They are better able to withstand your child’s energetic playing, as they are made from stronger materials.
Cheaper in the long run
Because wooden toys last much longer, it turns out to be cheaper in the long run, even though you might pay more for it upfront (compared to plastic toys).
Wooden toys don’t break easily, do not require batteries, so you do end up saving money on those over the years.
Plastic toys also can be notoriously expensive, especially if it’s a popular one, something that is much sought-after.
Educational Value
Lot of wooden toys come in the form of puzzles and building blocks that encourages creative thinking, improves motor skills, spatial awareness and problem-solving abilities and makes kids think outside the box.
Lack of sound effects and movements in Wooden toys (which is common in plastic toys) helps children develop their own listening, verbal and other sensory skills as they create their own sounds to go with their playing.
Wooden toys also promote teamwork skills as the kids, along with their parents or carers, work together to create building block-masterpieces or fit the pieces into their puzzle.
More Benefits
Wooden Toys look much better and usually come with aesthetically pleasing designs. They are pleasing to look at compared to plastic toys.
Wooden toys are also easy to adapt; they can be repainted and can be tweaked to give it a new look.
Lot of people get their furniture made at home; in case you also do that, make sure you use the waste wood to create some toys for your kids; it could be as simple as making a few blocks of wood.
Top Makers of Wooden Toys
Wooden toys are more popular in Europe compared to other continents (in the US, the premium toys continue to be focused on plastic toys).
The top wooden toy makers make wooden toys that focus more on safety, classic styling and premium quality. The best wooden toys have exceptional design (many of them are made in Germany and Europe).
While plastic toys require more machinery, most wooden toys are handcrafted and require good workmanship.
Top makers of wooden toys:
These wooden toy creators have years of experience in making educational toys and woodworking craftsmanship which enables them to create high quality toys. These toy makers use the best sustainable woods and adhere to strict EU safety standards.
- Brio (Sweden): Makes the best Wooden trains
- Bauspiel Toys: Construction and building blocks
- Holztiger (Germany): Makes the best Wooden animals
- Hape (Germany): Best Wooden push toys and musical toys
- Grimms (Germany): Makes the best Wooden stacking toys
- Manhattan Toy Company (US): Makes some of the best wooden infant toys
- Tegu (Honduras): Best wooden magnetic blocks
- Areaware (US): Best Wooden balancing blocks
- Bajo (Poland): Best Wooden vehicles
- Petit Collage (US): Best Wooden pull and stacking toys
- Bauspiel Toys: Popular maker of wooden construction and building blocks
- IKEA: IKEA is best known for its unique furniture; the company however makes wooden toys as well. Some of IKEA’s unique wooden toys include train sets, play kitchen and more.
Related: Toy village of Seiffen is famous for its wooden toys and Christmas decorations
Jenga Toys: Popular Wooden Block Stacking Game
Jenga toy consists of several wooden blocks and is a game of skill and strategy, a nice way to keep kids occupied.
Over the years, Jenga has become an extremely popular game around the world that people of all ages like to play. It’s simple, ease to play, and fun to play.
Walk into a hotel and you will find these wooden stacking blocks in the kids playing area; you will even find adults playing these at local pubs, fairs and carnivals.
I think this is one of those games that parents or grandparents will love to play with their kids. Its simple to play, and the best part is the expressions that you get to say on the face of the child when the tower collapses on their turn.
The game was invented by Leslie Scott, originally from East Africa. Jenga (kujenga) in the Swahili language word means “build”. Her family used to play this stacking game with simple wooden blocks. Later Scott trademarked the name “Jenga” and started manufacturing this game.
Hasbro, now is the official licensee for Jenga in most countries around the world.
To play this game, you first need to stack up all the wooden blocks one over the other and build a tower. Once the tower is formed, you take turns to remove one wooden block from the stack, until the tower collapses. The player on whose turn the tower falls down loses.
You can even place the block (that you removed) and place it on top of the structure; at some point the structure is likely to become unstable and will collapse.
- Jenga is played by at least two persons (you may play this game solo to practice stacking skills).
- Each player has to take one block out.
- The game continues until the structure collapses.
Get your creative juices flowing and feel free to build different kinds of structures using these wooden blocks. People have created some really cool and complex structures using Jenga blocks.
You can create: Pyramids, famous landmarks and structures (White House, Pentagon, Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Aztec Temple, Greek Parthenon, Stonehenge, Japanese Torii Gate, and more), things for home such as flower vase and necklace rack, and more.
Activity: Teach Spellings
You can also use the Jenga blocks to teach spellings to your child. For younger kids, you can start with simple words such as toy, car, boy, girl, and so on. You can also teach them how to spell their own names.
Buying Jenga Blocks: Bestselling Products
While smaller sized Zenga toys can be bought from shops and from online stores, there are many companies that rent out Jenga toys, especially the ones with bigger blocks and many pieces that let you build giant towers.
Most Jenga toy games come with 54 wooden blocks; the blocks may have subtle variations which can add to the challenge while playing.
Popular Jenga Products:
Hasbro Jenga Maker: A nice variant of the classic game, in this game, you make two teams and each team take turns to build the tower. One person from the team (that is building) is given a card that shows the map/design of the building and that person then has to describe the structure to their team mates (who cannot see the map). Based on the instructions provided, the other players have to build the structure correctly. If the tower is built incorrectly, the tower will collapse. The first team that males three correct structures wins the game. Buy on Amazon
Jenga Game Wooden Blocks: 54 wooden blocks, excellent value for money. For kids ages 6 and up. You can play with friends or you can even play solo. It makes a nice birthday or holiday gift. It is inexpensive but the storage box is a bit flimsy. Buy on Amazon
Giantville Premium Pine Wood Life-Size Blocks Tower: 56 high quality pieces, bigger sized blocks, you can make towers from 2-feet to over 4-feet tall, storage bag. You can create some unique structure and also use it as a display piece. You can use it for indoor as well as outdoor events such as birthdays, barbeques, picnics, camping. Buy on Amazon
Giant Tower Game(by SWOOC Games): 60 bigger sized blocks, storage crate that also serves as game table. It comes with a game table, so the height starts at 2.5ft and reaches up to 5ft. Please note that you need to put together the crate (it comes with pre-drilled holes and screws). The company also promises to help plant a tree for every order that they get. Buy on Amazon
External Link: NIRS-Based Hyperscanning Reveals Inter-brain Neural Synchronization during Cooperative Jenga Game with Face-to-Face Communication
Wooden ride-on bikes & trikes for kids
Ride-on toys are fun toys for children who are old enough to stand on their own two feet.
Ride-on toys are fun to play with and provide children with hours of entertainment and enjoyment. These also help kids develop balance, coordination and also helps build strength.
You can choose from nicely designed Wooden ride on trikes that are great for the environment and are of better quality.
You get a range of wooden ride-on toys nowadays – wooden bikes, trikes, rocking horses, other animal-based balance bikes, roller riders, kids’ trikes and sit-ons, and that too in brilliant colors.
These wooden ride-on toys are perfect for riding inside the house or in the courtyard; you can even take it along for trips to the park. Many of these ride-on bikes are perfect for children learning to ride a bike.
Hape Scoot Around Ride On Wood Bike
The Hape Scoot Around is suitable for toddlers aged 12 months and above, and are the perfect first push bike toddler scooter.
The four-wheel foot-powered, rubber wheels won’t leave marks on the floors. This wooden push-along scooter is great for developing muscle strength and also to improve balance.
Haba Moover Dump Truck
The Haba Moover Dump Truck is a wooden ride-on truck suitable for 1-year-olds. It provides kids with the opportunity to improve their motor skills as they turn and reverse the truck and trailer. It is Eco friendly and moves smoothly on the floor. The height is very low making it suitable for a one year old.
Wooden Toddler Trike (Bella Luna)
Bella Luna also makes a nice wooden ride-on bike that kids can use around the house.
This is a wonderful first bike suited for kids aged 12 months to 3 years. Appealing to the eyes, this trike is made from sustainably-harvested European hardwood. Some assembly is required.
BRIO Wooden Toys (Swedish Toy Maker)
Swedish toy maker Brio is known for its range of wooden toys, clean design and durable construction. The company is now owned by Ravensburger, Europe’s leading manufacturers of puzzles and games. Brio wooden toys encourage creativity, are usually gender neutral, and allows for countless pretend play possibilities.
Brio wooden toys are made of 100% FSC-certified wood from sustainably managed forests. These toys are colorfully painted to appeal to kids.
Wood is the main material in most BRIO toys, but these toys also make use of plastic, which is a bit easier to be shaped in various forms. BRIO makes use of thermoplastics, which is also used in computers, medical equipment, and LEGO bricks.
BRIO Toy Trains
While Brio makes a range of toys, they are particularly known for their train collections and their toy railway sets include everything that a young railway engineer could possibly need.
Brio makes a wide range of toy trains, including wooden toy trains as well as battery operated trains. They also make a wide range of accessories and expansion packs for their train sets, that will provide your existing BRIO railway toy with the much needed extension or makeover and motivate you to start playing with it again.
Brio World Deluxe Railway Set
This is an elaborate railway set and a must for any train lover. You can build an urban scene with railway tracks, trains, stations, figures, bridges, tunnels and more. The set includes commuter trains, freight train, cargo truck, bus, ship, and various figures to ride those vehicles. If you’re looking for a single wooden train set that has everything in it, this is the one. On the negative side, while it’s a wooden set, it does make use of a few plastic parts. Also, the price is on a higher side. See PRICE on Amazon
- BRIO My First Railway: A classic wooden toy train set for the youngest train driver, for kids aged 18 months+.
- BRIO World Classic Figure 8 Set – 22 Piece Wood Toy Train Set with Accessories (engine, wagons, wooden tracks, crossing bridge, train station and trees). Kids Age 2 and Up
- BRIO World Freight Goods Station | Toy Train Accessories: Includes a tipper truck, cargo wagon, cargo loads and railway ramp track. For Kids Age 3 and Up.
- BRIO World Battery-Operated Steaming Train: Toy Train with light and steam effects. For ages 3+.
- BRIO Cargo Railway Deluxe Set: Train Toy with wooden tracks and accessories. For ages 3+
- BRIO World Expansion Pack: Wooden Train Tracks for kids age 3+.
Brio travel toy sets include all kinds of toy vehicles that will take you around the world – wooden toy airplanes, battery-powered trains, train sets and tracks and stations. Brio makes trains, engines, wagons and vehicles (motorcycle, cement truck, ferry) in historic as well as modern designs. Become a driver or a passenger, and travel wherever you wish to.
Here are more Brio toys:
BRIO World is an open-ended play system that lets children recreate the real world, and includes things like trains, cars, boats, animals and even a roller coaster.
BRIO Explore include toys for safari, mountaineering, exploring the country side, and so on. These toys allow kids to go on on adventure and fuels imagination and curiosity.
BRIO rescue toys include fire station, police station, sturdy rescue vehicles with light and sound effects, that let your little one don the hat of the police or firefighters. These provide plenty if opportunities for role-play.
BRIO countryside toys include farm toys and playsets that include rolling hills, friendly farms, deep forests. Your kid can drive a big tractor and help out at the farm, be a lumberjack, feed the animals, or just explore the countryside.
BRIO Builder toys include building and construction toys for creative play. Brio also has lift and load toys such as rotating toy cranes and magnetic load blocks.
- BRIO Pull Along Dachshund for toddlers. Ages: 12 months +
- BRIO Dachshund Ride-on. Ages: 12 months to 3 years
- Brio Builder Starter Set. 49-piece set includes parts like nuts, bolts, blocks, a spanner, pliers, hammers and more. Ages: 3 years +
- BRIO Play Table where kids can build their own Brio world. For Age 3 and up.
Wooden/Stuffed Rocker Toys
Wooden rocking toys have been around for ages and now you get these in attractive designs – in the form of various animals such as horses, elephants, and more.
You get rocking horses that are carved entirely out of wood. You also get a range of stuffed animals that are mounted on a wooden base that enables children to rock them.
Belleur Wooden Rocking Horse for 1-3 Year Old
This wooden rocking horse from Belleur is ideal for toddlers aged 1 to 3 years old. The back and forth rocking motion of this wooden rocking horse has a smoothing and calming effect on kids. It has a cute design as well.
Here are a few more nice options:
- Plush Ride On Zebra and Sheep (Rocker) for Ages 18months+
- Wooden Rocking Horse (by Labebe) for ages 1-3 year old
Best Montessori Wooden Toys
Wooden Toys are commonly used for Montessori learning because they are safe to play with, are durable, and encourages imaginative play.
They are also a lot quieter and helps create a more sustained play environment, which is the need of the hour.
Related: Froebel Gifts (Spielgaben): Toys for preschoolers
Wooden Stacking Blocks
One of the most popular toys made of wood are the wooden blocks that kids use to play stacking games.
Related: Jenga Toys
Small foot Wooden Baby Walker and Playcenter
This is a wooden baby walker and a 5-in-1 play center for toddlers aged 1+ year. The top board can be raised up offering a lot of storage inside to keep other toys. Rounded edges and non-toxic water paint makes it safe for small kids.
Bauspiel Toys: Construction and Building Blocks
Germany based Bauspiel makes high quality blocks from materials such as timber and acrylics for children to play with; these blocks have fine finishes which makes it very easy to stack the blocks. These toys are best identified through their signature inset “gems” or windows, although not all their blocks may feature the gems.
Bauspiel means “construction game” in German.
Bauspiel toys are commonly found in kindergartens in Germany where these toys are used by children for open-ended play. Bauspiel blocks are a favorite with small children who use these to build castles, towers, towns and more.
Pieces of one Bauspiel toy can be combined with pieces from the brand’s other building sets to make wonderful structures.
Bauspiel Toy Village is a 10-piece wooden blocks set from Bauspiel lets kids build a sweet small village. The blocks are colored on one side allowing the children to use their imagination while building. Made from native Alder wood.
Website: Bauspiel.info
Other popular Bauspiel toys inlcude Bauspiel Color Street, Bauspiel Lucent Cubes, Bauspiel Brick Blocks, Bauspiel Building Steps, Bauspiel Grid Blocks, Bauspiel Giant Rainbow, Bauspiel Mirror Blocks and Trays, Bauspiel Natural Grids.
IKEA Wooden Toys
IKEA makes nostalgic and durable wooden toys that provides a good break from tech gadgets and helps kids develop their motor skills as well as logical thinking.
- Ikea Duktig Wooden Mini-kitchen (Birch Plywood): Encourage your little one to become a master chef.
- LILLABO 3-piece Train Set by IKEA for ages 3+ years: Ikea train sets are great for imaginative play.
- LILLABO 20-Piece Basic Train Set by Ikea for ages 3+ years
- LUSTIGT Spinning wheel-game by Ikea: You decide what the numbers and colors symbolize and then spin the wheel to see who gets what.
- IKEA MULA Abacus with wooden parts: Helps kids learn math and colors.
Closing Thoughts
The best wooden toy makers offer quality products and safety so that children can play carefree; many of these toys are also affordable and enable playtime fun for everyone. However, plastic toys are now making use of lights, sounds, and electronics which makes it easier for them to innovate. So even wooden toy makers may need to innovate to some extent (while maintaining their uniqueness).
External Links
European standard EN71 is a toy safety standard formulated for toys.
Funtoyworld is a family-managed website with me (Ben), and my wife doing most of the work. We are proud parents of two wonderful kids and love reviewing toys. We have a firm but friendly “democratic parenting” style and offer several practical suggestions backed by extensive research. Our own experience with raising two children prompted us to share our knowledge. Read more.
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