The Best Wooden Toys For Toddlers

Buying Guide

Toys have evolved significantly over the years. Each generation seems to bring more gadgets and sounds to the toys parents use to entertain and engage their little ones.

But there are still many classics that remain popular today. Wooden toys come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with designs that can rival even the most state-of-the-art modern toys. Many of these classics have been updated to ensure they are not only entertaining enough to keep kids engaged for hours but are also focused on helping with development.

In some ways, wooden toys may even beat their non-wood counterparts when it comes to development. One study found that contact with wood can help promote relaxation. For younger children, the constant exposure to stimuli can lead to stress, and wood toys can give children the quiet playtime they need.

For parents of toddlers, wooden toys can bring another benefit. They’re simply different than the other toys today’s children have in their toy boxes. If your toddler is like many, there’s always a large selection of plastic toys, including those that provide the audiovisual stimuli that help with learning. Wooden toys provide a refreshing break from all that, giving your youngest children something different to enjoy.

As you’re shopping for toys, development should be on your list of search criteria. You can find wooden toys that help children understand shapes and spaces, such as stacking toys and those that have kids fitting puzzle pieces into similarly shaped holes. Many wooden toys are painted in bright colors to help children learn their colors and shapes. Of course, puzzle games are great at helping children solve problems and improving hand-eye coordination.

• Pay close attention to the minimum age on each toy you buy. Even games for toddlers can have age recommendations ranging from 12 months to 3 or 4 years.
• Many wooden blocks are designed to be safe for little fingers. They should have smooth corners to avoid sharp edges and no small pieces that can create a choking hazard.
• Wooden toys can vary in complexity from simple building blocks to blocks that include multiple games.
• If your wooden toys are painted, make sure the paint used is safe for children who might tend to put the toy directly in their mouths.
• If your wooden toy comes with multiple parts, make sure you can replace any pieces that go missing over time.
• Families with multiple children or frequent young guests should consider wooden toys designed to be played as a team.
• Although toys can help children learn, parents can play a pivotal role in that. Have your child name the colors and shapes they see to boost development even further while they play.
• One of the biggest benefits of wooden toys is sustainability. If sourced responsibly, these toys can be better for the environment than their plastic counterparts.
• Wooden toys tend to be more durable than other types. For larger families, that means the wooden toys you buy for the older children can be passed down to younger children as they come along.
• Younger toddlers are particularly fascinated with inserting and removing objects and opening and closing doors. A wooden toy that satisfies that urge might help keep your little one from pulling open cabinets and drawers.
• As toddlers progress in their development, more complicated puzzles are often a better option. They’ll want to be challenged with brain teasers that also help them learn. Being able to sort by shapes and colors can give them hours of fun, as can construction and building sets. Wooden toys can serve as an early introduction to the more complicated types of building sets they’ll tackle as they get older.