Selection of the best wooden toys for children!

Why is the wooden toy so popular with children?

In the whole history of toys, wood has been the most used material for making children's games. Wooden dollhouses, puzzles, building games and early learning activities are all gift ideas for children.
Timeless, wooden games appeal to both children and parents, and are available in board games, wooden cooking, ball circuits, or strategy games.

A noble, durable and quality material, here are our favorites of wooden toys:

Wooden baby toys: boosting motor skills

From the first months and up to the age of 3, toddlers are in the full phase of exploration and discovery through the senses. The wooden games are solid, durable and healthy: no flashing light, no noise, only the touch and the typical smell of wood.

Grasp objects, caress the outline of the pieces, knock the cubes together: an interesting approach for baby's sensory awakening.

Voyage Olga musical cradle – Maison Roty

The mobile is THE most offered gift at the birth of babies, and not surprisingly, this wooden model in pastel tones is our favorite. With its elegant shapes and delicate colors, this music mobile stimulates baby's senses. Composed of a quality rubber wood structure and a removable musical box, it will be the perfect toy for Zen dodos.

Why do we like it?
A nice wooden gift to put on the birth list and place above the baby bed. Toddlers will have lovely animals as sleeping companions. To rotate with soft music?
More information on the Maison Roty wooden mobile

Activity wooden rattle – Hape

Since 1986, the Hape brand continues to arouse children's happiness as much. Convinced that learning goes through play, the founder of the brand wanted to create educational and fun toys.

Our opinion ?
A high quality wooden toy suitable for the hands of toddlers. Very popular with babies, the rattle is one of the most classic toys: it awakens babies to sounds and makes the connection between the movement of "shaking"and noise in the rattle. Hape uses non-toxic organic soy-based inks and is continually taking action to reduce its environmental impact.
More information on the Hape rattle

Wooden activity cube for infants – Everearth

In terms of activity cubes, this 5-in-1 model allows babies to develop their sense of coordination and their fine motor skills. This activity cube consists of an animal puzzle, cubes to assemble, an abacus and a learning clock. Adapted from 18 months, this cube helps to refine the child's gestures.

Why do we like it?
Everearth is the only toy manufacturer to own 100% of the forests from which the wood used comes, certified FSC sustainable commitment. Colorful and of medium size, it is a basic to have in stock in the toy chest.
More information on the Everearth activity cub

Foldable wooden game – Janod

A game halfway between the toy of awakening and construction: designed for the hands of toddlers, this stacking fox of the Janod brand will suit babies with the ability to grab objects. The activity of placing and assembling objects on top of each other allows toddlers to develop their motor skills.

Our opinion ?
A classic and timeless wooden toy to stimulate hand-eye coordination of the child and make him discover colors and shapes little by little.
More information on the Janod stackable game

Wooden polar bear – Holztiger figurine

This Holztiger wooden figurine makes parents and kids love it. The animal figurines are easy to handle and the meticulous finish offers a delicate appearance that will appeal to little ones.

Why do we like it?
This European brand guarantees a manufacture in solid maple wood and beech wood for its little characters. The figurines are hand painted with organic water-based paints, safe for babies. Impeccable quality and a delicate finish: this adorable polar bear will stimulate everyone's imagination!
More information on the Holztiger figurine

White wooden rocking horse – Labebe

The ancestral brand of the baby universe offers its version of the wooden rocking horse. Timeless and robust, this little rocking horse has a very stable and risk-free structure thanks to the removable pedals placed at baby's feet. Enough to allow toddlers to sit without help while waiting to grow.

Our opinion ?
A classic wooden toy that will suit children from 1 to 3 years old, to pass on to little brothers and sisters. And for creative parents, why not repaint the horse in the colors of the nursery decor tones?
More information on the Labebe rocking horse

I'm learning to count vegetables – Vilac

The Vilac brand is an institution in the world of baby toys and this box dedicated to the discovery of additions will allow little ones from 18 months to learn maths gently, while having fun. This French brand has been designing wooden games since 1911 in the village of Moirans-en-Montagne, known as "French toy capitalCertified. Company of the Living Heritage and Know-how of the Haut-Jura Regional Natural Park, Vilac is a high quality brand which is one of the best for the choice of wooden toys. The games are offered for sale on many merchant sites, with express deliveries for last minute gifts.

Our opinion :
An elegant box containing handy wooden pieces in the shape of vegetables. Perfect for discovering counting and additions, this game allows baby to get used to colors, and to recognize the words of fruits and vegetables.
More information on the Vilac game I'm learning to count vegetables

Educational and thinking wooden games

From the age of 18 months, baby's thinking skills develop quickly: this is the time when his thinking skills are put in place. This will also be the period from which it is possible to put more complex educational games in the child's hands, provided that these are fun and that they can highlight their successes!

Vilac wooden balance game by Ingela P.Arrhenius

A magnificent wooden toy imagined and designed by the Vilac brand, and inspired by the drawings of Ingela P. Arrhenius. Enough to imagine shows worthy of the most beautiful circuses, while playing the balance on each side of the scale.

Why do we like it?
A colorful and high-quality Vilac game to introduce children to the notions of balance. From 3 years old, this cascade for wooden artists will allow you to imagine magical shows!
More information on the Vilac / Ingela P.Arrhenius Balance Game

Montessori built-in puzzle – Felly

A game inspired by the Montessori method to add to our list for children from 1 to 4 years old. Learning and building puzzles are educational games that help children develop imagination and creativity. What improve baby's skills to grasp objects and understand how to fit the right shapes in the receptacles. The box contains a board with small wooden animals.

Our opinion ?
Learn colors, recognize shapes, associate animal words: so many things to do and discover! The material is certified sustainable wood and organic paints are water-based. A robust and durable game, to slide at the foot of the Christmas tree or for the 1 year old baby!
More information on the Felly puzzle

Multi-activity wooden walking trolley – Janod

Walking trolleys remain one of the great classics for the little ones. Scalable, this model will accompany baby in the discovery of walking, learning shapes and colors, grasping objects and hand-eye coordination. A solid wooden basic, made in France in the Jura!

Our opinion ?
This pretty trolley allows you to learn walking in a fun way and encourages children to explore their motor skills. An adorable "cat" cart with 8 different activities: looping, shape box, mouse to slide, descender, gear, sound button, rotating eyes and felt cheeks to develop touch. It is scalable and adapts to the size of the child (the handle can be raised).
More information on the Janod trolley

Wooden lock board – Melissa & Doug

One of the most famous brands in the world of parents: Melissa & Doug is the fruit of the imagination of 2 parents, ingenious creators of games for educational purposes, designed to keep pace with the child's learning fun way. With this skills board, the child learns to open the doors behind which the farm animals hide!

Why do we like it?
A multi-functional wooden toy: learning animals, improving memory and motor skills with precision, perfecting the "pincer" movement … Inspired by the Montessori method, this board will appeal to all children!
More information on the Melissa & Doug hide and seek game

Tower of colored wooden blocks – Lewo

These blocks to be filled are halfway between the board game and the construction game: as soon as the child masters the seizure of objects, he can easily superimpose the small color boards. Later, variations of the game will recognize and name the animals.

Our opinion ?
Stack, overturn, drop, start again: a game of balance and skill that will delight children for years! The wood is covered with an organic water paint without toxic substance, a strong point.
More information about the Lewo tower

Wooden construction games

Build, assemble, stack, start again: wooden construction games rocked our childhood, between the Kapla or the dollhouse, the ball circuits, the car circuit and the blocks to be assembled. Entertaining and educational, the wooden construction toy stimulates thinking and creativity. A great idea for curious little ones!

Wooden work bench to build – Tender Leaf Toys

This beautiful wooden bench from the brand Tender Leaf Toys will appeal to little girls and boys for hours of play alone or with others! Imagination, endless stories: everything you need for DIY sessions with this wooden workbench.
This workbench contains 19 rubberwood pieces including a toolbox, a saw, a drill, a wrench, a screwdriver, small nuts and screws safe for children, and more …

Why do we like it?
A beautiful wooden toy designed and FSC certified (from sustainably managed forests), which will appeal to all children who like to imagine stories, while developing their fine motor skills. Beautiful colors and finishes for this complete game. Playing to imitate his dad and his mom is one of the first reflexes of the little ones: it is by imitating the parents' behavior that the child develops his own personality and learns to become independent.
More information on the Tender Leaf Toys wooden workbench

Construction set and ball circuit – Hape

A circuit of the Hape brand, a brand committed to protecting the environment: all of the toys' wood comes from FSC certified forests. A classic game to spin the balls at top speed on the slides!

Our opinion ?
Small bags of marbles … Watch out for toddlers! The construction stage will however be a great way to improve the logic of the children. To put on the list of toys to ask for a birthday or Christmas?
More information on the Hape ball circuit

Wooden puzzle "Jungle" – Michèle Wilson

Michèle Wilson puzzles are fun and educational, and designed for children. Each model is handmade in France by the house of Michèle Wilson, in an elegant recycled organic cardboard box. The small wooden pieces are delicate and perfectly finished. Each puzzle is unique and the result of unrivaled know-how.

Why do we like it?
A model representing a jungle, composed of 100 small wooden pieces (FSC certified sustainable management). A very beautiful and quality image: enough to take care of for several hours!
More information on the Michèle Wilson puzzle

Wooden forest house – Jeujura

A real source of imagination, the small wooden house to build is an essential classic of children's games. The box contains 100 wooden parts in natural stained beech, accompanied by assembly instructions.

Our opinion ?
The Jeujura forest house is made in France, a plus for this sustainable game that smells of wood! Hours of stories to imagine in the forest …
More information on the Jeujura forest house

Tap Tap DIY game – Djeco

Djeco is a name that is no longer presented: this French brand is one of the best for children's games. Always thought of in order to make children progress in a playful way, this DIY game will appeal to manual children who want to imitate parents! Hit the small hammer to embed the car in the board using the small nails, child's play!

Why do we like it?
A nice take-out game everywhere designed in cork, which will appeal to DIY enthusiasts who love the world of cars …
More information on the Djeco game

Wooden board games

There are board games completely accessible from the age of 3 years: whether dominoes, lotto game or strategic constructions, etc.
Board games are a way to have fun with others, but also to develop your concentration skills, team cooperation, and anticipation of the course of the game. A range of skills to develop and continue to develop. train, even an adult!

Earn Your Dad – Gigamic

"Win your daddy" game is THE family puzzle game with your child! Funny and fun, it is a game that gives pride of place to geometry thanks to its wooden figures to be built in 3D. An educational game focused on logic and spatial geometry. In a duel: you have to be the quickest to fill the space with the wooden pieces. Solo, the child must form a maximum of figure among the possible combinations.

Why do we like it?
The moms of the team confirm it, even the grown-ups are happy to play!
More information about the game Earn Your Dad

Memo lotto domino Safari

A 3-in-1 game on the theme of Safari, to take everywhere with you! The 28 elements represent the animals of Africa, perfect to introduce the child to the names of the animals while discovering the domino game! This product is made from FSC certified forest wood. A playful wooden game that will help the child learn colors and shapes.

Our opinion ?
An elegant box to take on vacation and whose pieces are adapted to the size of the hands of the little ones.
More information on domino Safari

Batibloc Classic 100 Wooden planks – Vilac

The famous boards: even as an adult, we would like to embark on the construction of the tallest tower! The Batibloc box contains 100 uniform wooden boards, of the same color and identical size (10.4 cm x 2 cm). Thoroughness, creativity, reflection: an excellent game for children's concentration (and parents pickup)

Why do we like it?
Timeless, the Batibloc building game continues to make fans, both for children and their parents. A basic game like kapla, to take care independently for hours and without danger, from the age of 3 years.
More information on the Batibloc game

Deluxe outdoor wooden game – Mölkky

The Finnish brand also offers a Deluxe version of its famous wooden game: the pine case contains 12 quality bevelled birch keels. A collective wooden game to have in stock at home! Not for the vintage touch, but for fun with family and friends outside …

Why do we like it?
A simple skill game that makes you think of the bowling game, and more fun! A throwing game very popular in Finland which combines skill, tactics and luck and looks a bit like pétanque or bowling! Friendly, you have to be the first to reach 50 points and you're done.
More information on the Mölkky game

Unlike plastic toys, wooden games last longer and are much more robust.
It is a natural material, most often safe for children, and exe: pt of harmful substances.
Wooden games are pleasant to the touch and very popular with children. Suitable for all ages, the activities of wooden games are available in all forms:
> Stacking cubes
> Musical instruments
> Puzzle games
> Puzzles
> Abacus and musical accessories
> Walking trolleys
> Locking boards (and other Montessori games)
> Rocking horse
> Balance bike
> Building set
> Ball circuits, small car …
The price is also higher, but it will be games that last over time.

If you decide to buy a wooden toy, there are several things to check:

> The pieces must be adapted to the size of the child's hands (watch out for too small or too many pieces, which may be put in the mouth by mistake)
> Brands must guarantee the traceability of the materials used: wood from FSC forests, organic water-based paints, and the absence of chemical substances
> As far as possible, prefer products whose manufacture takes place in France or in Europe.
> Many sites offer the same brands and games, the prices being sometimes very different! Overall, an online purchase will be priced more correctly than in a specialized store, and delivery is often free. The advantage? The stock is always up to date.

Although many brands now offer wooden games, only some stand out clearly and offer superior quality products.
Special mention for the following brands:
> Janod
> Jeujura
> Vilac
> Lewo
> Melissa & Doug
> Holztiger
> Djeco

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