The amount of plastic toddler toys on the market can be overwhelming. When you want low-tech, classic wood toys for your toddler they can be hard to find! That's why I put together this list of the best non-toxic wood toys for toddler.
This guide is broken into sections to help you discover why wood toys are the best choice for toddlers (especially young toddlers who still mouth!), how to avoid toxic toys, and age-appropriate wood toys for younger and older toddlers. Lastly, there's an FAQ about wood toys and low-tech toys, in general.
You can jump to each section using the table of contents below for easy navigation, or just scroll down to take it all in!
This post may include affiliate links, which means I may make a commission on purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.
Why it's important to buy wood toys for toddlers
I recently had a little bout of doubting myself and how strict I am about toys.
I've always preferred to provide natural material toys for LG and have a deep aversion to anything that lights up, makes noise, or generally plays with itself. (Basically anything with batteries!)
After LG was gifted some battery-containing plastic toys, I decided to do a little research. I thought maybe I was being too paranoid abbot plastic/electronic toys. Instead, I ended up becoming even more passionate about wood toys! Wood toys are best for babies and toddlers for several reasons.
Since electronic toys are a relatively new creation, their long term impacts haven't really been studied yet. However, one study suggested that talking toys may hinder language development!
This happens because both children and caregivers interact less while using electronic toys. Obviously a few minutes a day isn't a huge concern, but so many toys on the market today talk that it can be hard to avoid electronic toy overload!
Many plastic toys today contain at least some recycled content, which sounds great. Unfortunately, studies have shown that the majority of toy plastic is at risk for contamination from flame retardants, chemicals from metalworking, and other hazardous chemicals. Some pediatricians have even gone so far as to recommend against giving any plastic toys to babies and toddlers who might place things in their mouths! Yikes!
Wood toys are more environmentally friendly than their plastic counterparts. Wood is a renewable resource, and many of the major wood toy companies use responsibly sourced woods.
For example, PlanToys uses old rubber trees that no longer produce latex and make sure not to apply fertilizer to the soil for at least three years before harvesting the trees. How cool is that?
Additionally, wood will decompose if a toy eventually makes its way to the trash. (Unlike most plastic toys which will, presumably, be there for approximately forever.)
Wood toys are more durable than plastic toys. While they are not completely indestructible, wood toys do tend to last longer. Unlike old plastic toys that become brittle and leak toxins, wood toys can stay usable and in great condition for decades.
If you have children, you may also enjoy this free printable woodland animal activity pack with low-prep activities for children of all ages!
How to avoid toxic toys
Unfortunately, not all wood toys are created equal. Some natural material toys can have toxins. Eeek! Here are some general guidelines to help you avoid toxic wood toys:
Try to only purchase painted wood toys made in the US, Canada, or Europe. Tests have shown that approximately ⅓ of Chinese made toys contain dangerous levels of heavy metals. (source) Many Chinese toys contain excessive amounts of lead, which can be in paint if you chose a painted wood toy.
- If you do buy wood toys manufactured in Asia, make sure they're from a reputable brand like Hape or PlanToys that maintain high standards and accountability.
- Unfortunately, Mellissa & Doug toys may not be safe, which is why I haven't included any in this post. They've had some recall issues in the past, and one of their dolls made the top 10 toys to avoid list in 2017 due to safety concerns.
Opt for unfinished wood toys or ones finished with something mouthing safe like mineral oil or beeswax.
The best non-toxic wood toys for young toddlers or "tabies"
Tabies are a challenging age group to shop for! I know because that's what my girl is at the time of writing.
Young toddlers from about 12 months until 18 months definitely are not infants any more. They desperately want to be toddlers, but they don't have things quite figured out yet. They may or may not be walking and you have to be very careful not to give them choking hazards because they still like to mouth.
These toys are based on what our young toddler loves and uses most and what I know to be beneficial based on my childhood development education. (If you're new here, I have a Master's of the Arts in Teaching!)
Toddlers love making noise! There are sound blocks, drums, xylophones, and more from nontoxic toy manufacturers. Unlike their electronic counterparts, wood instruments and sound toys promote interaction and are good for development. Here are a few of our favorites!
Wood blocks are always a great toy! A high quality set of wood blocks can be a favorite for years to come.
Uncle Goose blocks are a fantastic choice if you want something with a 'classic' appearance but lots of options. They have traditional alphabet blocks, sign language blocks, Spanish blocks, and even periodic table blocks!
For more colorful wood blocks and whimsical sets, look at Haba or Hape blocks. We own toys from both companies and are very satisfied with their quality!
We've had a Manhattan Skwish since LG was an infant and she still loves it. It can be shaken, flattened, tossed, rolled, you name it! It even makes a good travel toy because it's easy to clip on with a toy leash like this beautiful wood clip from Haba.
- MULTI-SENSORY WOODEN BABY RATTLE: Classic, multi-sensory wooden rattle encourages reaching and holding activity which are important for gross motor...
- CAUSE AND EFFECT WOODEN TOY: The Skwish is surprisingly lightweight, allowing little ones the ease of sliding the wooden pieces back and forth on...
- DEVELOPMENTAL BABY TOY: Skwish may not turn every baby into a mathematical genius, but every baby can joyfully benefit from its unique developmental...
Ball drop and pounding toys are favorites with our LG. They're fantastic for promoting fine motor skills and learning cause & effect. This toy from Hape combines a ball drop with pounding and a removable xylophone! (For the record, she also has a wood xylophone and it's quite popular both with LG and her Papa.)
- Pound the balls and they will drop on the xylophone, tinkling out a pleasant scale of notes
- Pull out the xylophone and play a tune directly on the keys
- Great fun exploring rhythm and melodies
Wood peg pounding benches are also a great choice. This one from Plan Toys is my top choice because it has a sturdy base and Plan is an ecologically friendly company that's committed to using safe materials.
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LG loves her ball drop toy so much that we've decided to get her this marble race track, too. After debating several different options with cars that flip and zig-zag down the track, we decided on this version because of how the ball moves from side to side. It gives her more opportunities to interact with the ball and place it at different points along the track.
Update: She loves this toy! She practices placing the marble at different places along the track, plays with the balls separately, and loves hitting the bell at the end with her hand. She got it at 14 months and is still playing with it regularly at 22 months.
- DOUBLE SIDED FUN: Colorful wooden balls, peek-a-boo holes and fast tracks create a dual-sided mountain of fun that helps learn about momentum and...
- BELL CHIMES INSTRUMENT: When the colorful wooden marble balls reach the finish line a bell chimes to celebrate the end of the race
- DEVELOPMENTAL SKILLS: Encourages parents to talk with their children about the different concepts (fast, slow, back and forth) as the balls roll down...
Shape sorters are fun and great for development, but you need to make sure to select a comparatively simple one for young toddlers. If you go with a complex one your child may become frustrated and give up!
If you'd like a more difficult shape sorter, I've linked up my top picks in the section for older toddlers below. This sorter from Plan has basic shapes that are easiest for young toddlers. (Your little one may amaze you - our girl was able to place the circles, squares, and hexagons on a shape sorter recently!)
- Encourages recognition of colors and shapes as well as the development of hand-eye coordination.
- All colors are made from vegetable dye.
- For ages 12 months and up.
Stacker toys are also popular with toddlers. There are so many options available today! You can go for nesting/stacking cups or pieces that slide onto a dowel.
Depending on your tabie's fine motor skills, she may enjoy something like these Hape Twist & Turnables. Our LG loves unscrewing larger lids and pet food containers, so we just purchased her one of these for Christmas (sshhh! Don't tell her please!). They say they're for 24+ months, but the pieces are large enough to be safe for mouthing.
Update: LG loves these! They're definitely large enough to be safe. Screwing them back in is a challenge for her, but she started un-screwing them immediately.
- 8 basic nuts and bolts in four bright colors and shapes
- Mix and match creating endless possible combinations
- Develops motor skills and stimulates imagination
If you're looking for something larger, a wood toddler activity center is just the thing! This one from Hape comes with a built-in shape sorter and ball pounder!
- See what antics the little friends of the Animal Adventure Play Center can get into
- Keeps kids busy and loving it with four activities and a bevy of small animal friends
- Consists of ten pieces, including three wooden balls, six wooden shapes and the Play Center itself
And, of course, I can't write about the best wood toddler toys without including the perennial favorite Grimm's wood rainbow! (There is also a smaller, six piece Grimm's rainbow.)
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The best wood toys for older toddlers
There are so many fantastic wood toys for older toddlers! They still enjoy staples like blocks and instruments, but are ready to move on to more complex toys.
More complex shape sorters are perfect for older toddlers:
Puzzle sorters that encourage classification improve dexterity, spatial relations, and hand-eye coordination. This one from Hape is on our list once LG's ready for it!
- SHAPES & COLORS PUZZLE: Make learning powerful and fun through every stage of life. Includes 9 different pegs with 3 distinct basic shapes
- ENDLESS EDUCATIONAL FUN: Colorful blocks puzzle allows them to learn while having fun
- DEVELOP KEY LITERACY SKILLS: Build on and improve your child's natural ability to recognize shapes and colors using brightly colored wooden blocks....
Older toddlers are also ready for more challenging stackers and geometric sorting boards!
They also appreciate more complex puzzles. LG has been rocking her single shape puzzles - I know she'll be ready for one of these before we know it!
Haba has a delightful line of marble runs. Since this is a post about wood toys, I feel compelled to mention there are a few plastic parts in this one, but it's predominantly wood!)
- This adaptable and expandable ball track is a great introduction to the Kullerbu Play World with crazy curves for Paul the ball to speed around and...
- Insert, click, done assembling a play world could hardly be easier. Nothing can easily shake the Kullerbü tracks even when the overly eager little...
- Kullerbü is the perfect combination of wood and plastic parts and highlights the advantages of each material making this sturdy play system from HABA...
The older toddler on your list would love zooming around on her own set of wheels!
- RUBBERIZED WHEELS: The push bike’s four wheels are rubberized to protect your floors and ensure that the wheels last longer while your little one...
- MOTOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: Perfect for kids beginning to test their mobility and develop active motor skills
- IMPROVES STRENGTH: Short rides develop muscle strength as well as balance
Plastic and vinyl fake food is at particularly high risk for toxins. Luckily, there are many lovely wood play food options available! Fake food that "cuts" apart with a wood knife is helpful for developing practical life skills, fine motor skills, and imaginative play.
A magnetic maze/game is another great way for older toddlers to practice fine motor skills.
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Toddlers are very into gross motor skills. They literally need to keep moving! A rocking toy can be a great way to channel this energy and promote motor development while providing vestibular input.
- STYLISH RIDE-ON: This High Seas rocker not only can be used as a rocker or as a stylish seat, but also compliments your child's playroom.
- STURDY & COMFORT: Solid wood is used to make the boat sturdy but not too heavy to rock. With a bench-style seat and supportive back piece for added...
- DEVELOPMENT OF MOTOR SKILLS: This high-quality wooden ride-on toy will help develop your little one's motor skills and also improve eye-hand...
FAQ's about wood toys
But all these modern/electronic toys say they're educational! Are wood toys educational, too?
First, a lot of the "educational" lingo on toy packaging is just marketing! This marketing plays to our parental fears that our children will be missing out without the latest electronic doo-dad. These educational claims are just marketing claims, not regulated or proven. As mentioned above, research indicates that toys that talk may actually hinder language development instead of promote it.
Second, developmental psychologist say that basic, low-tech toys are actually better for development than 'fancy' electronic toys. Children are naturally creative explorers. More basic toys allow for children to explore, create, and direct play. It's also easier for children to share low-tech toys, which can lead to better social skill development. (source)
Third, low-tech, wood toddler toys give children something incredibly valuable: the opportunity to concentrate.
As I've written in other posts, we have a Montessori-inspired parenting philosophy. Dr. Maria Montessori believed strongly in protected a child's concentration by not interrupting her while she plays (or "works" with materials in Montessori lingo). We've practiced this from birth with LG and it is amazing to watch her play on her own for ages!
Are blocks actually that good for development?
Yes! Blocks improve motor skills, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, creativity, language skills, math abilities, and more! (source)
Are wood toys eco friendly?
With talk of deforestation, it's understandable to be concerned about how sustainable and eco friendly wood toys are. Luckily, there are many reputable wood toy manufacturers that use renewable resources and eco friendly practices. For example, Plan Toys even uses solar energy and participates in a reforestation program! (source)
I truly hope you have enjoyed this guide to the best wood toys for toddlers!
I had such delightful time putting it together and sharing my passion as an educator and a parent for wood toys.
Remember to Pin this now to your favorite kiddo Pinterst board so you don't lose track of it!
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If you have a toddler at home, you may also enjoy this list of 17+ gross motor toys for young toddlers with all the energy!
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Wooden Shape Sorter
Thanks for the post Dear.
The wooden sorting toys help to develop color and shape recognition, as well as hand-eye coordination in kids. Kids learn innovative and unique ways with these toys.
Pamela Baker
Wonderful article! You really did your research. I would always worry about the toxins in lead toys, and toys from China. I found many baby consignment Shops in my area where one could find well made, vintage wood toys. Another possibly in shopping! Better than toys, books are the best gift for infants and toddlers even if they can’t read. Just looking at the pictures help expand their imaginations! Love!
Natasha
Yes, books are the absolute best toys for toddlers! It's actually been shown in research that they're even better than traditional low-tech toys like blocks.