Articles in Wooden Toys
Suitable from age 3+ the drum looks like a traditional old fashioned toy. The kind of thing you imagine would’ve been found under the Christmas tree in years gone by. The drum is made from metal/tin and is very lightweight but also felt a little flimsier than I expected. Ethan couldn’t wait to open the box and start playing.
The Pink horse skipping rope is is a lovely skipping rope, that feels much more solid than the usual plastic sets I’ve seen in this price range. The price is very reasonable, at under £5 and it’s ethically made too.
The Royal Quoits set from Aspace is an engaging and educational (if you make the children keep score) game, whose appeal crossed all the age rages from 3 years to 66 years. Its simplicity is part of its appeal and it is totally engrossing. We keep coming back to this and have had great fun in the good weather with it. We are planning to take it camping with us. Thoroughly recommended.
The wooden eco helicopter looks lovely – I just wish we had more sun! It was played with a couple of times and then ignored. I can’t help feeling it was a disappointment, considering the price tag, which is just under £20. At that price, it’s an expensive ornament which will spend it’s days on the windowsill waiting for sunshine … alone.
It’s a simple yet engaging educational toy which unlike others has proven to be consistently popular. It can be used for under two year olds although they will need help with the stacking activity. Two year olds will enjoy using it as a stacking toy or exploring the handy shapes and colours. It’s sturdy and will last for more than just one child’s use.
This Castle has provided me with some unexpected “alone” time and has kept my girls’ imaginations running wild for hours at a time. It is terrific for both individual and group play and has everything your little ones need to rule their very own playroom. Although a little pricey it is very well made and I feel it will stand the test of time, unlike many plastic versions that are currently on the market.
This wooden fire truck gets four stars for the simple reason that Kai adores it and it is a stunning set, but it loses points for me in that it doesn’t seem robust enough for serious play. Granted, it would look lovely sat safely on a nursery shelf but I’m not a big fan of toys designed to be seen and not played with. It’s already looking a little ‘well loved’, but it is loved which, I guess, is the main thing.
Lovely quality and design, and lots of fun, these robots will help build fine motor skills and problem-solving. Flea has also enjoyed playing with them imaginatively and they’re sturdy enough to stand up to lots of energetic play, with no small pieces or sharp edges to bother the little ones. A lovely option for children of all ages.
These Travelling Souk wooden earth worms for babies look lovely. I’m a sucker for nice wooden toys and would probably have a houseful of them, if I could afford it. And it’s nice to get a toy for a baby that does something other than rattle, squeak or make some kind of annoying noise!
As a mum who is always on the look out for toys that are not branded and are ‘home made’ I was thrilled with the Creative Charlie jewellery making kit. I loved so many things: the ethos of the company and the fact that they have obviously taken time to source quality items being the two main ones. The beads were made by woman’s cooperative; the labels are biodegradable; the shipping packaging recycled. If you’re looking for a great ethical gift idea then look no further.
Bambini beads make a lovely gift for children aged 3 and above, and I’d buy them for boys or girls, which is a refreshing change. It’s an educational toy, but so much fun to play with, too! Great value for money and it’s so popular in our house.
The Noah’s Ark is a really nice, quality floor toy that would make an excellent present and you’re also helping a good cause when buying this toy. It kept my son entertained for ages. The Noah and wife figures even have magnets on their bottom and the top of the Noah’s Ark toy is magnetised so you can have all the animals inside and the people on top and act out a stormy sea scene!
A great quality wooden toy that will stand up to a lot of bashing and dropping and whatever else your little monsters can throw at it – and will still look great. But my advice would be to use generic figures and accessories unless you have a hardcore fire engine fan, because the Pintoy ones are pretty expensive.
Travel Brain Benders are just so darn infuriating. That’s about it really. They made us angry. I wouldn’t mind, but the ones we were testing were at the ‘easy’ end of the tricky spectrum!
This JoJo Maman Bebe Musical Drum kit is a great toy for a child who likes music and lives in a home where space is an issue. It wasn’t a hit with my kids however, and I would expect the box to contain everything that is needed to erect it.
