Best Wooden Baby Toys (Updated 2024)

The best wooden baby toys strike a balance between tradition and modernity. Yet, in the overflowing toy market, discerning the truly exceptional from the mediocre becomes a daunting task for parents.

If you’ve felt swamped by endless choices, unsure of their quality or safety, you’re far from alone.

With a rich history in toy assessment and child safety research, I’ve handpicked toys that excel in both charm and safety standards.

Journey with me through this curated guide, ensuring your child’s play hours are both delightful and secure.

Best Wooden Toys for Babies

B. toys Wooden Baby Play Gym is a great choice for parents who want a high-quality, engaging play gym for their little one. The thick mat and sensory toys provide plenty of opportunities for exploration and play, and the easy assembly and portability make it a convenient option for families on the go.

• Safety and Material Quality: 5/5
  • Made of natural wood and organic cotton, ensuring a safe environment for babies.
• Educational and Developmental Value: 5/5
  • Offers sensory toys that aid in motor skills and hand-eye coordination development.
• Sustainability and Eco-friendliness: 4.5/5
  • Natural wood and organic cotton materials suggest eco-friendly sourcing, though specific certifications aren’t mentioned.

The TOOKYLAND Montessori Toys for Babies 0-6 Months is a perfect educational box for babies in their curious phase, as it can develop skills at different stages, such as vision, sound, touch, motor skills, problem-solving, social emotional, and logical thinking. It’s a safe and durable toy set that is sure to bring a big smile to your little baby.

The rainbow ball, rain stick, baby roller, spinning rainbow Montessori, black and white cards, and Montessori tissue box are great toys that can support your baby’s sensory development. The set comes with a parent’s guide that provides an introduction to product functions and “how to play,” which can help babies explore their environment.

The wooden Montessori newborn toys are made of natural wood and coated with smooth, non-toxic water paint. The smooth surface reinforced pegs, and rounded edges ensure child safety. However, some of the items are liked more than others, and the quality is on par for the price it cost. Additionally, the little sticks seemed like choking hazards to some people.

• Safety and Material Quality: 5/5
  • High-quality wood ensures durability and safety.
• Educational and Developmental Value: 5/5
  • Multifunctional design aids in teaching numbers, time-telling, and enhances motor skills.
• Sustainability and Eco-friendliness: 4/5
  • Made of wood, but no specific information on sustainable sourcing.

We recently purchased this toy for our 12-month-old and have been thrilled with its quality and design. The solid maple construction ensures that it can withstand the rough play of a toddler, while the non-toxic finishes put our minds at ease.

Our little one loves the bright colors and enjoys pulling the elephant along behind her. We’ve noticed an improvement in her hand-eye coordination and balance since she started playing with it.

One downside we’ve noticed is that the toy falls over easily when pulled, which can be frustrating for young children. Additionally, the cord could be longer to allow for more flexibility in play.

• Safety and Material Quality: 5/5
  • Crafted with child-safe materials, ensuring safety and durability.
• Educational and Developmental Value: 3/5
  • Promotes coordination and balance, though its educational scope is narrower than others.
• Sustainability and Eco-friendliness: 4/5
  • Hape is known for its eco-friendly toys, but specific wood sourcing isn’t mentioned.

We love the Arudyo Baby Teething Toys Silicone Teethers BPA Free Silicone Rudder with Wooden Ring because it is made of safe materials and has a great design that is perfect for babies. The silicone rudder is just the right size to prevent babies from swallowing it, and the hollow design is lightweight and easy to grasp. The silicone material is soft and flexible, which decreases the risk of mouth injury. The teether is also available in 3 Morandi colors, which can improve your baby’s sensory abilities.

However, the wooden ring cannot be boiled, which requires a different cleaning method. Some customers reported that the wooden ring was a little rough, which may not be comfortable for some babies. The wood may also break easily, which can be a safety hazard.

Overall, we recommend the Arudyo Baby Teething Toys Silicone Teethers BPA Free Silicone Rudder with Wooden Ring for parents who are looking for a safe and effective teething toy for their baby. It is a great gift for baby showers, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any other gift-giving occasion. If for any reason the product does not meet your expectations, you can return it to us within 30 days for a replacement or refund.

• Safety and Material Quality:5/5
  • Made from 100% food-grade silicone and natural beech, ensuring utmost safety.
• Educational and Developmental Value: 3/5
  • Provides relief and aids in grasping training, but its primary function is teething relief.
• Sustainability and Eco-friendliness: 4/5
  • Natural beech wood suggests eco-friendliness, but no specific certifications are mentioned.

This activity cube has so much to offer. From the farm-themed illustrations to the mix-and-match wooden animal toys, spinners, and bead maze, your little one will be entertained for hours while developing important skills.

At Battat, safety is a top priority, and this toy is crafted from sturdy, kid-friendly materials with rounded corners and natural, smooth wood. The cube is also a great way to encourage imaginative and pretend play, which can help improve concentration and memory.

While this toy is recommended for 12 months and up, some of the activities might be too challenging for young kids. Additionally, the cube might be too large for smaller play areas. However, if you have the space and budget, the Battat Wooden Activity Cube is a great investment in your child’s development and entertainment.

• Safety: 4.7/5 The Battat Wooden Activity Cube ensures safety for toddlers with its robust design. Smooth, rounded corners and sturdy construction minimize risks during play, making it a safe choice for young explorers.
• Developmental Value: 4.8/5 This activity cube excels in developmental value, offering diverse activities like puzzles and bead mazes to enhance cognitive and motor skills. Its farm-themed design stimulates learning and exploration, contributing significantly to a child’s developmental growth.
• Sustainability: 4.6/5 Made from quality wood, the Battat Activity Cube is a sustainable choice. Its durable construction ensures longevity, reducing the need for frequent replacements and thereby supporting eco-friendly practices. However, incorporating more eco-conscious materials or production methods could further boost its sustainability score.

Overall, we highly recommend the Manhattan Toy Skwish Color Burst Rattle and Teether Grasping Activity Toy as a safe, engaging, and high-quality toy for babies who are just starting to explore the world around them. The toy’s multi-sensory design and developmental features make it a great choice for parents who want to help their little ones develop their motor skills, sensory awareness, and curiosity about their environment.

• Safety 5/5
  • Made of sustainable wood with a non-toxic finish, ensuring utmost safety.
• Educational Value 5/5
  • Enhances gross motor skills, sound exploration, and cause and effect learning.
• Durability & Longevity 4/5
  • Made of dense rubberwood, which is durable, but the elastic bands might wear out over time.

The Hape Beaded Raindrops is a great musical toy for sensory development. The vibrant trickling beads and soothing raindrop sounds can provide children with hours of musical entertainment. The rainmaker is also durable, with a child-safe paint finish and sturdy wood construction.

Encouraging children to develop rhythmic and melodic abilities, the Hape Beaded Raindrops is a great investment for parents who want to introduce their babies to the world of music.

• Safety 5/5
  • Crafted with child-safe paint and sturdy wood, ensuring safety during play.
• Educational Value 5/5
  • Stimulates senses, promotes aural exploration, and enhances hand-eye coordination.
• Durability & Longevity 4/5
  • Durable construction, but the plastic might be less resilient than the wood over time.

We recently purchased this toy for our 18-month-old and have been impressed with its versatility and durability. The balls can be pounded down onto the xylophone keys or played with separately, and the xylophone can be slid out for solo play. Our toddler has enjoyed exploring the different sounds and melodies he can create.

We also appreciate that this toy promotes fine motor skills development and encourages musical exploration and play. It’s made with child-safe materials and has a sturdy construction that can withstand years of use.

One potential drawback is that the balls may fall out of the toy easily, so it may require some supervision during play. Additionally, younger toddlers may have difficulty sliding out the xylophone keys, and the mallet may be too heavy for some toddlers to use effectively.

Overall, we highly recommend the Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone as a fun and engaging musical toy for toddlers, read our detailed review of the Hape Pound and Tap Bench here.

• Safety: 4.7/5 The Hape Pound & Tap Bench is crafted for safety, using non-toxic paint and rounded edges. Solid wood construction makes it safe, though it does require adult supervision for younger children due to small parts.
• Educational Value: 4.8/5 This toy excels in providing educational benefits like introducing music, developing fine motor skills, and improving hand-eye coordination. Its versatile design aids in auditory and cognitive development, making it an excellent learning tool for kids.
• Durability & Longevity: 4.6/5 Built with sturdy wood, the toy is durable enough for active toddler play. The xylophone may not be precisely tuned, but the overall robust construction assures lasting enjoyment and play value.

The Melissa & Doug First Bead Maze is a fantastic developmental toy that encourages color recognition, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor development through play.

The toy is made from high-quality materials with solid wood blocks that display quality craftsmanship for extended safe use. The four soft-coated wires twist and turn between two solid wood blocks, providing a delightful and educational gift for kids 12 months and up.

One of the cons of the Melissa & Doug First Bead Maze is that it may not be as engaging for older toddlers who have outgrown the toy. Additionally, the suction cup base may not stick well to all surfaces, which can be frustrating for parents and children alike. Some parents may also find the toy to be too small for their liking.

• Safety 5/5
  • Made from high-quality materials with a sturdy construction and smooth edges, ensuring no splinters or choking hazards.
• Educational Value 5/5
  • Aids in the development of sensory skills, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.
• Durability & Longevity 4/5
  • Constructed with solid wood blocks and soft-coated wires, but the repetitive nature might limit its long-term appeal.

We love the Hape Bunny Stacker Toy because it’s made from child-safe paint finishes and durable wooden materials, making it a toy that can be enjoyed for years. It’s suitable for babies aged 10 months and up, and it’s a great way to introduce your baby to the world of balance and tactile exploration. See our detailed review on the HAPE Bunny Stacking Toy hgere.

The colorful rings feature different multi-colored textures and materials that make adorable sounds when played with to heighten auditory awareness. The flower ring with 6 petals can be flipped and played with, and the pink ring emits pleasant jingles. The pull-string bunny tail makes an adorable clicking sound as it retracts.

• Safety: 4.8/5 The Hape Rabbit toy is notably safe for toddlers, made with non-toxic materials and featuring smooth edges and a stable base. The fluffy rabbit head, while appealing, may be a minor concern as it could entice chewing.
• Educational Value: 4.9/5 This toy excels in educational aspects, enhancing color recognition, sensory skills, and fine motor development. Its varied textures and playful design aid in sensory and cognitive growth, making it an ideal early learning tool.
• Durability & Longevity: 4.5/5 Constructed from durable beech wood, the toy is built to last, although the fluffy rabbit head may wear out with intense play or chewing, slightly affecting its longevity.

Overall, we think the Hape Wooden Push and Pull Music Learning Walker is a great investment for parents looking for a durable and engaging toy for their child’s early walking stages. The adjustable speed settings and multiple musical activities make it perfect for children at different stages of development.

• Safety 4/5
  • Made with child-safe finishes, but the drum stick could be a concern for younger children.
• Educational Value 5/5
  • Encourages walking, hand-eye coordination, and musical exploration.
• Durability & Longevity 4/5
  • Sturdy wooden construction, but the front instruments might be less effective over time.

We recently purchased the Hape Roller Derby Wooden Marble Racing Toddler Toy for our 18-month-old, and it’s been a hit! The colorful wooden balls, peek-a-boo holes, and fast tracks create a dual-sided mountain of fun that keeps our little one entertained for hours.

We love that it encourages kids to explore and learn about concepts like momentum and speed, and it’s been a great way to bond with our child as we guide the balls through the tracks.

One thing to note is that the toy can tip over easily, especially if your child is playing with it on a carpeted surface. However, we’ve found that placing it on a hard surface like a table or hardwood floor helps to prevent this from happening.

Some kids may lose interest in the toy after a while, but we’ve found that mixing it up with other toys and activities helps to keep things fresh and exciting.

• Safety 5/5
  • Crafted with child-safe materials and smooth edges, ensuring a safe play experience.
• Educational Value 4/5
  • Boosts hand-eye coordination, understanding of cause and effect, and color recognition.
• Durability & Longevity 5/5
  • Made from high-quality wood, promising durability for endless play sessions.

Buying Guide on Wooden Toys for Babies

When reviewing the best wooden baby toys, it’s important to ensure they are safe, developmentally appropriate, and engaging. Here are three essential criteria to consider:

1. Safety:
   • Non-Toxic Finish: The wood should be finished with non-toxic paints or sealants, ensuring it’s safe for babies who often put toys in their mouths.
   • Smooth Edges: All parts of the toy should be smooth and free of splinters. There shouldn’t be any sharp edges or points.
   • Durable Construction: The toy should be robust and well-made to ensure that it doesn’t break easily, potentially creating small parts that could be a choking hazard.
2. Developmental Value:
   • Sensory Stimulation: Toys with varied textures, colors, or sounds can stimulate a baby’s senses, promoting exploration and discovery.
   • Motor Skill Development: Look for toys that encourage grasping, stacking, or other fine and gross motor skills.
   • Cognitive Growth: Simple puzzles, shape sorters, or toys that encourage problem-solving can foster cognitive development, even in very young babies.
3. Engagement:
   • Interactive Elements: Toys with movable parts, mirrors, or other interactive features can keep a baby’s attention longer.
   • Visual Appeal: Bright colors or high-contrast patterns can be visually stimulating and engaging for babies.
   • Versatility: Toys that can be used in multiple ways or during different developmental stages offer better value and prolonged interest.

Made from responsibly sourced material and finished with non-toxic watercolours, these wooden baby toys are safe for babies and conform to European and international safety standards on babies’ toys.

Your baby’s tiny hands can easily grab a wooden toy and the wooden texture brings her closer to nature. It also helps develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Our toys also come in various shapes, sizes and colours so there’s a toy for every baby. These baby toys are some of the best toys you can give to your precious little one.

Traditional wooden Baby toys are good early learning toys and should be full of educational benefits whilst giving endless fun and growing with your child as they develop new ways to use and play with them.

For instance, a wooden building block set, wooden shape sorter or a sorting cube to train your baby to use her hands to build something cool and awesome whilst teaching her to observe and sort toys based on similar or different attributes.

Wooden cars that can be played with a push-pull motion are good for fine motor skills, dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Likewise, musical toys are good for auditory stimulation.

At Baba Me, we want to help you fill your child’s toy box with items that provide all of this bringing joy to your child and in turn, you. It is important to enhance and encourage various developmental skills throughout the formative years and beyond.

Whether you are a parent looking for educational toys for your baby or a friend looking for a baby shower gift, christening gift or birthday gift, our most wooden baby toys have been specifically selected for their wonderful quality, developmental benefits, and fun factor unlike their plastic counterparts.

Almost immediately babies begin to learn motor skills, cognitive skills, and eye-hand coordination amongst many other developmental skills. Our wonderful baby toys will help your baby achieve developmental milestones through play whther with a wooden hammer or a wooden rattle.

Just like adults, babies are easily bored and need to be stimulated with age-appropriate toys and activities though it is important to ensure they are not over-stimulated.

Using all of their senses infants begin to explore the world around them, as their sensory development grows in the early days and weeks of your little one’s life, they learn and retain more information than they ever will again.

Therefore a multi-sensory approach to your little one’s play is vital. You will love to watch your baby’s excitement as they hold, shake and feel different objects, taking in colours, sounds and textures. As they do this, babies will begin to remember how to make a toy do something teaching them cause and effect.

We believe that our toys (made from sustainably sourced wood) will help to set your baby up as they grow into a toddler giving them the skills they need as they move onto their next stage whether that’s magnetic wooden blocks or something more wood toys.

Our wonderful toys have been carefully made with babies in mind and are safe, tactile and bright. These toys are made from non-toxic wood, plastic, silicone, felt and material and have been painted or dyed in water-based paints so are free from toxic chemicals and are BPA free.

We have ensured they are completely safe for the baby to explore with little hands, feet and mouths. Our plush toys and stuffed animals are all super soft and cuddly toys for babies, some have a baby teether attached.

Our best infant toys for hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills:

• Grimm’s grasping wooden toys are wonderful first baby toys as babies turn these smooth wooden animals in their tiny hands learning how to reach for them and pass from hand to hand.
• Plan wooden toys, wooden beads rattle and felted rainbow rings. These toys not only provide different textures for little ones to explore but babies can learn how to move the objects around a larger ring.
• Our beautiful pram chains/ baby toys not only look fab on a pram but come with useful clips so you can attach your baby’s favourite toys. As they move around when the pram is in motion the baby will have to control movements to be able to grasp them. The triangle clutching ring will keep little fingers busy as babies work out how to move around the inner balls.
• Cloth books, introduce books early to a baby who will love to turn the pages, especially if each page has a different texture to discover. As babies play with their books you will see a more delicate pincer grip begin to develop as their dexterity becomes more fine-tuned.
• Oli and Carol ducks, the fun doesn’t have to stay on dry land, using bath toys means babies have a moving target to grasp.

Problem-solving and cause and effect:

• Good mood fish with crinkle foil, watch as your baby reaches out for one of these brightly coloured material fish and learns that they make brilliant noises when they squeeze or chew on their soft bodies.
• Just B sounds so squeezy incorporates the different textured sensory balls and gives each one a different sound and activity, as babies learn cause and effect and develop problem-solving skills these brilliant balls will really come into their own. They also come on a handy ring great for teething and attaching to a stroller, clothes, car seats, prams and pushchairs.
• Baby toys/rattles, such as the Djeco Pitidou or Babyrainy, further develop cause and effect as infants learn how to make each one create a sound.
• Djeco Babypoli takes a further step along this path as not only can babies make it make noises but can watch through the little window as they make manipulate the objects inside so they move around.

Our best baby toys for Gross motor skills to encourage rolling and crawling

• Just B looky-looky with its mirror on wheels is the perfect tummy time wooden baby toy. Early on babies will enjoy gazing at themselves in the mirror, then to encourage crawling will have to give chase as their wooden baby toy rolls away. One of the wheels has beads in so makes a rattle noise that infants will love to make each time they catch up to it.
• The plan wooden toys sensory tumbling toys are a great all-rounder. At first, let your baby discover and fall in love with each different tumbler then place them out of reach to encourage rolling. Once the baby is happy on their tummy, stack them then let the baby knock them over and learn to chase after them as they roll away.
• Once crawling encourages early pretend to play with the dino cars or Just B free Wheels. Your child will happily crawl around pushing a car in front of them bringing it to show you. They will equally enjoy chasing after it if you push it away from them.

At some point, as your baby develops they will also grow their first set of teeth, this is a development that can happen at any age from 1 week to 1 year.

Our gorgeous array of different baby toys can also help to soothe the painful symptoms of teething. As parents we all want to provide some teething relief for sore gums there are many teething remedies available as well as teething toys for babies.

Teething toys and teething rings might not be necessary, but they can definitely help keep your baby calm and relieve some of the discomforts she’s feeling.

As little one’s teeth begin to move signs of teething to keep an eye out for are:

• Excessive drooling takes a look at our selection of bibs to help protect little necks from getting sore. Extra drool can also add to sickness so our muslin wraps make great burp cloths to help keep you clean! Try using your baby’s usual milk or fruit purees to make ice lollies. Other teething remedies for irritated gums include teething gels and teething powders, check with a pharmacist to find out the best one for your baby.
• Red cheeks and slight fever a cool flannel can help soothe a teething fever as well as medicine if the baby is old enough, always check with a doctor or pharmacist first.
• The desire to chew and suck on everything teething pain makes babies want to chew, there are many products on the market for babies to chew such as a silicone teething necklace, an amber teething bracelet, a teething ring and teethers. Have a look at our baby toys which are free from harmful chemicals. We can guarantee they are all BPA free and free from toxic stains and paints. Our baby teething toys come in a variety of designs and textures so you can try different ones and work out which are the best teethers to soothe your baby’s sore gums and sensitive teeth.

A young teething baby requires an object that is easy to grip and put in their mouths as they require. A one-piece design baby teething toy is best here such as the Just B Snail or crab teether. Different babies prefer different textures so a smoother teether such as the Djeco Piticocci teething ring may be preferred or the ribbed surface of the Zoli Chubby Gummys may be better.

Teething gels could be smeared on these so that it can be applied to tender gums as baby chews giving a multi-attack approach to relieve teething symptoms. A different approach would be the muslin comforter soft animals that double as a teething blanket or munch so ensure it has water based paint.

The safety of our children and teething babies is of the utmost importance so all teethers should be used under adult supervision as they can be a choking hazard.

Our range of kids toys begin here with educational toys for babies, we then ensure this level of high-quality engaging activity is encouraged with our toddler toys and older kids toys. From wooden blocks to puzzles, bath toys to dolls furniture sets browse through our wonderfully wide range of mostly organic toys to find the right gifts for your kids whether from established brands like Plan toys or tender leaf high quality toys.

If you have birthdays coming up why not add a wishlist to the favorite wooden toys you would like for your baby or older children then send a link to relation to your wishlist as a gift registry to get them on their way to loving the natural world.