Are you searching for a wooden baby rattle that’s not only delightful to the senses but also safe and durable? You’re not the only one. Many parents and caregivers prioritize finding toys that combine aesthetics, safety, and developmental benefits.
Fortunately, wooden baby rattles have risen in popularity due to their eco-friendly nature, durability, and tactile appeal for young hands.
Drawing from my knowledge in early childhood development and eco-friendly toys, I’ve compiled a list spotlighting the standout wooden rattles that are making a buzz among discerning parents today.
Let’s shake things up and uncover the best wooden baby rattles that promise to engage, soothe, and entertain your little one.
Best Rattles
Best On the Go Rattle: Plan Toys Wooden Baby Roller Push and Pull
- Beautiful pastel colored rattle from Plan Toys, the brand at the forefront of sustainability and safety in wooden baby toys.
- Really pleasing melodic sound
- Great for gross motor skills
- Perfect little toy to keep baby busy in the car or pram
Pros
- Made from sustainable rubber wood
- Soothing wood sound
- Stimulates sight and hearing
- Made with chemical free water based dyes
Cons
- This is a premium brand and you are paying for quality
- Some find it small but it is the ideal size for baby hands to grasp
- Slates can be a little thick making it harder for baby to grasp
Best Budget Rattles Range
Set of four wooden rattles made from natural beech wood and painted with natural Eco-friendly water paint. They are non-toxic and safe for your child to play with. The rattle sound is soothing and will entertain your child.
Pros
- Perfect grasping toy for toddlers
- Set of 4 giving plenty of variety
- Made with eco friendly materials and non toxic paint
- Very well priced for a set of 4.
Cons
- Generic brand
- Painted- some parents prefer stained toys fopr small babies
- May be overstimulating for young babies
- Not quite as durable as branded versions
Best Toy for Older Babies: Manhattan Toy Skwish Natural Rattle
This multi-sensory skwish rattle is made from smooth, light weight wood and elastic toys to provide tactile pleasure for your little one. Your child can pull, “squish” and shake this rattle, enjoying a pleasing rattle sound.
Pros
- Multisensory, stimulating touch, sight and hearing
- Made from sustainable wood and baby safe, water based acrylics.
- Unique design, making this a fun gift
- Made by Manhattan Toys, a well established, trusted manufacturer
Cons
- Simple design
- A little more expensive than other alternatives
- May be better suited to older babies who can manipulate and flatten the rattle
- Rattle comes from sliding wooden bead, not the more traditional bell.
Best Rattle for 6 Month Old: GALT Soft Blocks
This set of six colourful, soft foam blocks allow your baby to safely squish, throw, build and chew without hurting himself. Use these blocks to talk to your little one about colours and animals to build on their communication skills as well as their fine motor skills. Can they find the block that rattles?
Pros
- Soft and Safe for baby
- Can be played with in a range of fun ways
- Colourful stimulating blocks
- Helps develop communication and fine motor skills
Cons
- Not suitable for younger babies
- Some children will be frustrated trying to find rattle block
- Small sized and only six in set
- Colours in fabric can fade over time
Best Rattle for Tummy Time: A Maze Rain Rush
This beautiful wooden jumbo rattle is filled with 42 colourful wooden beads, producing a beautiful tinkling rainstorm sounds as your little one rolls it around. This expertly designed developmental toy will really inspire your little one to move and learn!
Pros
- Keep your little one content during tummy time and encourage crawling
- Bright, eye catching patterned design
- Charming rainstorm sounds
- Generously sized and built to last
Cons
- Suitable from 18 months
- Chunky, so not a great travel toy
- Too heavy for some babies
- Finished with paint, can be more susceptible to damage
Choosing the Best Rattle for Your Baby
Rattles are one of the first toys for a newborn. They can be made from different materials like organic cotton, plastic, metal and wood. Some plastic rattles may not be BPA-free so we highly recommend choosing a rattle that is made from natural materials like wood or cotton.
What makes rattles a good toy for babies is that it produces sounds that attract and entertain babies. The sound a rattle produces depends on the materials. For example, wooden rattles make jingling noises. The benefits of cause and effect toys, such as rattles, are well documented.
Safety
The first things you should consider before buying a rattle for your baby are safety features. Make sure to read labels and warnings for any potential hazards.
Rattles end up in babies’ mouths so it’s really important that the rattle you’re buying for your baby has been tested and passed safety standards.
Rattles should be well-made that they’re not easily broken into pieces and that they do not have any detachable pieces that could obstruct breathing. They must be soft and have rounded edges.
Material
Rattles can be made from plastic, wood and cloth. While there are many plastic rattles that are considered safe, we highly recommend to stay away from them and choose rattles made from natural materials like wood and cloth.
There’s just a lot going on with manufacturing things using plastic and their negative impacts to our environment. It’s also a good idea to start your baby on a path to a greener and sustainable lifestyle at an early age.
When choosing wooden rattles, make sure to read the toys packaging if all of the pieces of the rattle are made from wood. Some wooden rattles have pieces attached to them that are made from plastic.
Size
Most rattles are designed with your child’s age and safety in mind. They don’t have a standard size. Rattles have an interesting design size-wise. They are small enough for your child’s hands but big enough to avoid potential choking hazards.
So choosing the size of the rattle comes down to your own personal preference. If budget is not an issue, you can buy both small and large rattles.
Features
You may find yourself overwhelmed with the selection of rattles available out there. So it’s really not uncommon for babies to have more than one rattle. In fact, some experts suggest buying more than one rattle to alternate.
When buying more than one rattle, it’s recommended to choose 2 different rattles. For instance, you can buy 1 wooden rattle and 1 cloth rattle. Wooden rattles have a different texture than cloth ones. This helps with the development of your child’s tactile perception.
If your child can’t grasp on objects yet, you can buy her either a wrist or a sock rattle. These are mini rattles that your baby can wear. See her face lighten up when she starts hearing sounds as she moves her hands and feet.
Most rattles have bright colours and different shapes which is great because when your baby grows older you can use it as a teaching tool for her first colors and shapes lesson.
Why Use a Baby Rattle?
Toys for babies and toddlers are meant to keep them occupied for hours while also helping them develop the necessary abilities. A good example of such a toy is a rattle.
Rattles will stimulate a baby’s senses and aid in his or her development. The majority of rattles have vibrant colours, diverse textures, and moveable pieces so that newborns and toddlers may explore them.
When small children play with their rattles using their hands, they refine and strengthen a variety of skills, including hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, auditory, tactile, and colour awareness.
A baby can also find the sounds made by a rattle to be soothing and relaxing. It relaxes them and motivates them to take on more challenging tasks, such as moving during their tummy time. For example, you could place your baby’s favourite rattle just out of reach and allow her to crawl her way to it.
We support environmentally friendly products, and our toy selection reflects this. We handpicked some of the best wooden rattles made from eco-friendly materials and finished with non-toxic paint. Our rattles are completely safe for babies and toddlers. Furthermore, these toys have undergone stringent quality checks and meet various European and international safety standards for children’s toys.
FAQ’s on Baby Rattles
What are rattles and why are they important for babies?
Rattles are small toys that make a noise when shaken. They have been used as a form of entertainment for babies since ancient times. Rattles help to stimulate the senses, encourage motor skills development, and promote cognitive development in babies.
In addition, playing with rattles can also be an enjoyable activity for both parents and babies alike.
How do rattles help babies learn?
Playing with rattles helps to stimulate cognitive development in infants by providing them with opportunities to practice problem-solving skills and develop an understanding of cause-and-effect relationships.
For example, when a baby shakes a rattle, they will quickly learn that shaking it makes a noise which can then lead to further exploration of the toy and other objects around them.
What safety tips should parents be aware of when using rattles with their babies?
When using any type of toy including rattling toys always ensure that you follow safety guidelines such as checking for any loose parts or sharp edges before giving it to your baby; never leave your baby unattended while playing; avoid giving small pieces that could be swallowed; never give your baby old or broken toys; always supervise your child while playing; avoid giving your baby noisy toys if he/she has sensitive hearing; etc…
What different types of rattles are available and what benefits do they offer to babies?
There are many different types of rattling toys available on the market today such as traditional wooden ones shaped like animals or fruits; plastic ones shaped like cars or airplanes; musical ones that play songs when shaken; light up ones that glow when shaken; etc…
Each type offers its own unique set of benefits depending on what type you choose so make sure you pick one that suits your baby’s needs best!
At what age should babies start playing with rattles?
Babies usually start showing interest in objects around 3 months old so this is usually considered an appropriate age range for introducing them to their first rattle!
However, keep in mind that every child develops differently so don’t worry if yours isn’t quite ready yet – just wait until he/she shows signs of being interested before introducing new toys into his/her playtime routine!
Playing with a rattle is not only fun but also beneficial for developing important skills such as sensory stimulation, motor skills development, cognitive learning abilities, language acquisition skills, and social interaction among others!
It is important however that you follow safety guidelines when using any type of toy including those designed specifically for infants like rattling toys so make sure you check these before letting your little one explore his/her new toy!
Our No. 1 Recommended Product
Plan Toys Wooden Baby Roller
- Beautiful pastel colored rattle from Plan Toys, the brand at the forefront of sustainability and safety in wooden baby toys.
- Really pleasing melodic sound
- Great for gross motor skills
- Perfect little toy to keep baby busy in the car or pram
