The best traditional wooden toys for babies

Why buy them?

Wooden toys have a timeless appeal and have the advantage of being less garish than many plastic ones, with no need for batteries! Many parents buy wooden toys for their children because they prefer the retro look and feel of them, but of course there are also environmental benefits. Toys made from wood are biodegradable, and can be recycled more easily than plastic ones. Wood is also much more durable than plastic, which is why previous generations could hand down their toys as they often survived being played with by countless children.

What to spend

Wooden toys can seem more expensive than plastic ones, especially if they are handcrafted. Expect to pay upwards of £10 for smaller toys to around £45 for a cart on wheels. The vast majority of wooden toys don’t have batteries or mechanisms, so it’s unusual if they cost more than this.

What to look for

For environmental reasons, look for wood that is sustainably sourced and certified.

Pull-along dog, £15, John Lewis

This pull-along dog is the ideal friend for toddlers who are starting to take their first steps and is suitable for children from 12 months old. It’s made from solid wood with a spring-loaded head and tail so it waggles just like a real dog does!

Djeco Animambo Set of 3 Instruments, £21.90, Jojo Mamam Bebe

This set of wooden instruments includes a tambourine, maraca and castanet, all painted in bright, vibrant colours with an exotic toucan design. They're great first instruments for your baby to shake, click and bounce around to!

Stacker, £4.99, Melissa & Doug

A classic stacking toy, which has appealingly bright rainbow coloured rings to engage toddlers from eighteen months and up. As well as aiding motor skills and hand-eye coordination, playing with it will help children’s size and shape sorting skills.

Wooden baby walker, £42, Jojo Maman Bebe

This wooden cart is just what children who are about to take their first steps need to toddle about with. It comes with lots of brightly coloured bricks for building and stacking fun, and it can be personalised with a child’s name. Also available in a pastel coloured version.

First wooden trucks, £10.99, Orange Tree

Every toddler needs a truck to play with, and this set has three! Each measures 6x4x7cm, so they are the ideal size for little hands to play with. The set consists of a pick up truck, a cement mixer and a dumper truck which are all made from solid wood, with movable wheels so they can be easily pushed along.

Click Clack Track, £20, ELC

This track set is suitable for toddlers as young as 12 months and comes complete with three mini cars in red, yellow and blue. They’ll love racing the cars down the track again and again. They make a satisfying ‘click clack’ sounds as they go and you can race cars one at a time or all together.

Shape sorter, £10, Chad Valley

This well-priced cube-shaped sorter is ideal for toddlers who are just getting to grips with handling blocks and sorting by colour and shape. There are 20 blocks included of different shapes and colours, and the box has holes on every side to post them into and an easy-to-use slide off lid.

Push Along Lion, £10, Petit Collage

This cute push-along lion is perfect for young babies who are getting ready to move and crawl. Its smooth rounded corners and built-in play beads make it engaging to handle and explore. It’s planet-friendly too as it’s made from sustainably harvested wood and finished with non-toxic water based paints.

Rattle, £5.99, Brio

This simple cage-style rattle can be used from birth onwards. It can be rolled along the floor or shaken so the bell sounds. Made from sustainable wood and painted in bright primary colours, it’s a must for any baby’s toy box.

Pop-up People, £9.99, Galt

This toy encourages toddlers to use their developing hand-eye coordination by pushing the characters down. Each figure is painted in a different colour and as they are attached to springs, they bob up again once released! It’s a great toy for aiding colour recognition and awareness, too.