Best Wooden Toys for Toddlers & Preschoolers

It’s surprising how many of the most well loved toys in our home are simple, wooden toys. With two girls who love imaginative play, I guess that is a given but most of the toys I have included on this list have been purchased once and played with thousands of times over the course of the last 6+ years. Wooden toys are timeless, durable, generally open ended (hence encouraging creative and imaginative play) and they grow with your child. Here are our top eight choices.

Best Wooden Toys for Toddlers & Preschoolers

Wooden Train Track
Our wooden train track has been the all time, most-played-with wooden toy in our home. Check out these great sets (that can be added to over time) – Melissa & Doug 130 piece set, Orbrium 52 piece set or the larger 100 piece set, or the KidKraft mountain set.

Wooden Dollhouse
I bought our dollhouse when Immy was almost two and six years later it is still played with everyday. There are some of my current favourites – Plan Toys Terrace Dollhouse, Plan My First Dollhouse, Hape All Seasons Dollhouse.

Dollhouse Alternatives
A wooden castle can also invite hours of imaginative play – love this one from Constructive Playthings. Or living in a Magic Cabin Treehouse would be fun! The Melissa & Doug Fold and Go Wooden Farm is a great toy choice for animal lovers.

Tree Blocks
Our wooden tree blocks would be the next most popular wooden toy in our home. They are used regularly to create small worlds with all manner of figurines – dinosaurs, fairies, and animals of all kinds.

For more great construction toys, check out this post.

Wooden Puzzles
We are big puzzle fan and wooden puzzles are my absolute favourite for young children. Some of my top picks – Melissa & Doug Clock Puzzle, Hape Alphabet Puzzles – uppercase and lowercase, Wooden Tetris Puzzle and the Melissa & Doug Wooden Pattern Blocks and Boards.

Wooden Easel
Our easel is used everyday too. For drawing with chalk, whiteboard markers and regular media on paper, painting, magnetic letters and more! The Hape Everyday Easel offers lots of opportunities to get creative.

Instruments
We love our collection of instruments, including this drum, shakers and xylophone.

Wooden Kitchen
There is no doubt that a kitchen is an investment, of space and finances, but it is most certainly worth it if you have a pretend play loving preschooler in the house! There are plenty of options available. We decided upon a compact wooden kitchen by Wonderworld.

Add sets of fruits and vegetables, a tea set, party cake, wooden toaster, cake mixer and cash register too!

Parking Garage
A parking garage is a must-have for kids who love vehicle play.

Do you have a favourite wooden toy to add to the list?

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Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.