Wooden toys are classic for a reason: they're made to last and built to inspire a child’s imagination. At Melissa & Doug, wood is in our roots! Our first hit product was the Fuzzy Farm wooden puzzle. We use wood whenever we can because it’s both natural and renewable. In fact, Melissa & Doug is the #1 preschool brand for wooden toys. And we’re working with One Tree Planted to help us reach our goal of planting 10 million trees by 2030. (Read more about our commitment to sustainability here.)
The 10 Best Wooden Toys for Kids (and Why They're Great)
We believe in the power of well-crafted, durable, safe, imagination-inspiring toys. Check out some of our favorite wooden toys, from blocks and puzzles to kid-sized kitchens and play centers to arts and crafts kits and everything in between.
Wooden Cafe Barista Coffee Shop
Age: 3+
Why it's a great wooden toy gift for kids: This 35-piece play food set offers kids 3 to 7 countless ways to perk up playtime with this full-service wooden coffee shop.
Fun feature: Use the coffee maker with a flip filter and “steamer” and the drink dispenser with frother to prepare pretend espressos, whipped cream-topped lattes, tea, and cold drinks.
Skills: Social-emotional, language
How to wow: Add the Slice & Bake Cookie Play Set for more tantalizing treats!
Fresh Mart Grocery Store
Age: 3+
Why it's a great wooden toy gift for kids: Kids will love going to the grocery store with this sturdy, wooden, over-sized, free-standing play space where they can take turns being the grocer or the shopper.
Fun features: Pretend play reaches a whole new level with these realistic features: a beeping "scanner," a hand-crank conveyor belt, a card-swiping machine, a keypad/calculator, and a cash drawer.
Skills: Social-emotional, language development
How to wow: Make the market complete with the 70-piece companion collection (including an apron, conveyor belt divider bar, and play money), this grocery basket with play food, and a shopping cart!
Safari Chunky Puzzle
Age: 2+
Why it's a great wooden toy gift for kids: If we're thinking of things that kids love, animals and puzzles generally top the list—so this chunky puzzle with wild animal pieces is sure to be a favorite.
Fun feature: The eight easy-grasp animal pieces also stand upright for when they want to leave the safari for other pretend play locales.
Skills: Problem solving, fine motor
How to wow: Combine it with some other chunky puzzles to a) make a mega puzzle party and b) mix and match the standing-upright pieces for some imaginative pretend play (personally, we're loving the idea of dinosaurs and Disney characters like Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy hanging out with the safari animals).
Standard Unit Blocks
Age: 3+
Why it's a great wooden toy gift for kids: Wooden blocks are standard for a reason—they're classic toys that inspire kids to build towers, castles, and anything else they want.
Fun feature: This set of 60, natural finished, smooth-sanded hardwood blocks is packaged in a wooden crate for easy storage.
Skills: Gross motor, fine motor, and early math concepts (shapes and sorting)
How to wow: Have a different kind of block party when you gift these with this colorful, 100-piece set—kids will have a blast mixing them together to create natural and primary-colored structures.
Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart
Age: 12M+
Why it’s a great wooden toy gift for kids: This rolling cart is filled with exciting skill-building activities. With puzzle pieces to sort, a roller drum to spin, and plenty of fun accessories, kids can engage in imaginative play while practicing important skills.
Fun feature: Realistic coffee cup with removable lid
Skills: Fine and gross motor, problem-solving, sorting and sequencing, shape and color recognition
How to wow: Place a favorite stuffed animal friend or the Pineapple Stacker Toy in the cart for company.
Chef’s Kitchen - Cloud
Age: 3+
Why it’s a great gift for 3-year-olds: With stovetop dials that turn, a revolving plate in the pretend microwave, and a moving faucet and handle on the sink, this modern play kitchen is ideal for a multi-kid playdate. The sturdy wooden construction can handle all of the pretend meal-making that will go on in this model kitchen, and assembly is easy and straightforward!
Fun feature: The kitchen’s innovative ice maker dispenses two pretend ice cubes, which are included with the set.
Skills: Fine motor, social-emotional
How to wow: Take pretend meal prep to the next level with the Slice & Toss Salad Set!
Stacking Train
Age: 2+
Why it’s a great wooden toy gift for kids: Load up the train with bright, colorful shapes and get learning off to a rolling start! The 15 easy-to-grasp wooden blocks slot onto rods on the flatcars, providing a great opportunity to practice fine motor skills. For even more play value: The blocks can also be used for stacking, building, and sorting.
Fun feature: The smooth-rolling train cars detach to shorten the train or let children play with the cars individually.
Skills: Fine motor, color & shape recognition
How to wow: Go big with a jumbo version that also doubles as great decor for a nursery or playroom.
Top & Bake Pizza Counter
Age: 3+
Why it’s a great wooden toy gift for kids: Kids can serve up the best slice in town with this all-in-one pizza-making set! Start with felt sauce and cheese on the wooden crust, choose from wooden toppings (pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, and peppers), then "bake" in the pizza oven built into the storage and serving counter.
Fun feature: There’s a reusable menu card for taking orders, play money, and a delivery box to make the ordering experience even more realistic!
Skills: Counting, sorting, social-emotional development
How to wow: Add the Slice & Toss Salad Set to create a well-balanced meal.
Wooden Fold & Go Barn
Age: 3+
Why it's a great wooden toy gift for kids: Young MacDonalds will enjoy “down on the farm” fun with this fully assembled, wooden barn. The two-story bright red barn is stocked with seven realistic plastic farm animals, a wooden ladder and a folding corral.
Fun feature: Chunky handles lets kids take their bit of "country" wherever they go!
Skills: Language development, creative thinking
How to wow: Pair it with the Take Along Show Horse Stable.
Vroom & Zoom Interactive Dashboard
Age: 3+
Why it's a great wooden toy gift for kids: Kids will love taking the wheel with this interactive, sturdy wooden dashboard that has a horn, signal, hazard, gas tank countdown timer, gas cap, and GPS.
Fun feature: It's equipped with a phone and radio that plays clips of music from four stations!
Skills: Hand-eye coordination, creative thinking
How to wow: Bundle this with any of these car-themed gifts for the little car aficionado in your life!
These are just 10 of our top wooden toys. Check out more of our favorites here!
Looking for more of the best gift ideas for kids of all ages?
10 Best Toys for Babies and 1-Year-Olds
Best Holiday Toys & Gifts for Kids Who Love . . .
Happy Holidays!
