Electronic toys and gimmicks–whether battery operated or the kind that plugs into the wall–are very popular during the Christmas season. But if you would like to emphasize imaginative and unplugged play and life this year, then Batteries NOT Needed is for you! This multi-blog gift guide will help you figure out what top-notch quality toys and other items to get for your kids that do NOT include batteries or power cords!
Once you have finished browsing the wooden toy suggestions that I have presented below, be sure to “hop” on to the next participating blog to check out what non-electronic gift ideas they have, too. You can find a list of all the participating blogs towards the bottom of this post.
For my Batteries Not Needed post, I am presenting 25 wooden toy gift ideas. Wooden toys are eco-friendly, safer for the kids, and just plain beautiful! Below’s list consists of 25 of our favorites, most of which my own children currently own or have owned in the past.
Before I dive into my recommendations, here are a few of my favorite brands who sell high-quality, beautifully crafted wooden toys (in case you’d like to find more wooden toys):
Match & Roll Shape Sorter
This brightly colored wooden shape sorter is an exciting update on a classic toy. This solidly constructed shape sorter helps babies and toddlers learn color and shape recognition, sorting skills, problem solving, and manual dexterity.
Price: $19.95
Buy It: Amazon.com
Wooden Take-along Tool Kit
This wooden tool kit includes 24 pieces pieces for constructive fun. This toy develops hand-eye coordination and building skills.
Price: $12.99
Buy It: Amazon.com
KidKraft Deluxe Let’s Cook Kitchen
Kids love role play, especially when it mimics something that their parents do on a regular basis–such as cooking! With this beautiful, wooden, brightly colored kitchen, your child will have a blast cooking up all kinds of amazing pretend food!
Price: $194.59
Buy It: Amazon.com
Hape All Seasons Furnished Doll House
What little girl (or boy for that matter) doesn’t LOVE playing with dolls in a spiffy doll house? This beautiful, wooden doll house features 6 rooms and enough furniture to fill each one.
Price: $170
Buy It: Amazon.com
Hape Posable Family
No doll house is complete without the dolls, of course! These super cute dolls are constructed from wood and have bendable arms and legs, making them able to sit stand, and “move.” Get one doll to represent each member of the family–including Grandma and Grandpa!
Price: $8.71+
Buy It: Amazon.com
Hape Playscapes Big Red Fire Truck
It’s your little fire fighter to the rescue with this quality-constructed wooden fire truck. This well-crafted fire truck includes a hose that rolls up, a ladder that rises and swivels, and a little fireman with bendable arms and legs.
Price: $29.00
Buy It: Amazon.com
Glockenspiel Xylophone
Instill an early love for music with this wood and metal xylophone set. Featuring 8 colorful, metal keys and 2 wooden mallets, this toy enhances hand-eye coordination while tuning your child’s ear to music. Comes with a little music book!
Price: $29.99
Buy It: Amazon.com
Tegu Magnetic Wooden Blocks
This 42-piece set of magnetic wooden blocks will provide hours of creative fun as your child defies gravity and enjoy building many masterpieces. Comes with a booklet with instructions for a variety of building ideas.
Price: $85.95
Buy It: Amazon.com
Trix Track Sets
This wooden take on a marble run toy puts creativity and problem solving to fun use. Watch as the ball defies gravity as it makes its way along the track. Mix and match with other Trix Track sets to make a bigger, fancier track.
Price: $8.99+
Buy It: Amazon.com
Anamalz
Made from organic maple and natural fibers, these animal toys have flexible body parts so they can be posed for whatever imaginary scenario is at hand. Each animal is sized for small hands, but are also fun for older kiddos. Comes in a variety of animals from the jungle to the farm or even dinosaur times.
Price: $9.00+
Buy It: Amazon.com
Lincoln Logs
Build rustic log cabins, barns, and buildings with this time-tested classic toy. This 100th anniversay set includes 111, all wood, made-in-the-USA pieces and a handy collectible tin for easy storage.
Price: $44.90
Buy It: Amazon.com
Happy Hour Clock
Help your little one learn colors, numbers, and how to tell time with this colorful, wooden, puzzle clock. This 14-piece set is made from sustainable wood and painted with non-toxic paint.
Price: $14.95
Buy It: Amazon.com
Professor Poplar’s Puzzle Bundle
Your wee one will get a head start on learning his letters, numbers, colors, animals, and vehicles with this wooden puzzle set. The set features colorful shaped pieces and a handy wooden stand for storage.
Price: $34.99
Buy It: Amazon.com
Melissa & Doug Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles
Melissa & Doug’s high-quality, vibrant wooden jigsaw puzzles are perfect for children who have surpassed peg puzzles and want a more fun, challenging quest. These puzzles have a board that they rest on for flat, convenient storage. The sturdy wood pieces are resistant to damage. They come with lots of different scenes and themes so you’ll find one with a subject your child loves.
Price: $9.00+
Buy It: Amazon.com
Fiddlestix Classic Wood Connector Set
This timeless toy has inspired children’s creativity and building skills for generations. Featuring 144 hard wood rods and connectors, your child will have a blast building all kinds of mobile and stationary contraptions.
Price: $24.99
Buy It: Amazon.com
Melissa & Doug Shape, Model, and Mold
This kit includes 5 easy-grip wooden stamping cubes and 3 rolling pins with unique patterns so that your kiddo can transform modeling clay (play dough) into amazing sculptures. Though this set does come with 4 little tubs of modeling clay, I’d recommend buying some more (such as this set) so the fun can go on!
Price: $14.69
Buy It: Amazon.com
Orbrium Wooden Train Set
No kid’s toy collection is complete without a wooden train set (or a few)! This beautifully crafted wooden train set by Orbrium will provide much entertainment for both kids and adults. Mix and match the pieces from various other wooden train sets (including those of other brands), Google some plans, and make a twisting, turning, rising, sliding masterpiece.
Price: $29.99
Buy It: Amazon.com
Plan Toys Balancing Cactus Game
This fun game is great for 1 to 4 players ages 3 to 8 years. Stack the “prickly” pieces, being careful to balance them well. If the cactus falls apart, you lose! Great hand-eye coordination practice.
Price: $24.99
Buy It: Amazon.com
Janod Let’s Go Fishing Game
This take on the classic fishing game features 2 fishing rods, 1 shark, and 10 fish. Use the swinging magnetic fishing rods to “catch” the solid wood fish pieces. Be careful not to bump into each other or grab the shark! The person to catch the most fish wins!
Price: $19.95
Buy It: Amazon.com
Mini Golf Set
Your younger kids will enjoy a simple but fun-filled game of miniature golf from the warmth of their home with this mini golf set. Features 2 kid-sized clubs, 2 balls, 3 tracks, 1 hole, and a storage bag.
Price: $25.65
Buy It: Amazon.com
Wooden Wonders Gizmo the Hedgehog Gear Puzzle
Your child will learn all about the movement of gears while developing logical reasoning and fine motor skills–all with Gizmo the Hedgehog’s help! This set includes 11 colorful interchangeable gears that you can arrange however you like.
Price: $17.99
Buy It: Amazon.com
KidKraft Derby Rocking Horse
Whether your child is a brave knight in shining armor or a hard-working cowboy herding his cattle, he must always have his trusty horse with him! This solid wood, high-quality rocking horse will fare well as your knight’s or cowboy’s sidekick. Available in natural and white.
Price: $67.99
Buy It: Amazon.com
Haba Domino Race
Put the domino effect into fun use with Haba’s wooden domino sets. This 240-piece set includes 190 colorful dominos, 12 domino critters, and 19 accessories including a bell and bridges.
Price: $71.24
Buy It: Amazon.com
100 Piece Wooden Block Set
From castles and mansions to houses and garages, let your child’s building imagination go with these simple, classic wooden blocks. Stack them up and knock them down! Develops fine motor skills and spacial relationships while teaching colors, shapes, sorting, and more.
Price: $39.99
Buy It: Amazon.com
Let’s Play House! Vacuum Up Playset
Who left these shapes all over the floor? Time to vacuum them up! Six painted wooden pieces (pretzel, peanut, bandage, coin, cereal Os, and a lost diamond ring) are a much cuter version of the everyday messes that parents know all too well. Pass this clever “vacuum” overtop, and they are swept right into a compartment inside! Ready to play again? Open up the back panel, pull out the pieces, and make another fun-filled “mess”!
Price: $26.22
Buy It: Amazon.com
Hop On
Now that you’ve seen my non-electronic toy gift ideas, be sure to “hop” on to the next participating blog to see their their Batteries NOT Needed gift ideas as well!
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My son loves his wooden train set. His is a mixture of Brio, bigjigs and UK store brands which all handily fit together. He’s 5 now but has been playing with it since he was 2.
I seriously love that doll house!! Great gift ideas! Love watching engaged children with an open ended toy!
These are wonderful ideas! I love the look and feel of wooden toys..even the smell is usually awesome! I hadn’t seen that cactus game from Plan Toys…will have to get one!