The 14 Best Montessori Wooden Toys For Different Ages

Overview

Through touch, wooden toys can help develop neurological connections in your child’s brain, helping promote physiological relaxation and improving memory. (1)

Montessori wooden toys also introduce them to the natural world and help them learn about texture, scent, weight, etc. These can also stimulate their imagination.

Although simpler than flashy plastic toys, wood can be safer and less likely to have toxic or harmful substances added during the manufacturing process.

But be sure to check for possible lead contamination from paint. You can always go for toys sealed with natural beeswax or similar non-toxic finishing materials.

We’ve prepared this list of the 16 best Montessori wooden toys that also make great birthday gifts for your little one.

What Are Montessori Toys?

Montessori toys follow the teaching principles and criteria set by Italian pediatrician and educator Maria Montessori: (2)

Made of wood and other natural materials
Patterned after the real world
Simple but beautiful and long-lasting
Plain but practical
Open-ended

Why Is Everything Montessori Wooden?

The following are different reasons for why most Montessori toys and activities are made of wood:

Allows a deeper sensory exploration or tactile stimulation; for example, the wood toy might start as cold when left in the room but warms up the more they play with it
Shows the beauty of natural materials
More durable for repetitive learning (can last for years)
May be more visually pleasing (texture, scent, etc.) than plastic or silicone toys
Different experiences and lessons

What Wood Is Used For Montessori?

There isn’t a specific type of wood required for Montessori toys.

Many manufacturers use maple, rubberwood, pine, cedarwood, and birchwood because they’re hard, heavy, and fine-grained. They don’t splinter easily.

What Montessori Toys Are Good?

Some of the best-seller Montessori learning toys promote:

Hand-eye coordination
Problem-solving
Fine motor skills

Brands like LOVEVERY and and KiwiCo offer subscription play kits.

The 14 Best Montessori Wooden Toys By Age

Montessori Wooden Baby Toys (0-12 months)

1. Homi Baby Rattle (baby toys)

Pros & Best Features: 100% organic wood rattles

Product Safety: 100% non-toxic, water-based dyes; free from lead and VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

Materials: Maple and birch hardwoods

Age Range: Not indicated, but rattles are designed for babies

Educational Value: Grasping and fine motor skills

Extra Features: Comes with wooden rings

Certification: Not indicated

Made In: Utah, USA

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints that the wood easily cracks

Customer Reviews:

“This rattle is well made and I love the quality of the wood.” – reviewer on Amazon

“The balls on the ends don’t last. Mine cracked after 3 months of light use.” – reviewer on Amazon

2. Montessori & Me Object Permanence Box (8-12 months)

Pros & Best Features: Eco-friendly object permanence box

Product Safety: 100% non-toxic, smooth-finished material

Materials: Natural hardwood

Age Range: 8-12 months

Educational Value: Fine motor skills, focus, science concepts (object permanence), concentration, and hand-eye coordination

Extra Features: Meets non-choking standards

Certification: ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials) and CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) – according to Amazon

Made In: Vietnam

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey

Customer Reviews:

“More then expected as far as quality goes.” – reviewer on Amazon

“I got a splinter. I’m just glad it was me and not my 1 year old!” – reviewer on Amazon

Montessori Wooden Toddler Toys (12+ months)

3. Le Toy Van Building Blocks & Bag, 60 Pieces (toddlers & older)

Pros & Best Features: 60-piece block set in different colors and shapes

Product Safety: Plastic-free from toy design to packaging; non-toxic paints

Materials: 100% sustainable rubberwood

Age Range: 12+ months old

Educational Value: Early engineering and architecture, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination

Extra Features: Includes cloth bag

Certification: Meets the highest EU/US standards

Made In: Indonesia (according to Amazon)

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints about the blocks being too small for the set’s price

Customer Reviews:

“Beautiful colours and such lovely quality feel to them which I feel is important for children.” – reviewer on Amazon

“…extremely overpriced for what it is. Very very small packaging and blocks, just about size of a big mug!” – reviewer on Amazon

4. HABA Clever Up! Building Block System 3.0 (1+ years old)

Pros & Best Features: Unique building block set

Product Safety: Non-toxic

Materials: Wood

Age Range: 1+ years old

Educational Value: Creative thinking, early engineering, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills

Extra Features: Includes strips and panels (aside from cubes and rectangular blocks)

Certification: PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)

Made In: Germany

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey

Customer Reviews:

“No splinters or unclean woodcuts.” – reviewer on Target

“A little pricey, and my just-turned 4-year old is still figuring out the potential of all of the pieces…” – reviewer on HABA USA

5. Tegu 42-Piece Set Magnetic Wooden Blocks (1+ years old)

Pros & Best Features: Large, magnetic block set with different colors

Product Safety: Safe, non-toxic, and water-based lacquers

Materials: Sustainably-sourced hardwoods

Age Range: 1+ years old

Educational Value: Hand-eye coordination, early engineering, and fine motor skills

Extra Features: Includes planks, panels, and click-on wheels

Certification: CPSIA, EN71 (European toy standard), and Health Canada

Made In: Honduras

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey

Customer Reviews:

“These are expensive but worth the price.” – reviewer on Amazon

“They have a weak magnetic connection.” – reviewer on Amazon

6. Woodjoy Collection Montessori Wooden Play Kitchen (2+ years old)

Pros & Best Features: Montessori-inspired handmade kitchen

Product Safety: Water-based lacquer

Materials: Beech wood and birch plywood

Age Range: 2+ years old

Educational Value: Pretend play, learning practical skills, imagination, and motor skills

Extra Features: Can also be used as a playroom or nursery furniture and decor

Certification: Not indicated

Made In: Romania

Product Recall: None

Cons: Can be pricey (doesn’t include the playset for pots, pans, and cooking utensils)

Customer Reviews:

“These shelves are perfect and so easy to put together. Love them for our loft playroom!” – reviewer on ETSY

“Did not expect over $100.00 shipping charge.” – reviewer on ETSY

Montessori Wooden Toys For Preschoolers & Kindergarteners

7. Montessori Mama Wooden Puzzles (2-4 years old)

Pros & Best Features: Montessori-inspired jigsaw puzzles

Product Safety: Water-based, non-toxic paint; free from lead and BPA (toxic chemical bisphenol-A)

Materials: Eco-friendly wood

Age Range: 2-4 years old

Educational Value: Spatial awareness, concentration, shape recognition, fine motor skills, memory, and self-confidence

Extra Features: Gift set option available at checkout

Certification: CPSC toy safety standards

Made In: Not indicated

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints that the puzzle is too complicated for the age group

Customer Reviews:

“It was a great learning tool for my grandson.” – reviewer on Amazon

“A choking hazard for there age group and to tiny for a toddler to assemble.” – reviewer on Amazon

8. KiwiCo Wood Peg People (3+ years old)

Pros & Best Features: Unfinished play set of peg people

Product Safety: Passes tests for toy safety standards

Materials: Solid wood

Age Range: 3+ years old

Educational Value: Hand-eye coordination, creativity, and design

Extra Features: Pegs in different shades

Certification: Certified by independent product safety testing labs

Made In: Not indicated

Product Recall: None

Cons: Limited product information

Customer Reviews: None yet

9. Milin Toy Sophia the Cat Threading & Lacing Toy (3+ years old)

Pros & Best Features: Cat-shaped lacing toy

Product Safety: Safe and high-quality materials

Materials: Eco-friendly wood

Age Range: 3+ years old

Educational Value: Imagination, fine motor skills, and creativity

Extra Features: Includes a shoelace

Certification: FSC, EN71, CE (Conformité Européenne), and OEKO-TEX (certified free from 100 harmful substances)

Made In: Poland

Product Recall: None

Cons: Brand randomly picks shoelace color

Customer Reviews:

“Great product, perfect details and design!” – reviewer on ETSY

“Great toy! Is super processed and also looks really cute!” – reviewer on ETSY

10. Lewo Wooden Rainbow Stacking Game Stacker (3+ years old)

Pros & Best Features: Colorful jigsaw puzzle-style stacking toy

Product Safety: Non-toxic and lead-free

Materials: Rubberwood

Age Range: 3+ years old

Educational Value: Open-ended toy for pretend play, creativity, color perception, and early engineering

Extra Features: Unique triangular building blocks

Certification: ASTM and CPSIA (according to Amazon); Chinese safety certification

Made In: China

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints about the scent

Customer Reviews:

“Great toy for the price.” – reviewer on Amazon

“The paint they use has a strange, unappealing smell to it but seems to fade over time.” – reviewer on Amazon

11. Tender Leaf Toys My Little Rock Pool (3+ years old)

Pros & Best Features: Marine-themed learning toy set

Product Safety: Child-safe; free from lead (heavy metal), formaldehyde, BPA, BPS (bisphenol-S), phthalates, and PVC (polyvinyl chloride)

Materials: Eco-friendly, reclaimed rubberwood with water-based paints

Age Range: Preschoolers

Educational Value: Hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, problem-solving skills, and object identification

Extra Features: Includes a drawstring bag

Certification: ASTM, EN71, and AS/NZS ISO (joint toy standards for Australia and New Zealand)

Made In: Indonesia (according to The TOT)

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints about shipping damage

Customer Reviews:

“High quality crafted toys for years of play to come. Don’t hesitate!” – Reviewer on Why and Whale

“The tree falls over easily so it works best if you secure it to something so the child can stack all the animals on it.” – Reviewer on Why and Whale

12. HABA 3D Rainbow Cube Arranging Game (3-8 years old)

Pros & Best Features: Block set and stacking toy

Product Safety: Water-based, solvent-free stains

Materials: Sustainable wood

Age Range: 3-8 years old

Educational Value: Spatial awareness, early engineering, and creativity

Extra Features: Multi-sized rainbow blocks

Certification: PEFC

Made In: Germany

Product Recall: None

Cons: Some complaints about the toy being too small for its price

Customer Reviews:

“This is a fun toy for all ages.” – reviewer on HABA Toys

“…But these block are teeny tiny. Not worth it at all.” – reviewer on Amazon

Montessori Wooden Toys For Elementary Students & Older Kids

13. KiwiCo Wood Bead Set (5+ years old)

Pros & Best Features: Assorted geometric wood bead set

Product Safety: Doesn’t have paint

Materials: Wood

Age Range: 5+ years old

Educational Value: Creativity, fine motor skills, and design skills

Extra Features: Craft set in different shapes and colors

Certification: Independent product safety testing labs

Made In: Not indicated

Product Recall: None

Cons: Requires yarn or other threading materials

Customer Reviews: None yet

14. Celebrate With Us Montessori Wooden Toy Town Dollhouse (older kids)

Pros & Best Features: Montessori-inspired 3D puzzle-styled dollhouses

Product Safety: Safe and non-toxic materials

Materials: Plywood and oil wax

Age Range: Older kids

Educational Value: Creativity and spatial awareness

Extra Features: Set that includes different house styles

Certification: Not indicated

Made In: Poland

Product Recall: None

Cons: Ships to the US, but fees can be high

Customer Reviews:

“Very sturdy!” – reviewer on ETSY

“This is really well made. We love it!” – reviewer on ETSY

Toy Gift Guides For Young Children

Toy Recalls To Monitor

References

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5551239/

(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6161506/

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