Toys

The 14 Best Montessori Wooden Toys For Different Ages

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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)AMAZON BUTTON

  • 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)

Montessori & me buttonAMAZON BUTTONETSY BUTTON

  • 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)

EBAY BUTTONAMAZON BUTTON

  • 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)

AMAZON BUTTONWALMART BUTTONEBAY BUTTON

  • 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)

WALMART BUTTONEBAY BUTTONAMAZON BUTTON

  • 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)

ETSY BUTTON

  • 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
  • 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

AMAZON BUTTONEBAY BUTTONWALMART BUTTON

  • 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)

KIWICO BUTTON

  • 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)

ETSY BUTTON

 

  • 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)

AMAZON BUTTONEBAY BUTTON

  • 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)

AMAZON BUTTON

  • 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
  • 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)

WALMART BUTTONAMAZON BUTTONEBAY BUTTON

  • 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)

KIWICO BUTTON

  • 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)

ETSY BUTTON

  • 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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