Constructive Playthings 28 pc. Wooden Hospital Play Set Including 8 Posable Wooden Figures and Furniture for Ages 3 Years and Up
Page Not Found Oops...you hit the 404 page. 404 Page Not Found The page you are looking for doesn't appear to exist. Please check the address or contact us (/contact) to report an error. Company Support Follow Us Balance beams are simple, low structures for enhancing children’s balance, coordination, and motor skills—all while having fun. In Montessori-inspired settings, these beams provide a playful challenge to develop focus and equilibrium. Made from safe, sturdy materials, they are designed to support independent exploration and physical growth. Below are some of the best balance beams that can fit into any Montessori playroom, offering different configurations and encouraging creative, imaginative play. Right now, the best Montessori balance beam is the Wiwiurka Montessori Balance Beam . It features a modular setup , eco-friendly materials , and is perfect for both small spaces and larger play areas . Table of Contents 8 beams, 8 double connectors, and 2 single connectors The Wiwiurka Montessori Balance Beam is handcrafted from FSC-certified birch plywood with a non-toxic sealant. It supports up to 100 lbs and includes 4 beams and 5 connectors for versatile play setups, like straight or zigzag shapes. Each beam is 28 inches long, making it ideal for young children aged 18 months to 6 years. The beam is eco-friendly and designed to encourage imaginative play, though its pricing is higher due to its handcrafted quality and sustainable materials. Pros: Cons: Verdict: Versatile and eco-friendly, ideal for imaginative play. Though pricier, its quality and modular design make it a durable long-term choice. Pricing: $160 The Acrobat by Piccalio is crafted from sustainably sourced FSC birch plywood and New Zealand pine, with a non-toxic, lead- and phthalate-free finish. It supports up to 45 kg (100 lbs) and includes 4 beams and 5 connectors, allowing various shapes like straight or zigzag configurations. Each beam is 28 inches long and 3.5 inches wide, with a total length of 9 feet 4 inches when connected. Suitable for children aged 18 months to 8 years, it is GREENGUARD Gold Certified for low emissions. Pros: Cons: Verdict: Perfect for young children learning balance. Low height and non-toxic materials make it ideal for beginners, but older kids may find it less challenging. Pricing : $130 Made from natural wood with non-toxic, water-based finishes, the HappyMoon set includes six beams with wooden connectors and supports up to 100 lbs (45 kg). Each beam is 24 inches long and can be arranged in various shapes, including straight lines, zigzags, and hexagons. Suitable for ages 1 to 6, the dual-sided design provides both smooth and textured paths for extra balance challenges. Pros: Cons: Verdict: Ideal for fostering creativity and motor skills in young children. Modular design offers versatile setup options but needs sufficient space. Pricing : $150 The GROWGO Balance Beam Set is crafted from birch wood and features Lego-type connectors for versatile configurations. With a weight limit of 30 kg (68 lbs), the set includes 6 beams and 8 connectors, offering various setup options such as straight and zigzag paths. Suitable for children aged 2 to 6 years, it encourages the development of balance, coordination, and motor skills. Pros: Cons: Verdict: This durable and versatile set is perfect for young children, with multiple configuration options making it ideal for enhancing motor skills in a fun way. Pricing : $155.95 This hard maple balance beam helps preschoolers improve balance and coordination. It features a durable lacquer finish, mounted on hardwood bases, and sits 6 inches off the ground. The beam offers two setup options: a wider plank (2 ¾” width) and a narrower beam (1-3/8″ width) to suit different skill levels. Ideal for both classrooms and home environments, it supports gross motor skills development in a fun and engaging way. Pros: Cons: Verdict: Versatile for both indoor and outdoor use, this beam helps boost children’s balance skills with its sturdy hardwood build and dual setup, making it safe and engaging. Pricing : $129.99 The Bunny Hopkins Balance Beam is made from eco-friendly American Maple wood with child-safe, zero-VOC stains. It includes 5 beams and 6 connectors, supporting up to 250 lbs. Each beam is 28 inches long, and connectors are 8 x 5 inches. The set allows flexible configurations like zigzags and squares, promoting creativity and motor skills. Handcrafted in Atlanta, it’s ideal for open-ended indoor play for children aged 18 months and up. Pros: Cons: Verdict: A well-crafted and versatile set, ideal for promoting creativity and motor skills. Flexible configurations make it a valuable addition to indoor play areas. Pricing: $249 The Sprout Kids Wooden Balance Beam is made from sustainable Baltic birch plywood with non-toxic finishes. It supports up to 150 lbs and comes in sets of 3 or 5 beams, each 31.5 inches long. The modular design allows various configurations like straight lines or shapes, encouraging creativity and balance practice. Non-slip grips provide stability, making it ideal for indoor play for children aged 3 and up. Pros: Cons: Verdict: An excellent balance beam set for encouraging creative play and gross motor skills, with stable, non-slip bases for added safety. Pricing: $149 – $270 The Wood & Hearts Balance Beam is made from high-quality birch plywood and solid beech wood with a smooth surface. It supports up to 60 kg and comes in sets of 3 or 6 beams, each 23.46 inches long. Available in two shapes—zigzag or straight—it encourages imaginative play and motor skills. Suitable for ages 1 to 6, the set is easy to stack for storage. Pros: Cons: Verdict: A solid and versatile balance beam set that fosters creativity and motor skills in young children, with easy storage options adding convenience. Pricing: $135 (Straight) – $170 (Zigzag) The Lily & River Little Gymnast Balance Beam is made from FSC-certified birch hardwood with a zero-VOC, non-toxic finish. It supports up to 90 lbs and measures 58 inches long. Featuring a classic straight design with three support legs and anti-slip pads, it’s suitable for children aged 18 months to 8 years. Lightweight for indoor or daytime outdoor use, it’s easy to store. Pros: Cons: Verdict: A simple yet durable balance beam ideal for young children, with a lightweight design that makes it easy to move and store. Pricing: $140-$160 The Possum Play Planks set is a modular balance beam crafted from sustainably sourced birch plywood, designed for creative and motor skill development. Each set includes 18 pieces and encourages versatile play through multiple configurations. Anti-slip, anti-scratch bases add safety and protect floors, while the free canvas storage and travel bag allows easy transport. Possum Play also offers a modular play couch , enhancing creative play opportunities. Pros: Cons: Verdict: Offers 18 pieces with long, short, wavy, and straight beams—ideal for versatile, imaginative play. A great choice for safety and creative setups. Pricing: £175 (approx. $230) Balance beams offer an engaging way for children to develop motor skills while fostering creativity and imaginative play. From simple wooden beams to modular setups, there’s a beam to fit any play space. Adding play couches, climbing toys , or stepping stones enriches the experience, supporting different aspects of motor development and creating a holistic Montessori-inspired environment that nurtures both physical and cognitive growth. Our rankings are cleverly generated from the algorithmic analysis of thousands of customer reviews about products, brands, merchant’s customer service levels, popularity trends, and more. The rankings reflect our opinion and should be a good starting point for shopping. By purchasing the products we rank, you’ll get the lowest price we found while we may receive a commission at no cost to you, which will help us continue to provide you with value. Our AI-powered platform ranks products using multiple weighted factors from millions of products and user reviews across the web, providing the most valuable and real data. Higher scores rank first. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and relies on credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, highly respected health organizations and experts in various fields. All content is fact-checked by professional journalists prior to publishing. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're reading. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies (/medical-review/) . What to Expect selects products based on real-life testing conducted by staff, contributors and members our user community, as well as independent research and expert feedback ; learn more about our review process . Prices and details are accurate as of the published date. We may earn commissions from shopping links. According to What to Expect staff and community parent testers, the best wooden toys for toddlers are stimulating, safe and developmentally appropriate for children ages 1 year and up. The specifics depend on your budget and your little one’s unique interests. Maybe it’s the nostalgia talking, but there’s something special about wooden toys for toddlers — they’re timeless, sturdy and absolutely charming. When my kids were younger, they played with their wooden toys far longer than their plastic ones. I’d wager the tactile experience was more enjoyable than flashy lights or sounds. Beyond capturing a toddler’s attention for more than 3.5 seconds, high-quality wooden toys — particularly those made from solid wood rather than medium-density fibreboard (MDF), an engineered product — are more durable, holding up better over time. They may also be calming, too. A 2017 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health revealed that simply touching wood can be relaxing, much like a walk in the woods or looking at scenes in nature has been proven to soothe nerves. (And really, is there any toddler — or toddler parent, for that matter — who wouldn’t benefit from a little more calm?) Needless to say, if the best wooden toys are missing from your young tot’s collection, feel free to shop from my list of favorites below. I made sure all of my picks offered hands-on learning opportunities with age-appropriate features, so you can feel good about letting your child play with them as much as they want. How I Chose the Best Wooden Toys When building this list of the best wooden toys for kids, I reviewed more than 50 different wooden toys and ensured each product offered something meaningful — whether in terms of durability, developmental support or just plain fun. I. Leaning on my experience as a mom of two boys, I narrowed this list down to items that meet the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) safety recommendations , are multi-functional and come highly recommended by child development experts and fellow parents in the WTE community. I focused on wooden playthings that encourage open-ended play, as both experts I spoke with — pediatrician and author Dr. Dana Suskind and Bright Horizons Senior Manager of Family Claire Goss — emphasized how simple, versatile toys foster creativity, sensory development and motor skill development in toddlers. Each toy on this list shares some key qualities. I looked for solid wood construction over MDF, as well-made wooden toys tend to last longer, maintain safety through many play sessions and are generally more eco-friendly. Functionality was another priority, so I favored items that will grow with your little ones, like stacking toys that support fine motor skills and early math concepts or puzzles that can double as imaginative play items. Because wooden toys can be pricey, I tried to keep most options under $75, only offering options that are worth every penny. Maria Masters originally contributed to this article. What to Expect is the world’s most trusted pregnancy and parenting brand for a reason. Our product recommendations are based on expert parent insight, advice from medical professionals and feedback from the millions of parents and parents-to-be in our community. Our editors adhere to the highest research and reporting standards and our team of vetted OB/GYNs, pediatricians and other health professionals ensure our recommended products are safe and effective for you and your baby. Age range: 1+ years Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.1 x 4.7 inches Weight: 2.6 pounds Blocks are a great STEM toy for toddlers who are just starting to understand the concept of stacking objects (rather than just knocking them down). Goss recommends this popular set and emphasizes the plethora of learning opportunities wooden blocks like these provide. “They build fine motor skills, support creativity and problem-solving, and boost visual discrimination, patterning, and early math skills,” she explains. The set contains 50 wooden blocks in various shapes (like arches, triangles and half ovals), allowing your little one to make towers, houses, bridges, mazes, and more. The set comes with a canvas bag for easy storage and cleanup. Another selling point: What to Expect (WTE) parents consistently recommend Hape, especially Montessori moms who rave about their quality. “Love them,” says one happy parent. It’s also a bit more affordable than other wooden block starter sets on the market made from solid wood, though staff members also swear by the Lovevery Block Set (with an original asking price of $90, it’s on the splurge-y side). Hape makes some great toys, like stacking toys, blocks, [and] percussion. Age range: 20+ months Dimensions: 3.25 x 3.25 x 1.77 inches Weight: 0.6 pounds This Lovevery Montessori Rainbow Baby Toy is a beautiful wooden object to engage toddlers’ senses and spark their imagination. Each piece is crafted from solid wood and finished in non-toxic colors. Toddlers can explore stacking, nesting or lining up the pieces to develop fine motor skills, spatial awareness and utilizing their creative imaginations. This toy’s open-ended nature means there are endless ways to play — in our house, the pieces served as pretend stand-ins, like phones and shovels. It was well-loved until they were both in elementary school. Price a bit too steep? I hear you — check out this similar alternative by Magnolia (also at Target!). “ We love the rainbow stacker” “I also got the Chloe’s car and rainbow stacker from Lovevery at Target and she loves both!! Couldn’t say enough good things!!” Age range: 1+ year Dimensions: 4.69 x 3.35 x 3.82 inches (excluding string) Weight: 0.44 pounds For a fun twist on a timeless wooden toy, you really can’t go wrong with these wooden pull-along ducks from Tender Leaf Toys. This isn’t the exact toy, my youngest played with endlessly as a toddler, but it’s similar enough that I can vouch for the design as a whole and its ability to keep your little one entertained. What sets this pull-along toy apart is that the ducks (two babies and one mother) and three blue eggs are removable and can be enjoyed separately on their own. Made from smooth, durable wood with bright, non-toxic paint, it’s safe for everyday play indoors. Another star by Hape, Goss recommends this high-quality wooden puzzle for toddlers because of the simple design and self-correcting nature of the matching colors on the board to the shapes themselves. “We love educational puzzles [like these] for so many reasons,” she says. “They build visual discrimination and fine motor skills; they help children recognize patterns. And, they boost attention and focus.” You can rest assured that this is free of non-toxic materials — it’s all crafted using sustainably sourced wood. Plus, the chunky design of the shapes are easy for young toddlers still working on their dexterity to grasp. Age range: 1+ year Dimensions: 7.09 x 5.9 x 1.58 inches Weight: 0.63 pounds Perfect for your budding gearhead, this colorful assortment includes six chunky wooden cars that are easy for tiny hands to hold and push, further encouraging motor skill development. They’re also great for social play when shared with friends or siblings. Thanks to the sturdy wood base and smooth edges, these cars are as safe as they are fun. Each vehicle’s unique color and shape also make it visually interesting, so your tot is more likely to stay engaged with this set than with other wooden cars that aren’t as decorated. “ We just have wooden cars over here…. Kind of like these” Age range: 3+ years Dimensions: 11.8 x 10.85 x 1.95 inches Weight: 7.76 ounces This 17-piece wooden fruit set from Melissa & Doug lets toddlers “slice” through the fruits with an included toy knife — the sound of the Velcro coming apart is particularly fun for tots. With enough practice (and a few more years!), your little sous chef will soon be chopping up real food of their own. Your toddler will also learn to identify different produce items (like bananas, kiwis, strawberries, pears and more) while prepping and creating their own pretend dishes. The wooden crate serves as a cutting board, produce display area and storage. Just note the age range and remember not to purchase this for a younger child for their safety. Psst : Melissa & Doug offers other food groups to expand upon your little one’s current grocery haul, i ncluding a $28 crate that comes with bread, watermelon, carrot and other produce . "I also got [my daughter] a Melissa and Doug fruit cutting set. When I'm cooking food I will set her up in the learning tower next to me and give her her wooden knife and wooden fruit to cut up. She has gotten really good at it! Make it fun and they'll be into it I think. “ We have the Melissa and Doug wooden Velcro fruit set. Can’t speak to the magnetic options out there but we love the Velcro. It makes a nice noise as you slice through and I believe would be a bigger challenge to reassemble the pieces. It’s like a little bonus activity matching up all the foods and putting them back together.” “Never tried the magnetic ones but my son has the Melissa and Doug Velcro fruit cutting set with the wooden knife. He loves it! Like the comment above, I think the crunchy noise gives it an extra feature that really makes it more fun.” Age range: 1 to 3 years Dimensions: 40.94 x 21.65 x 20.87 inches Weight: 11.02 pounds It’s no secret that toddlers love to climb and explore. This sturdy, all-wood arch is designed for climbing, balancing and imaginative play, allowing exploration and movement safely. There are larger (more expensive) wooden climbing gyms with slides, ramps and Pikler triangles available, but if you’re looking for a quality starter piece, this one comes highly rated. Whether they’re using it as a mini bridge, tunnel or simply climbing up and over, it keeps active tots entertained. With smooth, natural wood and a durable design, this is a versatile piece that can be a playroom staple for years to come. “ I have the Goodevas one and it gets used a lot, especially on rainy days. It's very sturdy.” “I got mine from Goodevas and am happy with it. You can buy directly through their website, Etsy or Amazon.” Age range: 1+ year Dimensions: 12.25 x 7.25 x 10.5 inches Weight: 1 pound What’s better than introducing your budding Beethoven to a musical instrument? Five musical instruments, of course. Lili — part llama, part musical band — features a maraca “tail,” a xylophone “back,” a washboard “head,” two clacking “saddle blankets” and two mallets. Thanks to its bright pops of color and sleek wooden structure, this is one toy that you won’t want to ask your toddler to put away. (Until the headache kicks in, of course.) The wood finish is non-toxic to ensure that when your little one inevitably tries to chew on Lili’s tail, no harm is done. We also have this musical llama. My girl is OBSESSED. Mine is obsessed with the musical llama by Manhattan toys. Age range: 1 to 2 years Dimensions: 17.15 x 12.8 x 6.