7 Best Wooden Blocks Sets for Kids of 2023
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- As your child uses the building blocks to create structures, they will also use their critical thinking skills.
- Playing with building blocks requires children to use fine motor skills.
- Building with blocks can sharpen many STEM skills.
There is a toy that has stood the test of time. Despite this toy’s simple design and lack of technology, it remains a great choice for kids. We’re talking about wooden blocks.
Wooden blocks have been around for centuries. Though they didn’t take off until around the 1800s, they have remained a nursery staple ever since. They’re often one of the first toys babies receive.
For a toy to remain popular through centuries of play, it must be of great value to children. But what makes wooden blocks great educational toys? Are these traditional blocks worth the investment?
We’ve got the answers to all of your questions about wooden block sets. And we’re ready to help you choose a set that could become an heirloom in your family.
Our list of the best wooden blocks sets will help you find a durable set your child will love.
Top Choice: 42 Piece Tegu Magnetic Wooden Block Set
- The 42-Piece Set offers the best of all Tegu has to offer. It incorporates nine unique shapes, including the wildly addictive magnetic wheels.
- NEW Tegu colorway: Sunset. Fully Compatible with ALL other Tegu Magnetic Wooden Sets.
- Curiously attractive and perfect for those seeking toys supporting open-ended and unscripted play
- Origin: Designed in the USA, purposefully made in Honduras from sustainably sourced hardwoods
Our top pick for the best wooden block set is the 42 Piece Tegu Magnetic Wooden Block Set. Here’s why we love it:
Variety. With this set, kids have a large variety of geometric shapes to choose from. Also, they’ll be able to add wheels to anything they create.
Non-toxic. Using non-toxic paints and varnishes is a must for kids’ blocks. We love how clear Tegu is about the safe products they use on their blocks.
Magnetic. Blocks that almost magically stick together are just too fun to resist. We think parents just might like playing with these too!
Sturdy. Unlike the plastic alternative, these wood blocks are built to last. You won’t have to worry about the block breaking and the magnets falling out.
Best for Castle Building: Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set
- Hours of educational fun: The Melissa & Doug wooden building blocks set includes 100 durable wooden blocks in 4 different colors and 9 shapes; it’s a classic educational toy that provides hours of hands on, screen free play and learning
- Hours of educational fun: The Melissa & Doug wooden building blocks set includes 100 durable wooden blocks in 4 different colors and 9 shapes; it’s a classic educational toy that provides hours of hands on, screen free play and learning. 100 Piece Wood Blocks Set comes in a sturdy cardboard box with a handle. You should be able to store the blocks in the box
- Durable and safe construction: Though our colorful building blocks are made of solid wood, these blocks are light in weight, which makes them safe for kids; the blocks have rounded edges and a smooth painted finish that won’t splinter with play
- Great gift for ages 2 to 8: The Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set makes a great gift for kids ages 2 to 8 years; Add the Melissa & Doug Wooden Latches Board to round out the hands on play experience
Do you have a little one who loves to build castles and towers? The Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set is a large block set that includes the perfect shapes for castle building.
Each block is made with solid wood and painted in bright primary colors. The block set comes with 100 blocks that all have rounded edges. This means your child won’t hurt themselves on any sharp edges as they play.
The many shapes include cylinders, rectangular prisms, triangular prisms, arches, half circles, and more. The blocks are surprisingly lightweight despite being made with solid wood. This makes them an excellent choice for small children.
Some parents complained that the paint chipped over time. This might not be the best option for babies who will chew on the blocks. However, these blocks are still a favorite among parents and children alike.
Number of Pieces: 100
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Best Educational: Oaktown Supply Wooden Blocks
- Learn: Stack up some educational fun! Our ABC baby blocks will help your child build skills in language learning, basic math, hand-eye coordination, and more.
- Colorful: A total of 36 stacking blocks means 216 beautifully designed sides with unique letter, number, picture, and shape icons to learn from.
- Durable: Crafted with high-quality, solid wood, this stackable set of 1.75″ wooden alphabet blocks is built for hours of playtime.
- Safe: Rest easy and play more! Our non-toxic ABC blocks for toddlers are tested for and pass all American testing standards for child safety.
One of the first designs for wooden blocks included Alphabet letters. The idea behind the design was to create something children could play with that would also help them memorize letters. Needless to say, the idea stuck.
The Oaktown Supply Wooden Blocks is a classic set of alphabet blocks that your child can use to memorize their letters. These fun, colorful blocks feature every letter and 10 numbers. In addition, there are also math symbols and colorful illustrations.
Your child can use these blocks for letter recognition, solving simple math problems, counting, vocabulary, spelling, and more. They can also just have fun stacking them up and knocking them down.
The blocks are made with solid wood and are sanded down for a smooth surface. All the paint used on these blocks is non-toxic and chip-free. This means parents won’t have to worry about little ones chewing on the blocks.
Number of Pieces: 36
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Best Natural: Uncle Goose Uppercase Alphablank Blocks
- 14 – 1.75 inch basswood cubes
- Handcrafted from sustainable Michigan basswood
- Ages 2+
- Polish (Publication Language)
If you’re looking for blocks without bright colors or paint, our next pick is for you. The Uncle Goose Uppercase Alphablank Blocks are the traditional wooden blocks of centuries past.
This block set includes 14 blocks featuring every letter of the alphabet on opposite sides. The letters are beautifully carved into the wood. They are honestly just as much a decoration as they are a baby toy.
Each block is handcrafted using Michigan basswood. No sealant is ever used which means you can decorate these blocks yourself if desired. Some parents even used this block set for a painting activity at baby showers.
The chunky square shape makes these perfect for baby hands. They are also too large to be a choking hazard. And since they aren’t painted, your baby can safely taste these blocks without harm.
We also love Uncle Goose because they produce an accessible braille wooden block set too! These are great for kids learning braille or kids who have blind siblings and want to have exposure to more braille in their toys.
Number of Pieces: 14
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Best Magnetic: 42 Piece Tegu Magnetic Wooden Block Set
- The 42-Piece Set offers the best of all Tegu has to offer. It incorporates nine unique shapes, including the wildly addictive magnetic wheels.
- NEW Tegu colorway: Sunset. Fully Compatible with ALL other Tegu Magnetic Wooden Sets.
- Curiously attractive and perfect for those seeking toys supporting open-ended and unscripted play
- Origin: Designed in the USA, purposefully made in Honduras from sustainably sourced hardwoods
Magnetic building blocks are a beloved toy for many children. However, most options only include plastic versions. Our next block set combines popular magnetic features with a sturdy wood design.
The 42 Piece Tegu Magnetic Wooden Block Set includes 42 blocks in 9 different shapes. These shapes include columns, cubes, planks, parallelograms, angles, and wheels. Tegu only uses non-toxic, water-based finishes on all the pieces.
Each block has magnets safely sealed inside. This allows children to think outside the box and create something wonderful. They might dream up something like a house, racecar, or tugboat.
Some parents even used this set for play on the fridge. The magnets are strong enough to attach to any metal surface.
Another reason we love these blocks is that they are sustainably sourced and support a good cause. This set supports the economy in Honduras by creating jobs.
Number of Pieces: 42
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Best Large Sized: Lewo Large Wooden Blocks
- Contain 32 pieces Big wooden building stacking blocks set, 1 carry bag, package with box. Hardwood high quality and Non-toxic material
- Assorted colors: red, yellow, orange, autumn orange red, blue, green and burlywood, different shapes: rectangular prisms, cubes, cylinders, half circles, arches, rectangular planks and triangles
- Sort them, stack them, knock them down! The Building Set comes with a sturdy, practical and reusable storage bag, so you can keep all the LEWO Blocks pieces securely in one place.
- Help develop kids hand-eye coordination, color and shape recognition, counting and sorting, and spatial relationships
A lot of blocks only come in small sizes. Our next pick is perfect for parents looking for a larger-sized block. The Lewo Large Wooden Blocks are a great size for toddlers and babies.
This set comes with 32 pieces including rectangular prisms, cylinders, arches, half circles, cubes, and triangular prisms. This variety will give toddlers plenty of opportunities to play using creativity and critical thinking. When your child is done playing, all pieces store away in the included storage bag.
Each block is made of solid wood. All paint and varnish used are non-toxic and safe for kids. Some parents noted that the varnish made the blocks slippery. However, most kids will adjust quickly and learn how to hold and stack the blocks despite the varnish.
Number of Pieces: 32
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Best Play Set: Wooden Building Blocks Set City Construction Stacker
- ❤️ MOM’S PRIORITY CHOOSE ❤️: Why You’ll Love It? This smart gift answers to a 3 year old boy and girl’s need to practice independence and will keep them busy while you are dealing with other chores.These wooden building stacking blocks set with play mat , Blocks contains numbers and words. Encourage children know about various of city building and transportation in our life
- 🎁 TODDLER FESTIVAL GIFT 🎁: Building blocks set with multiple shaped to inspire children’s shape alphabet numbers cognition, develop imagination, improve motor skills, Packed in a very beautiful and sturdy color box . This toddler toy is compact and sturdy, can be easily stored on shelving or in small room. Suitable for toddler playing at home indoor or outdoor activity, best gift for 3 4 5 year old boy and girl’s birthday , great for parties!
- 🌲 NATURAL WOODEN TOY🌲:This toddler Building blocks toy is made of high quality wood, BPA Free and stained with bright non-toxic water-based paint,sanded smooth, and finished with safe, manufactured to the highest grade. The blocks are easy for your kids to grasp, perfect for your children to stacking various of buildings. such as hospital, hotel, police station, bank, store.
- 💡 DEVELOP COGNITIVE SKILLS 💡：Learning Through Playing This toddler building blocks is a simple and well-built toy, which will encourage the development of your toddler’s hand-eye coordination and attention span. Also, encourages toddlers to cooperate and take turns to build various of buildings, develop communication skills. For the smallest children such as a 3 4 5 years old kids , they learn dexterity and repetition through playing.
If you have a child who loves to play pretend, this next block set is for you. The Wooden Building Blocks Set City Construction Stacker is a play set that includes a world of fun.
These aren’t your average blocks. Each block is a piece of a tiny city waiting to be built. Your child will get to build a library, school, police station, supermarket, and more.
The 115-piece set is visually pleasing and the colors are vibrant. All of the paint used is non-toxic and water-based. So there are no safety issues here.
The set comes complete with wooden cars and a city mat with roads. However, the mat is actually a cardboard puzzle and not a roll-out mat. This could wear down quickly depending on how rough it’s played with.
The blocks are still plenty of fun without the mat. Their sturdy design should hold up well with daily play.
Number of Pieces: 115
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Best Alternative: Bestamtoy 36 PCs Wooden Sorting Stacking Rocks
- NOVEL STACKING TOY: Unlike the traditional building blocks, every block is a polyhedron, each different in size, color and weight, making stacking game more challenging so that kids can complete the building process in a whole new way.
- SKILL DEVELOPING: The stone blocks have many flat cut surfaces so the stones can be stacked and kids can stack different shapes of stones to the highest. Unlike regular building blocks, this wooden stone balancing and stacking game is a better way to stimulate a child’s sense of challenge and develop their hands-on skills, promote creativity, resilience and persistence and to strengthen fine motor skills, visual-spatial skills, color recognition and thus training logical thinking.
- PERFECT FAMILY GAME: When kids enjoy it on their own, it is a great toy to improve their patience and develop independent thinking and logical reasoning skills. When children and parents are engrossed in the game together, it becomes a great interactive game that promotes their bonding. Also, this delightful stacking toy can be used as a unique home décor item to add a touch of romance to the house.
- MATERIAL: Stone balance building blocks are made of high quality wood and coated with eco-friendly paint. It is natural, safe, non-toxic and exquisitely crafted. Hand-polishing process ensures a smooth, burr-free surface for better child play.
Our next pick breaks the mold of traditional wooden blocks. The Bestamtoy 36 PCs Wooden Sorting Stacking Rocks are the best alternative to ordinary blocks.
Has your child ever stacked and unstacked a pile of rocks in the yard? I know all of my kids enjoy that simple activity. These blocks mimic the simple pleasure of rock stacking.
All 36 blocks in this set are shaped like rocks of different shapes and sizes. The sides have some flat edges so they can stack. This provides an extra challenge and balancing game.
Each block is painted with water-based, non-toxic paint. They are also carefully sanded to ensure there aren’t any splinters. The chunky design is perfect for toddlers and older kids alike.
Number of Pieces: 36
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Recommended Accessories
Blocks are a great choice for playrooms as they help develop fine motor skills. Here are some additional toys for fine motor skills that complement blocks:
Why Classic Wooden Blocks Are Still a Great Toy
While many toys have advanced over the years, wooden block sets remain the same. They don’t require batteries or connect to your smartphone. They don’t light up and play music.
Yet despite all of that, they are still known as one of the best toys for a child’s development. So what is so special about these wooden building toys? That’s a great question we asked as well.
How do wooden blocks help a child’s development?
Wooden blocks are simple in design but provide hours of fun for children. These blocks have countless ways they can be played with. This kind of open-ended play allows a child to engage in imaginative play.
As your child uses the building blocks to create structures, they will also use their critical thinking skills. They’ll have to solve problems while thinking about cause and effect. For example, “what will happen when I add another block on the top of this tower?”
Fine motor skills are essential for healthy child development. Fine motor skills include movements using the small muscles in your hands. Playing with building blocks requires children to continually use these muscles.
And finally, blocks encourage outside-of-the-box thinking. If you want to prepare your child for a career in a field that requires creativity, start them with a set of building blocks. This simple toy might be just as important for brain development as musical instruments for kids.
Why have wooden blocks always been so popular?
Wooden blocks gained their popularity in the 1800s when German education pioneer Friedrich Fröbel created blocks in geometric shapes. These were a part of the curriculum he developed for young children. This curriculum became known as “kindergarten”.
The use of these blocks for young children spread like wildfire after this. With so many benefits for children, it’s no wonder they are still popular.
They are also a staple in Montessori classrooms today. These classrooms are often full of wooden toys like blocks, puzzles, or Pikler triangles.
What do kids love about wooden blocks?
Many toys use batteries and have a limited amount of functions. With battery-operated toys, a child’s play is limited by what the toy allows them to do. Wooden toys, like blocks, are limitless in the options for play.
A child can take a set of blocks and build a tower, castle, or whatever the child’s imagination creates. Each time kids play with blocks it will likely be different than the last time they played.
Also, no one gets left out with wooden blocks. They can be used by any age and with multiple children at once.
Do wooden blocks help build STEM skills?
Yes. STEM refers to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Building with blocks can sharpen many STEM skills.
Your child uses math and engineering skills when building a sturdy tower. They engage in science skills when hypothesizing what will happen when too much weight is added to the tower. These are just a couple of examples of countless opportunities for STEM growth.
Are wooden blocks safe for kids?
Wooden blocks are completely safe. So long as any paint used on the blocks is non-toxic. Otherwise, there is little safety concern for any age.
Choosing the Best Wooden Blocks Set
When you choose a wooden block set, there are some important questions to ask. These questions will make sure you purchase a good quality set that your kids will love for years to come.
At what ages are wooden blocks an appropriate toy?
Wood blocks are great for babies 6 months and up. By this age, babies can grab and lift the blocks. Before this age, they may not be strong enough to hold them.
There is no limit to the age of wooden building blocks. In fact, many parents find themselves playing right alongside their children. Blocks are fun for any age.
How can you make sure that a wooden block is safe?
As you shop for a wooden block set, look for ones made with high-quality wood. You want to be sure that the wood won’t split and splinter. Also, take a look at the paints or sealants used.
Any sealant used should be water-based. All paints should be non-toxic. This will ensure the blocks are safe for your baby’s mouth.
FAQs
What is the best way to engage kids in playing with blocks?
Kids often know just what to do with wood building blocks. However, if your child needs encouragement, try these suggestions:
- Set up a simple castle with the blocks and leave some character toys nearby.
- Build a tall tower with the blocks and ask your child to knock them down.
- Have a tower-building contest to see who can build the tallest one.
- Give your child an old oatmeal container with a hole cut in the lid. Show them how to drop the blocks through the hole.
How should wooden blocks be cleaned?
You can clean wooden toys like blocks with a gentle cleanser and washcloth. Never submerge the blocks in water or use bleach. Either of those can cause damage to the wood.
A simple solution of vinegar and water can be applied to a washcloth and wiped onto the blocks. This will ensure your child doesn’t consume any chemicals when playing.
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