The Best 15 Wooden Toys for Boys in 2023
We adore shopping for gifts for the kids in our lives because we love seeing how toys have changed since we were little, but every once in a while, it’s nice to give the little ones something that’s a little less modern and a little closer to the kinds of toys we played with as kids. Now, we wouldn’t go so far as to say that toys from our time are old-fashioned by any means, but they certainly didn’t have wifi capabilities! In fact, most of our favorite childhood toys that we kept as mementos or remembered being the fondest of were simple wooden ones.
That’s why we’ve been thinking of getting quality wooden toys for a few little boys we know who have birthdays coming up! Of course, we still want to get them the funniest options out there and make sure whatever we buy is worth our money, so we’ve been scouring all the best options we could find recently and bookmarking our favorites.
Best Wooden Toys for Boys
We made a choice we’re happy with, but since we already had a nice list made by the end of the process, we figured we’d might as well share it, just in case other people might make use of it too!
1. Melissa & Doug Emergency Vehicle Carrier
Like so many other little boys, is the child you have in mind totally obsessed with vehicles and transportation machines of all kinds? Then we have a sneaking suspicion that this wooden toy pack from Melissa & Doug might be a huge hit!
Besides a series of little hand-painted emergency vehicles, including a fire truck, a helicopter, an ambulance, and a police car, the set also features a vehicle truck that carries them all together! The smaller vehicles are specifically sized to fit on the ramps of the larger truck, and you get all of the pieces together for less than the price of a meal at a fancy restaurant.
Pros
- Hand-painted wooden car set with non-toxic paints.
- Emergency vehicle set will help expand the play universe.
Cons
- The plastic connectors aren’t that sturdy.
2. Melissa & Doug Geometric Stacker Toddler Toy
Is the child you have in mind actually still a little young for things like cars and trucks because they haven’t quite developed such specific interests yet? Maybe you’re actually just feeling a little more intent on getting them something that’s geared towards development. Either way, this stacking set from Melissa & Doug might be a little more along the lines of what you’re picturing!
For an even more reasonable price than the set above, you’ll get a three-pronged wooden stand that’s compatible with three types of differently shaped blocks, all stackable in decreasing size and painted in bright colors. The idea is to match shapes, recognize dimensions, and practice the hand-eye coordination of getting the prong through the center hole, but it’s mostly just a fun game for very young kids!
Pros
- Sorting toy is perfect for little kids.
- Non-toxic paints used for these woodblocks.
Cons
- Since it’s wood, it can splinter if dropped.
3. Top Bright Wooden Race Track Car Ramp Racer With 4 Mini Cars
Did we really catch your attention with the idea of gifting a cute wooden car set, but the child you have in mind is a little more enthusiastic about very fast cars than they are about emergency vehicles? Then we think you might have a little more success with this race car set offered by Top Bright!
Besides the four little race cars that come with the set, you’ll also get an awesome wooden racing tower! Rather than just storing the cars, however, this tower has strategically tilted ramps that send the cars racing downward to the base and out across the floor.
Pros
- Fascinating car ramp for little kids.
- Also features 4 mini cars.
Cons
- Best suitable for older kids that won’t put the little cars in their mouth.
4. Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone
Did you really love the idea of gifting a slightly more skills or learning-based gift to a child of toddler age, but you’re also an enthusiast of getting kids into even the very basics of music as early as possible? In that case, we think you simply must take a look at this hammer and ball set that Hape has to offer!
This set is a play on the classic kids toy where kids fit the right colored ball through the right colored hole and bop it with a hammer, so it comes rolling down a ramp underneath. In this fun version, however, the ball falls onto a colorful xylophone so that it hits different notes for a musical run as it rolls.
Pros
- Great musical toy.
- Helps with eye-to-hand coordination.
Cons
- The balls may pose a choking hazard, so be mindful of that.
5. Melissa & Doug Shape-Sorting Wooden Dump Truck Toy
Are you torn somewhere between gifting a vehicle-based toy and giving the child you have in mind something they’ll learn from, but you’re having trouble deciding between the two? Well, whoever said you have to choose? Instead, take a look at this shapes truck from Melissa & Doug!
Besides the fun that driving the truck around with the little people on board upfront provides, this toy also provides some hand-eye coordination practice thanks to wooden shapes that fit through matching shaped holes in the sides and top. To get them out and play again, open the hatch and tilt the back of the truck upwards, so the shapes pour out like an actual dump truck.
Pros
- Cute truck with sorting shapes.
- Great colors.
Cons
- The truck is a bit flimsy.
6. VATOS Wooden Construction Building Set
Is the child that you’re shopping for slightly older and already obsessed with building things, putting pieces together, and figuring out how things work? Then we’d be willing to bet that this super east wooden pieces construction kit will be a huge hit!
Besides all the tools and kid-sized screws and bolts that building things with the kit requires, the pack also comes with a series of differently sized and colored pieces that allow kids to put together different shapes, angles, and characters. You’ll also get a simple pictorial instructions guide that helps kids build certain shapes for practice and goal setting between creating things from their own imagination.
Pros
- Great for ages 3 and up.
- STEM learning it with 96 pieces.
Cons
- Some of the pieces aren’t very sturdy.
7. FUN LITTLE TOYS wooden construction set
Speaking of building things, are you pretty sure the child you’re thinking of, who isdefinitely a future builder, would prefer something that looks a little more like anactual toolset, like they’ve seen their handy adult relatives use? Then maybe you’d have more success with something like this full wooden toolset from Fun Little Toys!
All in all, this set comes with an impressive 43 pieces, most of which are adorably accurate wooden recreations of actual tools. It also includes pegs and rings shaped like nuts and bolts that actually fit together, amounting to veritable practice with the real thing. As if that’s not enough, it all comes in a smooth wooden carrying case that keeps the pieces organized and together.
Pros
- Great toolset with a lot of pieces.
- Kids can build toys to play with.
Cons
- Packing everything together is a bit difficult.
8. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pounding Bench
Are you actually still thinking about how much you liked the active hammer action of the ball and xylophone design we showed you earlier but do you think you’d prefer a slightly cheaper option, since you’re working on a budget right now? Then maybe you’d feel more keen about something like this pounding bench from Melissa & Doug!
This toy is built in the classic style of an old-fashioned pounding bench, but with a little more give and bounce thanks to a folded plastic piece under each peg. Using the bench helps develop fine motor skills and will also aid kids in learning to identify colors and their names.
Pros
- Super cute pounding bench.
- Features 8 pegs and a mallet, plus the bench.
Cons
- It’s a bit expensive.
9. Creative kids Roll over image to zoom in Wooden Reading Blocks
If you’re going to purchase a toy that helps a child start learning things, would you actually rather gear the content towards letter recognition and early reading? Then we’ddefinitely suggest taking a look at these rolling reading blocks from Creative Kids!
For a mere $15, this kit gives you a set of five rollers that are preloaded with heavy-duty smoothed woodblocks, each painted with a clearly printed letter. When you turn the blocks along the pole, new combinations of letters can be made to form simple words that kids will easily understand and recognize in the world around them. It’s a fun game that will help them start reading!
Pros
- Cool STEM set for early readers.
- Helps kids with the alphabet.
Cons
- It’s rather expensive.
10. Melissa & Doug Keys & Cars Wooden Rescue Vehicle & Garage Toy
Have you actually been scrolling through our list and finding yourself still thinking about the idea of wooden emergency vehicles because you know a child who loves nothing more than seeing fire trucks in action? Then we think you’ll appreciate this little wooden EMS garage offered by Melissa & Doug!
The garage provides a wooden firetruck, ambulance, and police car, as well as a parking space for each. Additionally, the set comes with a set of plastic keys in the shape of each emergency service’s symbol. Kids match the symbol and color to the right kind of vehicle (as well as the shape at the end of the key) to the right lock above the spots to if the doors and let the vehicle of choice come rolling out!
Pros
- Great garage for emergency cars.
- Features keys that help with hand-to-eye coordination.
Cons
- It’s not very resistant when dropped.
11. ToysOpoly Wooden Train Tracks Full Set
We’ve talked a lot about wooden vehicles so far, but what if things with wheels aren’t the only kind of transportation your kids are fascinated with? Well, if they’re also as obsessed with train sets as we were all through childhood, then we’d definitely encourage you to check out this adorable wooden train set by ToysOpoly!
In addition to some cute wooden scenery pieces, like trees, buildings, and road signs, this kit gives you several linking pieces of wooden track and four train cars, each with a magnet on its ends that will keep it attached to the cars in front and behind it so they can all roll as one piece down the track. The cars are custom fit to the track, so they fit just right and move smoothly so all your child has to worry about is building their own little custom city!
Pros
- Super cute train track for smaller kids.
- Easy to put together.
Cons
- The compatibility with other train tracks isn’t all that great.
12. ALEX Toys Discover My Busy Town Wooden Activity Cube
Are you always willing to invest a few more dollars in something so long as you’re getting a little more out of it? Well, if you’re not entirely sure about your toddler’s preferences yet so you’d really just like to get them something engaging that will keep them busy and get them feeling inquisitive? Then we think this awesome wooden discovery cube from ALEX Toys is the best choice for you.
This bright hand painted cube features different baby and toddler-friendly activities across each of its four sides and also on top. Your child will learn a range of motions, picture and color recognition, and other fine motor skills by spinning image blocks, opening and closing peekaboo doors, and moving beads along looped wires. They’re all classic games, but collected in one place!
Pros
- Super complex activity cube.
- Includes lots of games to keep kids occupied.
Cons
- It’s a bit expensive.
13. CozyBomB Magnetic Wooden Fishing Game
Are you feeling very intrigued indeed by this whole concept of wooden toys that have magnets on them for movement and function, so you’ve been holding out for a toy that’s a little more like a game? Then we think you’ll get a real kick out of this wooden fishing set offered by CozyBomB!
The set comes with two little wooden fishing rods, each with a magnet on the end of a string for a “hook.” Arrange the lettered fish on a base board painted like a pond and encourage your kids to fish for a particular letter to help them learn the alphabet or spell out simple words! Each fish has a magnet for an eye, which is how you “catch” them with the one on the end of your pole.
Pros
- Great for kids to coordinate their movements.
- Features lettered fish, so helps with alphabet learning.
Cons
- The metal fish eyes sometimes fall off.
14. Play22 Wooden Train Set
Have you always found that your kids seemway more interested in the cards themselves when it comes to magnetic train sets rather than putting together any kind of track, so you’re not that concerned with the track pieces while you’re considering sets? Then maybe you’d do better with this boxed wooden train set from Play22!
This set offers three differently coloured painted train engines and nine different interchangeable cars. These can attach to any engine or other car, in any combination, thanks to magnets. Little wooden wheels on each let the trains roll overnearly any surface (except for maybe soft, high carpet) with surprising ease thanks to the woods durability.
Pros
- Compatible with several train set tracks.
- Great train set with three engines.
Cons
- Paintwork isn’t that great.
15. Kidkraft Fire Station Set
Have you actually been thinking about how much your child loves firetrucks more than nearly anything since the very beginning of our list, hoping to comes across something even more centred on those than what you’ve seen so far? Then we’re pleased to report that your patience has paid off thanks to Kidkraft!
Rather than sharing a little garage with other rescue vehicles, the larger firetruck in this kit is afforded its own entire two-story station. The kit comes with furniture so that your kids can set up a liveable station for the firefighters, as well as two firefighters themselves. Most importantly, the station comes with its own wooden dog, just like every good real fire station.
Pros
- Massive playset with lots of fire station rooms.
- Sturdy construction.
Cons
- Assembling it isn’t very easy to do.
Conclusion
Do you know someone else who has been thinking about picking up some new wooden kids toys for boys but who could use some more suggestions? Share this post with them, so they have all kinds of new options to choose from!