Ideally, these educational toys can last for years, whether used in your baby’s playroom or school. 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: (1)
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?
Allows a deeper sensory exploration Shows the beauty of natural materials More durable for repetitive learning (can last for years) 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:
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
Made In: Vietnam
Product Recall: None
Cons: Can be pricey
Customer Reviews:
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
Product Recall: None
Cons: Some complaints about the blocks being too small for the set’s price
Customer Reviews:
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:
5. Tegu 42-Piece Set Magnetic Wooden Blocks (1+ years old)
“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
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:
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:
Montessori Wooden Toys For Preschoolers
7. Montessori Mama Wooden Puzzles (2-4 years old)
“Did not expect over $100.00 shipping charge.” – reviewer on ETSY
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:
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:
10. Lewo Wooden Rainbow Stacking Game Stacker (3+ years old)
“Great toy! Is super processed and also looks really cute!” – reviewer on ETSY
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
Made In: China
Product Recall: None
Cons: Some complaints about the scent
Customer Reviews:
11. 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:
12. Montessori & Me Movable Alphabet Montessori Wooden Letters (preschoolers)
Pros & Best Features: Learning toy set
Product Safety: 100% baby and kid-safe lacquer
Materials: Eco-friendly hardwood
Age Range: Preschoolers
Educational Value: Spelling and reading
Extra Features: Includes a wooden box
Certification: CPSC
Made In: China
Product Recall: None
Cons: Some complaints about shipping damage
Customer Reviews:
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:
“This is really well made. We love it!” – reviewer on ETSY References (1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6161506/
