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Wood Alternatives to Popular Plastic Toys

Updated February 25, 2025 at 12:30 pm


When it comes to choosing toys for kids, plastic options are everywhere. But if you're considering going green, there are beautifully crafted wooden alternatives that are just as fun, far more durable, and better for the planet—and your kiddos, too!

Let’s explore some of the best wooden alternatives to common plastic toys!

Toys That Stack

Smiling Moon Balancer

This delightful balance game challenges kids (and adults!) to stack wooden pieces while keeping the crescent moon stable. It’s a fun way to develop fine motor skills and patience.

The Smiling Moon Balancer is great for practicing stacking skills.

Picture Alphabet Block Set

A timeless classic, these heirloom-quality ABC blocks feature engraved letters and images, making them perfect for early literacy and imaginative play.

Block Collections

Open-ended play is key for development, and our block collections provide endless building possibilities, encouraging creativity, spatial awareness, and problem-solving.

alternatives for plastic toys: wooden toys that stack

Toys That Move

Set of 3 Wooden Vehicles

This trio of handcrafted wooden vehicles—including a race car, truck, and love bug—is perfect for little ones who love things that go! Made for small hands and big imaginations.

Wooden Alternatives to Popular Plastic Toys: Wooden Toys That Move

Push Bunny

This adorable rolling bunny is an excellent first toy for babies, encouraging grasping, pushing, and crawling. Made from solid hardwood with a smooth, natural finish, it’s safe for little hands and built to last. Plus, it’s the perfect Easter basket toy—a sweet, timeless alternative to plastic trinkets and candy for filling Easter baskets!

Toys That Are Meant to Be Chewed On

Teethers

Safe, non-toxic, and naturally antibacterial, our wooden teethers soothe sore gums without harmful plastics or chemicals. Designed for tiny hands and tiny teeth!

Elephant Wooden Teether for a natural teething experience

Toys That Promote Learning

Spell Well Name Puzzle™

A personalized name puzzle makes learning letters fun! These handcrafted wooden puzzles help kids recognize their name while improving hand-eye coordination.

Uppercase Wooden Alphabet Set

A hands-on way to learn the ABC’s, this sturdy wooden letter set helps little learners develop early reading and spelling skills.

Math Blocks

Math made fun! These engraved wooden number blocks help kids understand numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division through hands-on play. Perfect for developing basic math skills at an early age while encouraging problem-solving and critical thinking.

Looking for even more educational wooden toys? Our Educational Toys Collection includes a variety of thoughtfully designed toys that inspire learning through play. From counting and problem-solving to spelling and creative thinking, these eco-friendly options make learning fun and engaging!

spell well name puzzle uppercase wooden alphabet set math blocks for wooden alternatives for plastic toys that promote learning

Toys That Encourage Imagination

Wooden Star Wand

Imaginative play is at the heart of childhood, and our wooden wands help kids create magical adventures of their own. Perfect for playtime spells and fairy-tale fun!

wooden star wand to encourage imagination and creative play using wooden toys from Smiling Tree Toys

Toys That Make Noise

Rattles

Soft, natural sounds make our wooden rattles an excellent choice for babies. They’re safe, durable, and just the right size for little hands to shake and explore.

wooden toy rattles for sustainably made wooden alternatives to plastic toys

Final Thoughts

If you're looking to reduce plastic waste while giving your child beautiful, sustainable, and long-lasting toys, these wooden alternatives are a fantastic choice. Plus, they provide all the same benefits—learning, creativity, and fun—without the environmental downside.

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