Toys | Reviews | Wood Toys | Toy Dolls

Something a toy company must always balance is the value of the product versus the cost of production.  Even with quality wood toys, safety and inspection have to be an integral part of the process. Because of rising demand for wood and labor, many makers of wood toys like HABA have found that some toys are too expensive to make at their headquarters.

We respect HABA for their transparency about which products are made overseas, as well as the care that goes into their inspection procedures no matter where they are made.  This level of transparency is necessary these days when so many cheap toys are on the world market, only to be recalled later for atrocious omissions such as baby toys made with lead paint and other heavy metals.

Our advice to parents and educators is to do some independent research into toy companies before bringing them into your home.  We also hope that we make that task a little easier for you here at Toy-TMA!

HABA was recognized recently as the maker of the year’s Best Boardgame at the Annual Middle East Toy Fair in Dubai. This is another indication that the toymaker of classic wooden toys is having some success as it branches out into new arenas for contemporary play.

The award-winning game is called Treasure, ready, go!, and is described as a “turbulent challenge for 2 to 4 adventurers.”

This award should mean that the game’s availability in the US will become more likely; so far the game is most popular in Germany, which is the headquarters of HABA. In German, the game is titled: Auf die Schätze, fertig, los!

Last week’s International Toy Fair has put us in a toy-reviewing mood. Today’s favorite are HABA Toys, which makes high quality traditional toys for infants, toddlers and the under five set.

What impresses me about HABA is that their wooden toys are made in Germany - it doesn’t get more traditional than that. The wood used is Maple and Beech and smells great.

With all the worries about toxicity and toys these days, wooden toys are really the way to go. Wood is naturally a germ-repellent surface, and HABA wooden toys are often natural, or coated with non-toxic paints and finishes.