Making puzzles is so cash, yo.

You may not know this by looking at me but I love me some puzzles. I’m talking literal puzzles here by the way, not like word puzzles or mind puzzles or something. Physical “connect one piece to another” puzzles usually sprawled over a foldout card table for a month or more. Why do I love puzzles? Because they’re so simple, yet they’ve done a lot over the years to throw some curve balls my way. Want to hear more? Of course, because what else are we gonna talk about? E3? I don’t think so!

Puzzle Me This

When I was a kid I had the usual handful of wooden puzzles that all kids typically owned. While I certainly had the obligatory wood puzzle with basic shapes like a car or a house, I had a few that were a little cooler. My grandma had dinosaur wooden puzzles that where actually huge chunks of wood that fit together to make the shape of a brontosaurus or something. Those were extremely cool, and I keep looking and seeing companies like Melissa & Doug doing the same sort of thing. Then again, they seem to love wooden toys, so it only makes sense.

Okay, maybe my grandma's puzzles weren't this cool.

I found myself always checking garage sales for puzzles once I became a little older, constantly searching for the next coolest puzzle ever. While I found a few Ninja Turtle puzzles, some of the cooler simple puzzles I found were G.I. Joe puzzles that interconnected. There were four puzzles with like two or three hundred pieces each and though each was contained to its specific picture, the four puzzles connected together to form one giant puzzle. Sadly I only found three of the four, but the effect was still very cool to me.

My parents had a great many advanced puzzles in their closet that would make it out every so often for a family puzzle session. These were extremely difficult puzzles with pictures such as a piece of hay in a stack of needles, a pile of fun-sized candy bars, or just a puzzle that’s front picture was purposefully designed to mislead you as to what the actual picture was. There were also the occasional 3D puzzle, but those were a one-time build before just setting them on a shelf or something.

Everyone tries the 3D globe puzzle at some point in their life or another.

Probably the most epic day of things related to puzzles occurred when my father and I were at a mall and happened upon an all-puzzle store with a guy standing behind the counter that had to be the Grand Puzzle Master. Naturally, he looked like he hated his life. What made this better were the three Puzzle Geeks challenging him with asinine puzzle-related questions. One walked up asking if they had any puzzles without edge pieces, to which the Grand Puzzle Master said they had a selection in the back corner. The next geek tried his luck with the question, “Do you have any puzzles with extra pieces thrown in to trick the puzzler?” Obviously they did, and they were on the shelf behind the geeks. The last guy thought he had him with the ultimate, “Do you have any blank puzzles?” The Grand Puzzle Master reached below the counter and pulled out a blank puzzle box. The Puzzle Geeks were defeated and the Grand Puzzle Master sighed his sad little sigh.

Still, none of these could possibly compare with the massive floor puzzles I found one day at a hobby shop. Did you know you can get a puzzle with 18,000 pieces in it? I don’t know why you’d want it, but you can get it from Ravensburger, and if that isn’t even enough, there’s a 24,000-piece puzzle as well. That’s ridiculous.

Behold the behemoth of puzzles. I kind of want this now.

That’s all I can say about puzzles for the moment though, mostly because I don’t currently have any. I wish I did, but sadly there is no space in my apartment to make a puzzle. Some day, but not today. In the mean time, what about you? Are you a puzzle fan? Or do you just hate puzzles? Let me know with a comment. I dare you to challenge the Grand Puzzle Master.

Classic wood abacus by Melissa and Doug

Wooden toys have always been a favorite of mine.  There is something about the solid, lasting, made-of-the-earth quality of wood that satisfies a need I have as a toy-searching parent.

NPR’s All Things Considered recently had a report about a lumber company in Maine that has been refitted to work as a manufacturing plant for a new line of wooden toys made completely here in the United States.

The company had seen a lot of its manufacturing of house wares moved overseas, and an idea was sparked by the lead paint scares that revolved around toys coming from certain places in China.

The story got me thinking about all the toys we buy and how doing a little bit of research could end up saving jobs for people in our own country, whether that may be the US, Britain, or India.

Stimulating local economies is good for the whole world.  Any time a company is able to keep the entire production process on one continent there are environmental savings, but the added bonus of saving jobs in a time when jobs are scarce at best is wonderful.

Focus on American-Made Toys

For example, how does one find some wooden toys made in the USA?

A quick, simple search led me to a page called Maine Made – America’s Best, which lists all kinds of products, not just toys, that are built in the state of Maine.  Other online sites will have an index listing the toys they sell that are made in America.  Another way to find great handcrafted toys, and this is true no matter where you live in the world,  is to visit a local craft co-op or craft fair & talk to the artisans about their work.

The craftsmanship that goes into these items is undeniable and these toys will last generations.  My own daughter has a favorite toy that is a wooden craft toy I got a long time ago, and it is as much fun for her as it was for me at her age.

With just a little bit of thought–before we buy–we can support our neighbors and our own economy during these times where economic stimuli seem to be needed wherever possible.

Melissa and Doug have hundreds of toys, but most of their toys can be put into easy-to-remember categories.  To help you navigate their vast toy empire, here is a breakdown of my favorite toy categories from Melissa and Doug:

Arts & crafts:  While a necessity for any household, arts and craft items can be annoyingly difficult and messy.  With the M&D items I have found the instructions on the craft items easily understandable and the options include stamps, beads, and painting.  My favorite:  an art easel that adjusts as my kid grows (plus, it keeps her from coloring on the dining room table).

Classic toys:  These are wooden toys such as blocks, or that hammer and peg workbench you had as a kid, as well as lacing items (great for quiet car rides).  The items withstand the poundings of a three year old easily and still manage to look good after a beating.

Puzzles:  I LOVE these puzzles.  Once we moved beyond their wooden puzzles I was equally impressed with the floor puzzles, both the designs offered as well as the quality.  The variety in the number of puzzle pieces is also a great thing since the increased challenge keeps the kids occupied.

Puppets:  The variety offered from hand puppets to marionettes to “full size” puppets is going to allow us to grow into some of the larger, more coordination-challenging styles.  The detail on these items is often quite stunning.

Play food:  This is perhaps my daughter’s favorite item.  She will spend a good hour preparing dinner for people with the cutting food, bringing us our sandwiches and apple slices.  The food uses hook and loop fasteners to stick together and is put together in such a way that she could figure it out even at 2 years old.

The motto of Melissa and Doug is to create educational toys that are heirloom quality.  In my book, I would have to say that they’ve wildly succeeded.

Toys by Spiel & Holz are inspired by Waldorf education, a philosophy that children learn best through active and imaginative play. These toys are made from natural materials, and have a minimum of details, letting the natural beauty and feel of the wood shine through. These toys are much more versatile and durable than the most toys nowadays, and they sustain a child’s interest much longer. Each toy set can be played with in a variety of ways—some of their toys are puzzles, building blocks, and play buildings all in one.

Spiel & Holz uses only premium European wood, primarily Alder. Most of their toys are hand-crafted and finished, making them a true work of art and craftsmanship. And each toy is painted with either natural, kid-safe paints and dyes.

Another maker of high-quality wood toys is HABA–check out our page about them.

The BRIO Virus

If you’ve decided that wood toys are the way to go, then you should definitely check out BRIO. With roots that reach back to the 19th century, BRIO is now a global corporation and one of the largest makers of wood toys in the world. BRIO’s focus is on quality and durability—they want their toys to be passed on from generation to generation.

BRIO was started in 1884 by basket weaver Ivar Bengtsson. As his basket weaving business became more successful and his company’s range grew, their repertoire of products grew to over a thousand items, including many wonderful toys. Nowadays, BRIO is committed to creating toys that are delightful to play with and that support development throughout different stages of childhood.

And BRIO has continued with their commitment to quality and excellence. They have taken steps to ensure that all of their overseas suppliers adhere to strict international regulations regarding working conditions and environmental standards. And, of course, safety is of the utmost importance to this company. Both new and existing toys are rigorously tested against standards higher than those of international regulatory bodies.

BRIO is also dedicated to innovation in the toy industry, and gives an annual award to independent researchers or organizations that contribute to the fields of toys and play. And BRIO has also received a number of design and ‘best’ toy awards.

But of course what’s most important is the toys themselves. In addition to the classics, such as railway sets, building blocks, push-alongs, and games, BRIO offers some of the most unique toys available anywhere. One of their most exciting lines is their Network rail set, which is inspired by the inner workings off a computer. Play sets such as the E-Mail Central Set put a new twist on classic train tracks with original themes and engaging characters.

For more info, check out our Wood Toy Buying Guide.

Wooden toys have been around for millennia, and some of the first toys in history were probably made from wood. But there are plenty of reasons why they’re just as popular today as they were back then. Kids still love to play with toys made of wood. Because they rely on imagination and creativity, their appeal lasts much longer than plastic toys. Parents often tell me that their kids lose interest in those big fancy toys within a few days, but that they’ll play with toys like blocks and construction sets for years. I think this is because when kids play with wooden toys, they’re really playing, as opposed to just being entertained or distracted. Wood toys also play well with others—with a little imagination, they’re easily combined with other toys.

the Flori Teether by HABA

Their aesthetically pleasing designs, often making use of bright colors and geometric shapes, engage a child’s senses immediately. Wood toys for babies and younger children stimulate a children’s sense of sight, touch, and sound (and maybe taste!), while wooden toys for slightly older children provide challenges and encourage problem-solving. This is part of what makes wooden toys so wonderfully educational. They’re a great way for young children to hone their hand-eye coordination and motor skills, and wood toys help kids develop creativity and foster their artistic abilities.

And as a parent you can rest easy knowing that your children’s wood toys are safe and environmentally friendly. If your child chews on his or her toys (like many do), then wood toys with natural, non-toxic paint or dye will cause no harm, whereas many toys today are loaded with plastic, chemicals, and PVC. Most wood toys use much less wasteful packaging. They also need no batteries, which can harm children and end up in landfills.

Plus there’s the simple aesthetic appeal that owning a well-made wood toy can bring. Not only are they a pleasure to have around the house; they will often last for years, if not generations. After all—do you really think your kids will be passing down that plastic robot action figure with all the bells and whistles?

For more information on wood toys, check out our Wood Toy Resource And Buying Guide, and our page on HABA toys, a premier maker of fine wood toys.

For many Indian craftsmen, toy making has been their family’s way of supporting itself for generation. But it’s just now that many toy makers are working together and pooling their resources in order to increase production. Newer designs, improved quality, and better marketing facilities have allowed toys typically distributed solely within India to find their way to the international market.

Scares about Chinese toys has also increased demand for Indian wooden toys. They are entirely child-safe, made from all-natural materials and vegetable dyes. Parents have no qualms about letting their children chew on naturally germ-resistant wood toys.
With both demand and opportunity growing, the Indian wood toy market is enjoying enormous success.

For more information, check out the full story here.

Construction sets are a perfect way to foster children’s creativity, improve their motor coordination, and nurture their cognitive development. They’re also a toy that is easily integrated with others, and that lets a child’s imagination run wild. Unlike newer, flashier play sets, the Ball Track Construction Set from HABA promises to hold your child’s interest for years to come.

The set comes with 42 excellently crafted beechwood pieces and six glass marbles, allowing for an infinite number of structures to be built. Your child will love to build intricate systems of ramps and tracks, race marbles, then tear it all down and start again!

And of course you can rest easy knowing that this set is built from the finest naturally germ-resistant European timber. And HABA is a company with a conscience—they adhere to the strictest standards to environmental protection and ethical corporate policy.

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!

It’s too bad that it takes a tragedy such as a child lead poisoning case for consumers to notice the trend of cheap, disposable, and unsafe toys in our homes and schools.

Wood toys , on the other hand, are always safe for children. Wood is naturally bacteria-resistant (in other words – practically germ free). Wood toys are perfect for infants who are teething so parents can relax about their baby’s safety. And guess what – no hidden lead, guaranteed.

Melissa and Doug have been rewarded by the toy community for their impeccable values too. They have been honored as Vendor of the Year by retailers such as Toys R Us and FAO Schwarz. Their toys and games have also been named “Toys of the Year” by Child Magazine, FamilyFun Magazine and Parenting Magazine.

Now it’s time to point out our personal favorites!

Melissa and Doug Puzzles

Melissa and Doug’s Puzzles are the heart of their toy empire, and for good reason. These puzzles are their original toys, still made with high quality wooden pieces for the toddler puzzles, and extra thick cardboard for the more advanced puzzles. Wooden toys like puzzles for toddlers are a great choice for gifts because they are sure to be a hit with babies and parents. Remember that wood is a naturally bacteria-free material, so even if the puzzles just get chewed on, everyone is happy.

Melissa and Doug puzzles for older children are just as fabulous. Ranging from 50 to 500 piece jigsaw pieces, these are perfect as floor puzzles or on a table. Spilled the orange juice at snack time? No worries, all these puzzles are easily washable with a damp cloth to keep them looking bright and glossy.

Melissa and Doug Baby Toys

We are excited to see Melissa and Doug’s new collections of premium baby toys. Their toddler collection is a great spin on all the classic discovery toys, using hand-crafted fun designs. These baby toys are all made from select hardwood and finished with non-toxic dyes.

Rattles, walkers, clutching toys, teethers, and ring sets by Melissa and Doug are classy editions of these traditional baby favorites.

Melissa and Doug Arts and Crafts

This is where Melissa and Doug’s core message of safe fun for kids really takes off. Packaged into fun kits are dozens of great rainy-day activities. Coloring, etching and making fun scrap books have never been more easily organized.

We fell in love with Melissa and Doug Alphabet Stamp Set. Crafted with wood stamps with both lower and upper case letters, children can start their own printing press of stamps by selecting their favorite words and phrases. What a creative educational toy! Kids are enthusiastic to learn their alphabet so they can make original stamp art.

Our hint for less motivated children: set this kit out with the sparkle and glue kit too. Just wait, their stamps and messages will be the finest the neighborhood has ever seen.

But our all-time favorite is the Melissa and Doug Deluxe Easel and Art Set. This is one of the most convenient art kits on the market, coming complete with a roll of easel paper, 4 spill proof paint cups, 4 jumbo easy-grip paint brushes, 10 colors of poster paint, 10 giant chalk sticks, and a felt eraser that works on both chalk and dry-erase surfaces.

Our advice: lay down some newspaper or an art tarp first! This art easel with its multi-media bonanza will get any child’s creative juices flowing.

Melissa and Doug Dollhouses and Miniatures

For children aged 6 and up, a dollhouse by Melissa and Doug can be the perfect gift. Their dollhouses are like all of their toys: hand-crafted, made with quality materials, and guaranteed long lasting fun. We tested them ourselves, and came away mightily impressed.

The details are exquisite. For instance, the Melissa and Doug Dollhouse living room set includes two real upholstered chairs and a couch with tiny pillows. (their 1/12 scale pillow is almost too adorable for words!) A complete Victorian Dollhouse is available too, with hand crafted period furniture ready for play.

For boys, we recommend the Melissa and Doug Fold and Go Barn. This easy-to-carry model set comes with seven durable animals for an imaginative play of farm life. We love the simplicity of this set, which makes it appropriate for 3 years and up.

With 600 toys and growing, Melissa and Doug’s toy collection is much bigger than we could outline here. This guide hopefully has helped by illustrating the major toy groups that this up and coming toy maker has set its sights on.

This guide to toys made from wood will glide over some of history’s favorite playthings and then provide smart buyer’s tips and recommendations for modern wood toys.

A Brief History of Wood Toys

The history of toys is really the history of wooden toys. Archaeologists have unearthed wood pull toys from Egypt that are 4000 years old. Early versions of chess and checkers were played with wood pieces on a carved board.

Later, Roman children played with carved wooden horses and chariots. In fact, children’s toys may have inspired the gift of the Trojan Horse! Clearly, the ancient world was full of wooden toys adored by children and adults alike.

More recently, in the year 1760, the first puzzle was created by mapmaker John Spilsbury, who glued one of his maps to a thin wooden board and cut it into pieces. In Russia, stylized and stackable wooden dolls captivated the royal families for generations. At that time Victorian women were also passing their time by constructing elaborate wooden doll houses, some of which were complete with ivory and marble and cost as much a real house!

And don’t forget Pinocchio! Wooden puppets have been popular since the Middle Ages, crafted with care by wood carvers and showcased in rowdy street-side carnivals with ventriloquists.

But probably the most famous wood toy in history was invented in 1916. The son of an architect came up with Lincoln Logs, which are still on the market today. His father was Frank Lloyd Wright.

After the first World War, many children fell in love with making wooden models of airplanes, fire trucks, and cars. When materials were hard to find, thrifty folks would use old peach and apple crates to create realistic versions of their favorite things.

Why Wood Toys Endure

Wooden toys endure because toys made from natural materials are inherently valuable. The pride of woodcraft, good workmanship, and the values recycling natural goods are all part of the mystique of toys made from wood.

On a practical note, wood is also a naturally germ-free material. So carved wooden objects have always been prized as safe for babies to chew on when they are teething.

Lastly, wood toys excite the imagination due to their natural beauty, texture, and smell. These toys connect people to the place they live and remind us about what is truly important: our families, our communities, and the natural world we depend on.

Contemporary Wood Toys Buying Guide

Today, wood toys remain high quality possessions that can last a lifetime. Many of the ancient forms of toys are still available today by traditional toy makers. Also, some toy companies are producing sustainable wood toys, which are produced in environmentally sound ways to ensure the future of our forests.

Wood Block Toys

Wooden blocks are still one of the most popular children’s toys today. Wood blocks can be safe for infants but also keep the interest of older children. A good set of wooden blocks contains foundational blocks for building and accent pieces that will be appreciated by older children who are modeling their creations after a historic time period.

For instance, HABA’s Russian House Building Blocks are a great mix of simple blocks and fun tower top pieces and archways. These blocks are recommended for ages 3 to 9, but don’t be surprised if you see full grown adults crafting a beautiful Russian temple for hours!

Wood Pull Toys

Just like the ancient Egyptians, today’s toddlers are captivated by pull toys. These toys are really appropriate for babies 24 months +. (It’s hard to pull something when you haven’t learned how to sit up yet!)

Toys like Melissa and Doug’s Pull Along Zoo-Animals are great entertainment and also a chance for babies to learn about all the classic zoo animals of the world.

We also recommend sustainable wooden pull toys like the Taraluna Pull Train Toy. It is crafted by Fair-Trade artisans, made with sustainably harvested wood, and painted with vegetable dyes and a non-toxic varnish. It doesn’t get any earth-friendlier than that!

Educational Wood Toys

Wooden educational toys are simple toys that remain popular for a long time after children have grown bored with the latest plastic whirling gizmo.

Puzzles are just as exciting now as they were three hundred years ago. But today puzzles can teach young children about colors, textures, numbers, letters, and anything else.

We love Melissa and Doug’s wooden jigsaw puzzles. These 12 piece puzzles are hand crafted and decorated with farm, home, and work scenes. These are hearty wood pieces that will last a lifetime.

Melissa and Doug also shine in building educational toys like classic wooden dollhouses as well as miniature wooden barns and horse stables. These wooden toys make great gifts that will be certain to entertain kids for years.

Contemporary doll houses are just as intricate as in the Victorian days, but much more affordable! For example, Melissa and Doug’s Doll Crib is made with hand-crafted wood and includes a tiny pillow, blanket and soft little mattress.

This guide just scratches the surface, so to speak, on the great wood toys now available. Be sure to check back for more of our expert reviews soon.

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!

KidKraft definitely passes our test of “Imagination First.” I had an opportunity to poke around with their Savannah Dollhouse recently and became quite engrossed in all the details. The little furniture can be moved around, and is remiscent of the master  wood toys from the last century.

More recently, KidKraft has gotten into “activity toys” like pirate ships and firetrucks that have a lot of movable parts and accessories. These kinds of toys are always popular with children, but the parts are easily lost, and swallowable.

My advice is that an adult should be in the house when children play with these kinds of toys. Otherwise, they are high quality, imaginative and durable.