Trends in Wood Toys

This year I’m seeing a trend in wooden toys: an emphasis on sustainably harvested wood and non-toxic finishes to make the toys completely safe for children. We’re very impressed with two companies whose products we’ve begun to carry recently: Tegu magnetic wooden blocks and Anamalz posable wooden animal figures.

Tegu

Tegu are magnetic blocks made from eco-friendly wood that is safe and non-toxic for children. These blocks are designed to be socially and environmentally sustainable. The business creates jobs and preserves the environment in Honduras. A simple toy like blocks gives children plenty of space to engage their imagination.

Tegu adds a twist. The magnets encased in these blocks allow children to build up and out. Tegu blocks can dance! Watch videos of the Tegu Genius creating animals, vehicles, and dancing vegetables.

Tegu magnetic blocks
Origin: Made responsibly in Honduras
Age: 3+
This product contains small parts and magnets. Not for children under 3.

Anamalz

Anamalz are eco-friendly wooden animals made from sustainably forested maple. Even the waste wood is used on a farm to grow mushrooms. Anamalz are coloured with water-based paint and fabric used is azo dye and formaldehyde-free. Each of the Anamalz is handmade, tested and certified according to international toy standards.

Limbs on Anamalz are posable as your child twists and turns the wire inside cotton rope. Look closely at the limbs on some of the animals. The crocodile’s tail, for example, is fabric-covered and posable. The flexibility of these animal figures encourages role play and other open-ended imaginative play. Apparently, adults can’t resist either, as you can see when you watch animated Anamalz videos.

Anamalz posable animal figures
Origin: Designed in Australia, made responsibly in China.
Age: 3+
This product contains small parts. Not for children under 3.

Available

• Bear
• Crocodile
• Cow
• Elephant
• Gorilla
• Goat
• Horse
• Hippo
• Lion
• Panda
• Pig
• Black Ram
• White Woolly Sheep
• Tiger
• Zebra

When you give your child a toy as a gift, either of these wooden toys leaves wide open spaces for imagination with long-term environmental sustainability.