wooden toys

It's becoming easier than ever to turn your little drummer boy into an Eco-friendly musician with all of the wooden instruments currently on the market. Revving up to celebrate Earth Day, we noticed that there are several toy manufacturers taking the lead in creating products for a variety of skill levels. Plan Toys, the makers of this great percussion set that encourages lil ones to compare and differentiate sounds, specializes in brightly colored wooden toys for kids up through preschool age. Their sturdy products are made from rubber wood, non-formaldehyde glue and water-based dyes and inks. French company, Boikido, designs wooden toys featuring their own characters for kids up to four-years-old that meet the highest European safety standards. Check out other fun picks below!

Encouraging your lil wrecking crew to have at a brand new toy may sound like a recipe for disaster, but that's just what the team behind Automoblox had in mind when they developed their line of vehicles. Each automobile comes with a wooden body and plastic wheels, windows and people that are interchangeable between vehicles. Using a color and shape coding system, the plastic pieces can be used to create new, modern designs each time. Available in a variety of sizes, the mix and match nature of the toys make them endlessly fun for the lil ones and are great for passing time while waiting in line or sitting in a restaurant.

Running bikes, long popular in Europe, have become all the rage on this side of the pond with their wooden frames, low seats and ability to instill balance in their users. One of the latest versions to hit the stores is the Wishbone Bike ($250), a three-in-one unit that converts from a scooter, to a first running bike and eventually to a full size running bike for older children. With its three positions, the bikes are designed to take kids from toddlers to kindergarten. Designed by an Australian stay-at-home dad who was taken by the running bikes he saw while visiting Central Park, the bike isn't only pretty to look at, it is Eco-friendly as well. Made from sustainably managed woods, its wheels are manufactured from 60 percent post-consumer recycled plastic.

I still have a soft spot for traditional presents when gifting a newborn. I look for classics that the parents will cherish now and the child will continue to enjoy.

The family-owned Damhorst Toys began making wooden puzzles and stools in 1971. Their personalized puzzle stools are still some of the most beautifully crafted gifts I have come across. Modeled after jigsaw puzzles, they can be used to teach hand-eye coordination while providing your lil one with a sense of independence as she steps up to the toilet or the sink on her own. Though the business has grown out of their basement, the company's quality remains the same. The latest addition to their line is this adorable train puzzle stool ($99) with a usable engine. I especially like the engraving option that allows you to imprint a message for the recipient on the underside of the stools. Just don't ask me what sage words of advice to print there for all of eternity!

The company that makes Haba toys was founded in the 1930s and you can tell — in a good way. The line of wooden playthings offers the simplicity of a low tech era coupled with bright and lively colors. There aren't any bells, whistles or knobs on them so your little one's imagination will have to do most of the work.

The inexpensive toy food pieces, like this box of toast ($7), are made of hard wood and finished with non-toxic paint.

Every evening when I come home, I am torn between rolling around on the ground with my toddler or getting her dinner on the stove. Now, I do both at once.

Melissa and Doug's magnetic letters ($10) allow her to learn her ABCs and colors while I start chopping. In between slicing and dicing, I look down to her and ask, "Where's your blue letter F?" She scrambles around, finds it and places it on the "board." I cheer her on and we both clap. Mission accomplished: fun and learning time spent together.

Young children always seem fascinated by objects flying in the air. You can fly a kite or craft a paper airplane, but wooden solar powered helicopters are hard to come by.

Give your tot a lesson in solar powered energy with a sun–powered chopper ($32) in your own backyard. Available in five basic hues, the battery free toy (yeah, that's right!) provides endless learning
opportunities without all the leaded paint
and energy consumption.

The days of "Rubber Duckie, you're the one — you make bath time lots of fun" may have gone down the drain, but that doesn't mean your child's nautical entertainment needs have to end.

The Vilac Balloon Powered Boat ($9) offers a retro option for playtime in the bath, pool or pond. I'm no mechanic, but it appears the balloon lets out air through a little tube and propels the all-wooden boat for some simple, all natural fun. Splash, splash, it's definitely time for a bath.