The most beautiful wooden building blocks for little architects.

Wooden building blocks are among the most amazing toys that can be given to a child. They significantly contribute to a kid’s development by promoting cognitive skills, such as spatial reasoning, problem-solving, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and understanding concepts like balance, gravity, and geometry. They also encourage creativity and imaginative play through constructing various structures and patterns.

Research has consistently highlighted the many benefits of block play¹, making it a vital component of early childhood education.

Cognitive Development

Spatial awareness: Children learn to visualize and manipulate objects in space as they build complex structures.

Problem-solving: Trying to build stable structures forces children to think through challenges and adjust their approach.

Cause and effect: Understanding how manipulating blocks affects the outcome of their creation.

Math concepts: Learning about shapes, sizes, patterns, and symmetry through block arrangement.

Motor Skills Development

Fine motor skills: Picking up and placing blocks precisely improves hand dexterity and coordination.

Hand-eye coordination: Precisely aligning blocks requires focused visual tracking and hand movement.

Creative and Imaginative Play

Open-ended play: Blocks allow children to create and explore different designs without limitations freely.

Storytelling: Children can narrate stories about their creations, enhancing language skills.

Symbolic play: Representing real-world objects and situations through building.

Social and Emotional Development

Collaboration: Playing with blocks can encourage cooperation and turn-taking when building together.

Communication: Discussing building plans, negotiating and sharing ideas with peers.

These social interactions can improve their ability to share ideas and work collaboratively, essential skills for forming positive relationships later in life.

Parent-child block play

Research supports the benefits of block play between a parent and a child². There are no surprises here. But this is why I believe that toys should appeal not only to children but also to parents. For one, we are the ones buying them. But between life demands and responsibilities, we get tired and overwhelmed. We might have a much better time and energy to spend time playing with toys that we, as parents, are also excited by.

My son loves playing with his classic wooden set, magnetic tiles, and Lego Duplo. While I love these simple toys for what they are and their age-appropriateness, I don’t find them particularly interesting to myself as an adult.

In this guide, I wanted to look at some of the most beautifully designed sets available. Unfortunately, most of them include smaller parts and are suitable for older toddlers and children. My son is only two right now, but as an architectural designer, I’m itching to get one of these sets as soon as they are safe for him to play with. They are super versatile, and kids can play with the sets or, in many creative ways, add other toys like cars, animals, and toy people to build cities, play pretend, etc.

If you’re interested in the best toys for 2-year-olds, check my post here.

Building blocks considerations

While choosing blocks, a few things should be taken into consideration:
– Age recommendation. Blocks for 3+ years usually contain small parts that are choking hazards for babies and toddlers)
– Type of material used. Sustainably harvested solid wood from known origins is ideal.
– Type of paint used. Non-toxic, water-based paint ensures they are safe for children to play with.
– Price. There are a lot of beautiful, ethically manufactured blocks on the market, but they can be costly. The best ones for our children are the ones we can afford.

1. Areaware Blockitecture

Ages 6+, wood: New Zealand pine, paint: water-based.

Blockitecture is a series of designer wooden building blocks. Based on a hexagonal grid, sets feature a variety of blocks based on different architectural styles (NYC, brutalism, art deco), transportation, and landscaping. There is even a Frank Lloyd Wright set. It doesn’t get more architectural than this. I would have absolutely loved these when I was little, and I’m super excited to play with them now too.

2. Factory Town by Vilac, designed by Ladislav Sutnar

Ages 3+, wood: N/A sustainable wood, paint: N/A. Made in China.

First designed in 1921 by an influential Czech designer, Ladislav Sutnar, this set was reissued 100 years later by a French company Vilac. Bright primary Bauhaus colors and simple yet interesting shapes and graphics make this set a fun learning opportunity.

3. Little Architect Blocks by Ferm Living

Ages 3″ years, Wood: FSC™ certified beech wood, stained.

Nordic design block set inspired by the city of Copenhagen. I love how simple yet versatile this wooden set is, with shapes that can be interpreted as traditional or very modern. It features a beautiful color palette with warm hues complimented by a pop of royal blue.

4. Logical Master Builder Blocks by Haba

Ages 5+, wood: beech grown in sustainable forests, paint: water-based, non-toxic. Made in Germany.

This ingenious set includes not only wooden building blocks but also a game that encourages logical thinking. The sheets show the building from 2 angles and encourage the child to recreate it on various difficulty levels.

5. Apartment Building Blocks by Raduga Grez

Ages 3+ years, wood: Solid wood, paint: water-based eco-friendly paint. Made in Russia.

There is something about all Raduga Grez products that elevates them beyond children’s toys into the art category. Beautiful designs, color palettes, and the quality of craftsmanship make this Russian wooden building blocks brand stand out. They are available in various boutique toy stores in the US and Canada.

6. Sabo Concept Italian Ancient City Blocks

Ages 3+ years, wood: linden / birch, paint: non-toxic water-based paint. Made in Ukraine.

While the shape of some of these blocks (like Tuscan-style columns) doesn’t leave much to interpret regarding the period in time and place it refers to, I am floored by how otherworldly beautiful this set is. These bright and warm blocks, like Italian summer, come with a Michelangelo statue, vases, and a diagram of how to recreate the church of Santa Maria Assunta in Positano. I wish I could buy absolutely everything from this Ukrainian brand.

7. 1001 Nights Wooden Blocks Building Set by Grimm’s Spiel & Holz

Ages 3+ years, wood: Sustainably sourced limewood, non-toxic, water-based stains. Made in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

This German brand’s block set has beautiful, intense colors and can make whimsical arrangements.

8. Maison Rue Bergen Building Blocks

Ages 3+ years, wood: beech wood & maple wood, paint: non-toxic water-based, free from lead, mercury, cadmium & arsenic. Made in: N/A.

Although not exactly building blocks, as these can’t be stacked, these beautiful tree- and house-shaped blocks make a fun, creative, open-ended playtime base.

9. PlanToys urban city Blocks

Ages 3+ years, wood: chemical-free rubberwood trees, formaldehyde-free glues, organic pigments, and water-based dyes. Sustainably made in Thailand.

This affordable set features a variety of unique and slightly more abstract and versatile architectural shapes. Plan toys offers Country Blocks and Marina set as well.

10. Bajo Manhattan Block Set

Ages: 18+ months, wood: N/A, paint: N/A. Manufactured according to the stringent EU toy safety standard EN71, Made in Poland.

Since 1 year old, my son has been in love with the city and calls pretty much any set of block towers “Manhattan.” This block set is suitable for children over 1.5 years old. I love that it has a slotted wooden board with a grid inspired by Manhattan’s famous street system.

References

1. Associations of 3-year-olds’ block-building complexity with later spatial and mathematical skills. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7954229/ ↩︎
2. Encouraging Maternal Guidance of Preschoolers’ Spatial Thinking During Block Play. https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.12779 ↩︎