As we get closer to holiday season I am continuing my forever toy picks. I will eventually put all of these together in a Holiday Gift guide on the blank page on my blog.. Yes fun stuff is coming soon!! Today I’m talking about wood blocks.

I know what you are thinking.. um boring wood blocks?! Yup! Here is the thing we were gifted this set when my daughter was 1, she loved banging them and putting them in her mouth. Each year they have developed into a toy that both the kids play with differently based on their age.  From building towers to just knock them down to hear the noise (little man) and making beautiful buildings and telling a story about who lives there (little girl). These blocks keep being relevant in their play as they get older so I feel that they are worth a good investment in the beginning to have for years to come.

I know there are a ton of brands and choices out there, because well they are wood blocks! These wood blocks on the other hand are something special. BEKA, Inc. is a specialty manufacturer, producing high quality wood products for over forty years in their family owned St. Paul, Minnesota workshop.  They develop unique modular designs that give you great flexibility in choosing product features in a high quality hard maple by skilled woodworkers. When I first heard about these blocks I then thought.. Why Hard Maple?

Here’s why! 

• Blocks featuring a dense Hardwood have greater durability making them heirloom quality.
• Hard Maple is a sustainably harvested, regional material for a lower carbon footprint.
• Increased stability of “tower’s”, etc. from added weight.
• They are products made from a renewable domestic resource.
• Creative play materials that improve with use (you’ll feel changes in the wood’s “patina” over time).

So if you are just now starting to build your collection of wood blocks I highly recommended this brand and they have a ton of different sets you can buy through Amazon.

Now you might be thinking ok well we have a great wood block set but my kids are getting a little bored! So I found another set that is actually a present for the whole family. You know my love for HABA… they have a series of architectural blocks. When I say that this is gift for the whole family, I lied it’s really for my husband. You see he LOVES Roman and Greek culture, when we visited Rome it was the only thing he cared about seeing was the Coliseum. Now as you can see this has a ton of little pieces so this set is not great for little kids but if you have an avid builder (or a husband) this makes a great present. Keep in mind that this set is made in China, the HABA basic block sets are made of solid, natural, untreated beech wood that comes from sustainable forestry in Germany. There are a few of the architectural sets that are also made in Germany so check the listing if that is an important factor.

As the holidays approach I will be posting many more deals in my Facebook Group so if you are not in that yet head over and request. This is a closed group so to be accepted you will need to answer some basic questions. Have a great Thursday!

Hugs, Ry

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