Wooden Toys For Christmas

Over the last couple of years the availability of wooden toys has grown massively and the range of toys on offer is huge. We have always bought a selection of different toys and I have to say that whilst I love wooden toys, I haven't bought a huge amount of them as they can be very expensive and I end up not wanting the kids to play with them for fear of them being damaged!

It now seems that more accessible brands are finally coming on board with the slow toy movement, one of those being Asda. When I discovered their new wooden toy range I was really surprised at not only the selection, but also the prices.

We were offered two of their range to try out, so I opted for the doll's house for Miss H and the pirate ship for Little J. At only £35 for the doll's house and £25 for the pirate ship it really isn't a lot of money to spend. even if they don't match other brands' standards.

However when both toys arrived, I could not believe the quality of them. We tried out the pirate ship first, and after slotting the pieces together (no screws required!), both children really enjoyed playing with the wooden pirates, treasure chest and canons that came along with it.

We added in some 'treasure' and some innocents to capture and they were swept up in their little stories. I love listening to them reenact the scenes that come into their imaginations and often overhear familiar tales from our own lives - often there is a mummy who tells the children what to do and a daddy who goes to work!

The ship is a lovely replica of the pirate ships the children see in their shows, with red and white sails, a helm and even an anchor.

It can be pulled apart by a boisterous toddler, however slots back together so easily it doesn't matter. The anchor has already had some hammering as J likes to use it as a lead to pull the boat along with, but so far it has held up.

 
If that wasn't enough, the dolls house is even more impressive. It has quite a few pieces that need slotting together, but I was impressed at how clever the design was. Once the roof was screwed into place (four screws with this one), it was completely solid.

All sides of the house are beautifully decorated with climbing flowers, pink shutters and wavy roof tiles.

The front of the house is held closed by a magnetic clasp and when the roof is lifted and the front pieces pulled open, it reveals a three storey house with wooden staircase and five rooms ready to be filled with furniture.

You can buy a furniture set to go along with this house, which will be a little gift from Santa for H, but for the time being we filled it with various pieces from her Mickey Mouse, Peppa Pig and Sofia The First sets.

I really think this house is beautiful and H gasped when she saw it. Even Mr H was impressed with its size and how study it is when put together. A doll's house is just one of those things you always want your little girl to own and at £35 you can have a toy that I think will last for many years to come at a fraction of the price you would expect to pay.

I cannot rate this range highly enough. For anyone who is looking for a beautiful toy that will become a cherished piece then do give these a try. There are lots of different toys to choose from, from a fire station to a play kitchen and they all look just as beautiful crafted as those we have tried out. If you want to have a look at these toys, and what else is in the wooded toy range, do give the Asda website a visit, they will make some fantastic gifts from Santa this year.

*We were sent these toys FOC to try out, however all opinions are my own.