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Beautiful toys that will stand the test of time

Children's wooden toys are a great option if you're looking for a gift for your own child or a little one in your family or friendship group. As we all look for more sustainable options and move away from plastic, going back to wooden toys for kids makes perfect sense.

While not all wooden toys are completely plastic free, choosing a toy that's mostly wooden can help you feel you're doing your bit for the planet. If sustainability is top of your wish list, look for those made with certified wood from sustainable sources.

Be aware, there can be slight differences between toy due to the grain of the wood and the paint effect, which we think just adds to the charm. As does the wear and tear that naturally happens as a child plays with a wooden toy.

There's now such an impressive range of options for wooden toys that your child certainly won't be missing out. Alongside the classic wooden train sets and wooden baby toys, you can get everything from musical toys to role play sets made from wood.

A big plus of wooden toys is how beautiful they look. Toys that really will stand the test of time, the classic look and feel of wooden toys mean they're practically a statement piece of furniture. They'll even look stylish when strewn across the living room or nursery. We also think the timeless quality means they're the perfect toys to keep to pass down to other children in the family.

We've put wooden toys to the test to see which ones are well made and will keep kids' attention. Here are our favourite children's wooden toys to shop now.

A well thought out wooden toy that's perfect for role play, children can build the flowers by stacking them, attach garden bugs to leaves with magnets and tend to their mini garden with a cute watering can, trowel and moving wooden shears.

The whole thing is painted in such a cute and colourful design, plus there's a chalkboard side on the side of the flower box for kids to personalise their garden. Handily, the box doubles up as storage so you can hopefully avoid hunting under the sofa for lost parts.

Two toys in one, little ones can bash away at the wooden balls with a hammer to make them hurtle through the hole and make a musical bang on the xylophone beneath. You can also remove the xylophone to be used independently with the attached mallet.

In our house, the weighty wooden balls are also often used for rolling. This award-winning toy is great for developing fine motor skills and creating an interest in making music. While mostly wood, the head of the hammer is made of plastic.

Playing doctors and nurses has never been so stylish thanks to this scandi-esque wooden doctors kit. From the velcro-topped medicine pot, to the sprung wooden syringe and white wooden stethoscope, every item is well thought out.

The only downside we found is that the metal handle on the cardboard case came loose after a while, but it's easily reattached. Great for role play and a toy that you'll definitely want to keep and pass down.

The good news is you can currently save 30% on this toy, down from £28.00 to £19.60.

Toddlers will love this set of five wooden boxes – each with its own musical element. From a drum to a rattle and a mini xylophone, this toy has plenty to keep them busy. As well as making (thankfully, not too loud) music, these are great for stacking, packing and building, too. The boxes fit neatly into each other, meaning they're easy to pack away or take out for the day.

While mostly wood, there are some metal and plastic elements, if you're hoping for a completely plastic-free toy. But otherwise, this would make a cracking gift kids will return to for a few years.

A big plus point of wooden toys is how aesthetically pleasing they are. And this is certainly the case when it comes to this beautiful wooden pram from Danish brand Moover. Made from birch veneer, the timeless design is one to be treasured and passed down the family.

We found it quickly became a go-to toy – light, easy to push and ideal for tucking in a cuddly toy or doll, it's brilliant for toddler role-play. We love the deep red colour, but this stylish toy pram is also available in light blue, navy blue, pink and white.

This adorable duck is great for babies starting to take their first steps – and is plenty of fun for older toddlers, too. The flappy felt feet raise a giggle and make this little duck character come to life.

It's regularly reached for in our house, even if the poor duck is sometimes bashed against the floor rather than taken for a nice walk. There's also a T-Rex version available for dino fans.

An ideal first train set, this adorable 18-piece toy includes a wooden track to piece together, a train and carriages that join together with magnets and various characters and houses to keep kids entertained.

We love the attention to detail, meaning the character pieces have a front and back view. A classic toy that will soon become a favourite. While mostly wooden, the train wheels are plastic.

We love this adorable play panel. From the velcro curtains to open to the turning wheel, donkey rattle, mirror, puzzles and more, this toy will keep entertaining a baby for a good while. This farm-themed activity board has fabric loops so you could attach it to the side of a cot (while baby is awake), playpen or safety gate.

While mostly made from wood and fabric, there are a few plastic beads in the board. A beautiful design, you'll love the look of this almost as much as your baby will.