We've got a coupon for The Wooden Wagon

The Wooden Wagon has offered our readers a coupon code for the month of November. "STB1109" is good for 10% off your next online order through 11/30. With so many wonderful wooden toys and ornaments on their website, this is a great way to get started on holiday shopping. Here are a few suggestions, all made in Germany.

Pumpkin Rattle Doll ($25.00)



This is the very first toy that I bought for Arielle, before she was even born. Pumpkin Baby is a soft rattle that always sat in the corner of Arielle's bed. She was handed-down when Linnea was born, and now she lives in Linnea's bed. Pumpkin baby is made of soft, cotton terry that seems to be delicious to chew on and still looks good after many many washings.

Little Amsterdam building blocks from Haba ($72.00)



This is an awesome set of blocks. It's definitely not for babies because some of the figures are quite small, but it is a great set when your child is ready for something more complicated. And, it works well combined with the Haba baby blocks. The figures make it more than just a block set. This is Arielle's favorite. Mine too. I like building very modern buildings which Linnea knocks down. There's a total of 166 pieces, so you get quite a lot of blocks for the price.

Varialand Puzzle Tiles from Selecta ($28.50)



This is another favorite at our house. Varialand is a free form puzzle. Eighty tiles are printed with flowers, animals, building parts, etc. that can be combined in any way the child desires to form pictures. I like to have Arielle make up a story about hers, a great pre-reading (or any reading level) skill.

A Coupon from The Wooden Wagon

The Wooden Wagon sent us a new coupon to share. It is good for 15% any order during June. If the cute coupon isn't showing up for you, the code is "JUNE09".

Check out their New Arrivals for page for some beautiful new toys.

Sleepyhead Baby Doll ($29.95)

1001 Nights Building Set ($99.00)



Bird Tree Puzzle ($25.75)

Update on Our Toys from The Wooden Wagon

When I last reviewed The Wooden Wagon, I mentioned that I planned to purchase The Birds Stacking Tower ($32.50) and the Wooden Rainbow Stacking Boxes ($57.75).

Bird Stacking Tower

This toy is beautiful. A few months ago, Linnea (now almost two) really enjoyed this as a stacking toy, and the pieces are great for individual play. However, to Linnea, the base without the birds looks like a hammer. And toddlers with hammers......... well, not pretty. Perhaps it is fortunate that the dowel comes off, so the hammer doesn't last so long. But, the dowel is just right for poking into heating grates. But Arielle (four years old) loves playing with the birds. This is truly a nice stacker, but once your child discovers "Hammer!!!", put the stacker away for a few months. Then take it out again when your children are ready to use the birds for more imaginative play.










Wooden Rainbow Stacking Boxes - large



These Rainbow Stacking Boxes are definitely one of our favorite toys. In fact, if I were stranded on a deserted island with two children and one toy, this would be the toy to have because it is so versatile. Arielle uses the boxes to build apartment buildings for finger puppets, to stir up acorn soup, to carry around treasures, and to tuck small stuffed animals in for their naps. Linnea puts things in them and stacks them up - and they are sturdy enough to stand up to numerous games of "Tower fall!!! Boom!" or to be climbed on for general mischief making. These are an investment toy that will last an entire childhood. Boom!


The Wooden Wagon is offering our readers free shipping through October.

Store Review: The Wooden Wagon

I'm really happy to be reviewing one of my favorite sites this week. The Wooden Wagon features toys and folk art imported directly from Europe (mostly Germany). They also feature a few specially chosen American brands such as Sarah's Silks, Fairy Finery and Heartwood Arts. The toys at The Wooden Wagon look like they belong in Santa's Sleigh.

The Wooden Wagon began when the Frost family's eldest child was born, and the Frosts discovered how difficult it is to find good wooden toys in the United States. Like many of us, they found the toys in their local stores to be lacking -- both in quality and in play value. However, toys were so different when they visited the toy shops near their family in Germany. In Germany, well-crafted wood toys were the norm, not the exception. When they brought these toys back to the U.S., people asked where they could find them, and the Frosts found themselves saying again and again, "I'm sorry, you can't get them in America." And from that, a family business was created.

While some of the German brands (Such as Spiel and Holz, Haba and Selecta) are offered on other sites, the selection differs. I especially like this set of Spiel and Holz wooden blocks ($60.00), and wish I had a child of the appropriate age to enjoy them. If anyone owns them, or plans to buy them, post a comment and let me know if they are as wonderful as they look.

Another German brand is Fagus. The Wooden Wagon features a large selection of Fagus Trucks. These trucks (many of which are winners of the Spiel Gut award) are made of beechwood in a workshop for the disabled in Germany. I don't own one, but I have heard nothing but praise for these trucks.

Pallet Truck ($66.00)



And the forklift to load it ($65.95). This looks like so much fun to me.


The Wooden Wagon also offers products that are unique to them. Such as beautiful, hand made German Waldorf dolls and doll house dolls ($13.95-$19.95), wool play cloths ($29.95), and a huge selection of Christmas ornaments.

Sarah ($50.00) is an 11 inch doll. Check out those cheeks!



Music Box($24.95)



Elephant Ramp Walker ($21.00)

And, this amazing Baby Activity Center ($130).
I wish I could rationalize buying this. It's so much nicer than the plastic activity centers available at super stores.
So, what did Sara buy? Hee hee! I can't wait for Christmas to see my daughter's faces when they see these fantastic dolls peeking out of their stockings.
Paula Gnome ($38.50)



Mama Dwarf ($25.00)



Paula and Mama Dwarf arrived today and are now safely hidden in the laundry room. They are about ten inches tall and made out of organic cotton and stuffed with 100% new wool. The tag says that "only raw materials stemming from permanently controlled bio-cultivation are used, guaranteeing zero content of noxious matters" - so safe for children AND environmentally responsible. And so cute and unique! They really look like they came straight from Santa's work shop.

The Wooden Wagon is offering free shipping with discount code STB07 until 12/31/2007.