We're excited to celebrate joy and love this Valentine's Day, and so are our favorite wooden animal friends! A llama that's sending you lots of love and a squirrel that's just nuts about you are a couple of cute animals you can pair up with our hand-drawn printable Valentine's cards.  These wooden animal figures are a great way to skip or limit the candy that traditionally comes with each Valentine's card your children bring home.  Keep the fun going long after Valentine's day. Add these woodland figures to a play scene to create an invitation for imaginary play! Find our hedgehog ..read more

A new year is here. You've made some additions to your playroom during the holidays, but your children--many of whom are spending more time inside or more time home from school-- are at a loss for what to do. You hear "I'm bored!" dozens of times a day. What do you do? Something we love to do is create gentle suggestions for children to ward off play ennui. We are introducing something new at Oompa Toys--play prompts! Play prompts are guides for encouraging play in your home. Below is our full list of Play Prompts for January! We also will be posting a new prompt every Monday, Wednesday and Fr ..read more

If you're a parent you're probably wondering why wooden toys have continued to gain popularity over the last decade. Quite simply, wooden toys are safe for your baby, offer endless options for open-ended play, and will last for years of play. Here at Oompa we vet every single toy company to ensure that all wooden toys we carry are also sustainable. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get about bringing wooden toys into the home. 1) Are wooden toys safer for my baby? Yes! Wooden toys can most definitely be safer for your baby. You may have heard of  BPA and P ..read more

Where did all of these toys come from? It's a question most parents ask ourselves as we navigate a floor littered with more toys than we can count. Each developmental stage and new interest comes with an influx of playthings. Birthdays and other holiday gifts add up, and before we know it, our toyboxes are overflowing, and playtime feels more chaotic than productive.  Don't worry; there’s a solution! Studies show that children's play quality is greatly improved when there are fewer toys at their disposal. It may seem counterproductive, but putting away half of the toy collection could be ..read more

Play is the most amazing learning tool our children have at their disposal. They learn about the world around them and how to navigate it by practicing during play time, even at just a few months old. A developing baby grasps objects and brings them to their mouth to explore texture. Once sitting up, they knock over the tower of blocks you’ve built, or roll the ball away to explore cause and effect. Will they bring the ball back or build a new tower? They’re studying and learning every moment!  Always Choose Safety First It’s important to choose toys that are developmentally appropr ..read more

We get a lot of questions from parents about knowing the right age to introduce classic and key developmental toys. “When should I buy my baby a doll?” or “What’s the right age for a wooden truck?” are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive. With an endless number of toys to choose from, it’s easy to feel overloaded with options and information. Here are our general guidelines, but keep in mind that every child has different needs and may be ready sooner or later than their peers. Always pay attention to age recommendations though, as some small parts might not be suitabl ..read more

Playing with blocks has been a cornerstone of childhood development for generations. The benefits of block play are vast, from learning math skills as children stack and sort to flexing their creative muscles as they construct their own design ideas. Our favorite blocks are made from wood and are crafted with non-toxic, mouth-friendly dyes. Not only is wood more appealing to the touch, but our collection of high-quality and well-constructed blocks are designed to last for generations of play.   Favorite Blocks for Babies (Under 12 Months) Our favorite first blocks for babies must tick th ..read more

As parents we want to protect our children as best we can from anything that could harm them. What's surprising to many parents is that toys (yes—toys!) also fall into the category of things a parent must be cautious about. Over the past several years, the toy industry has made significant changes to the types of products that make it on mainstream shelves with regulations put in place by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. But it's still not a perfect science. It'd be wonderful if you could walk into any small toy store and pluck a toy off the shelves with assurance that it'd be ..read more

We love wood toys for many reasons, among them the attention to detail, the beautiful craftsmanship and the years of play they provide. And another bonus for busy parents is that wood does not require major cleaning or disinfecting. Wood develops a natural patina over time which deepens the character and is part of the toy's lifetime, becoming more beautiful with age and use. Here's how to treat these special items with care. Never Soak in Water First of all, wood is super porous so cleaning your wood toys should never involve soaking them in water. This could cause the toys to warp an ..read more

Kitchen Play allows little ones to express their creativity and imagination while learning important skills like vocabulary building, basic math, and social etiquette. If you haven't already, consider adding a play kitchen and play food to your child's playroom. Playing "house," "store," or "restaurant" are tried-and-true favorite playtime activities with endless opportunities for practicing sharing, turn-taking, and manners. Plus, it builds vocabulary and helps children learn shapes, sizes, colors, and numbers! DESIGNED TO LAST FOR GENERATIONS Inspire gourmet chefs with our a ..read more