I recently had the pleasure of getting my hands on the Wooden Castle Building Blocks from Playful Little Hearts, and I must say — this set has truly captured our imaginations. If you like beautiful, tactile toys with endless creative potential, this may well be one to fall in love with. Here’s what I found, in true maker-style.
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✅ What I Love
• Quality of Material & Finish
The blocks are made from beechwood, which is wonderfully sturdy and smooth. No sharp edges, nice grain, solid weight — you can feel that they’ll last. They also smell like proper wood rather than that cheap “pressed board” scent. Feels like something handmade (even though it’s manufactured) — very satisfying to handle.
• Design & Function
With 21 wooden castle blocks plus a tray for storage, the set gives just enough variety to build castles, towers, fortresses, or imaginative fantasy play setups. The shapes are well thought out, and because they’re consistent in sizing, stacking and balancing are surprisingly forgiving.
Also love the storage tray — makes clean-up easier (and hides temptation when I want some quiet time!).
• Imaginative Play & Open-Ended Possibility
This is where it shines. My child (and I confess, I too) have used these to build so many different ideas: castles with battlements, secret doorways, multi-level fortresses, sometimes even merging with other wooden toys. They also pair nicely with the Lucite cubes that the company shows in other photos (though those are sold separately). The transparent blocks and wood together bring in light and shadow play which is great for sensory/tactile interest.
• Aesthetic & Gift Appeal
These are beautiful toys: muted wood tones, clean design. They look great displayed on a shelf and feel like heirloom-quality. If you’re buying something that will be out in the open, not hidden in a toy box, this one works very well.
