Best wooden toy hammer game: classic hammer tap & more

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Wooden hammer games are super fun. Who didn't grow up with hammer tap? But there are so many different ones!

The best classic is this one from Melissa & Doug. A renowned brand that is sustainable wood used and plants trees back. The game is super sturdy and it is a lot of fun.

In this guide I look at the 6 best games and tell you what to look for when buying.

Best mallet toy

Let's look at all options in a short overview. Then I'll dive deeper into each of these choices.

Best Classic

Melissa & DougHammer Tap Pounding Bench

The nails are stuck in the wooden bench so that it is also suitable for small children and fun from about 2 years.

8.3
Toy score
Product image

Best walker with hammer

JanodBrico Magnetic Trolley

Very sturdy wood and the wheels even have metal axles with rubber surrounds so that it runs smoothly and does not damage your floor.

8.0
Toy score
Product image

Cheap mallet game

Boxiki KidsWooden Hammer Wagon

Good idea to make it so that you can roll and hammer. This makes it more mobile than any other hammer set.

6.8
Toy score
Product image

Most creative hammer toy

Small footPirate Hammer Art

Pirates and their wooden and cardboard accessories hammer on a cork board. Very nice to make creative scenes.

7.9
Toy score
Product image

Most educational hammer toy

KrafticWoodworking Set

This is where it starts to get real. Real hammering with real nails and a very nice first start in handicraft.

8.0
Toy score
Product image

Best toy hammer game for babies

Tender Leaf ToysWoodpecker Hammer Tap

The hammer is a woodpecker and the bench is a tree trunk. This way you can hit the four balls through the hole and they will roll out.

8.4
Toy score
Product image

From toddler to toddler activity book collection

Educational games and coloring pages for 3 to 6 years

Your toddler and preschooler will love this e-book, along with the accompanying printables. He or she can play with it at every stage of development, together with mom and dad.

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Mallet game buying guide

A hammer game must be sturdy and last a long time. After all, they are going to put a lot of effort into it. That's why you pay particular attention to the quality of it wood.

I have assessed all sets for durability and how solidly they are put together.

In addition, the game must be educational. It is a good opportunity to practice fine motor skills, actually at any age.

As they get older, it also becomes more fun to practice other skills, such as creativity or spatial awareness and math.

The most educational sets touch one or more of these planes.

Finally, it should be fun to play with it over and over again. That's why I also rated the replayability.

I have reviewed all of these points and each toys given a score of 1 to 5.

Top 6 Wooden Toy Hammer Game Reviewed

Best Classic

Melissa & Doug Hammer Tap Pounding Bench

Product image
8.3
Toy score
Educational
3.8
Replayability
3.9
Sustainability
4.8
Best for
  • Happy colors
  • Nice system that makes nails come up alternately also gives a game element
Less good
  • They grow out quickly

This is a fun classic. A hammer game with brightly colored figures.

The nails are stuck in the wooden sofa so that it is also suitable for small children and fun from about 2 years.

It is quite a well-developed system with a wood under the nails that swings back and forth as you hit the nails. If you knock one down, the other will come up again.

This makes it a bit more fun for toddlers to play longer, until they realize that one keeps coming up.

Of course perfect for training fine motor skills and hand eye coordination.

A disadvantage is that you don't have to hit very hard to get the nails down, which is also why they will grow out quickly.

Best wooden walker

Janod Brico Magnetic Trolley

Product image
8.0
Toy score
Play value
4.2
Price/quality
3.6
Replayability
4.2
Best for
  • Many activities in one walker
  • Wheels drive very well
Less good
  • Magnet could have been stronger
  • Wheels can fall off
  • Quality tools are disappointing
  • From: 1 years
  • Best: 1 – 4 years
  • Up to: 5 years
  • Material: Wood, MDF
  • Theme: Building and construction, Walker
  • Play Mode: Solo
  • Price at time of writing: €75,75 – $104,86
  • Sustainability: Sustainable production
  • Production: Manufacturing
  • Storage: Storage compartments
  • Safety components: Non-toxic materials
  • Playing Time: Longer (10 – 30 min)
  • Gender inclusiveness: Gender neutral

Very handy to use because of the magnetic suspension points and the box to store everything. The magnets could have been a bit stronger, but with the storage compartments and anti-fall system, the set ultimately scores high on ease of use.

The walker is also extremely versatile, you can walk, build and hammer in one. There are also enough pieces and tools to enable social interaction, which adds to the play value. The set does not really appeal to the imagination and there are also no accessories to immediately look up social interaction.

It's nice to have a little bit of everything. That also makes it a bit of a shame because you can't really build anything nice with the set. It's really more about exploring and hammering and screwing things into the car.

It is made of sturdy wood and the wheels even have metal axles with rubber surrounds so it rolls smoothly and doesn't damage your floor. The durability is therefore high, although the lifespan is somewhat less. The paint quickly showed some scratches with us.

This set is also one of them nicest wooden toys on wheels what we have reviewed here

Cheap mallet game

Boxiki Kids Wooden Hammer Wagon

Product image
6.8
Toy score
Educational
3.2
Replayability
3.9
Sustainability
3.1
Best for
  • Many activities
  • Cheaply priced
Less good
  • Badly finished
  • Nails that you need to hammer in just fit through the holes

Good idea to make it so you can roll and hammer it with some more building activity. This makes it more mobile than other hammer sets.

He also often goes from playing location to playing location so that something is always done with it. We made a string to it so that it can be dragged along.

There are 18 building blocks, 30 screws, 1 hammer and a screwdriver and is suitable for children from 3 years.

Unfortunately, it is a cheaply made car. You also don't pay that much for many activities, but there are also some flaws.

Although the car and the wooden While building pieces are quite sturdy, the plastic screws are not. The nails that you have to hammer in also fit directly into the holes. So that does take some of the game away.

A cheap set to play with, but other sets are better.

Most creative hammer game

Small foot Pirate Hammer Art

Product image
7.9
Toy score
Play value
4.1
Price/quality
3.8
Replayability
3.9
Best for
  • Hammering is done nicely and the wood is sturdy
  • Many objects to come up with creative things
Less good
  • Plate is very small
  • From: 5 years
  • Best: 6 – 7 years
  • Up to: 8 years
  • Material: Wood, FSC Hardwood
  • Theme: Fidget, Robot
  • Play Mode: Solo
  • Price at time of writing: €29,95 – $23,99
  • Sustainability: Sustainable production
  • Production: Manufacturing
  • Storage: Storage compartments
  • Safety components: Non-toxic materials
  • Playing Time: Longer (10 – 30 min)
  • Gender inclusiveness: Gender stereotyping

ease of use, degree of open-endedness, imagination, social interaction, interactivity, versatility, aesthetics, ability to combine, portability, longevity, durability, safety, materials. Educational: +awards and educational value

More of a creative game than a hammer game, but it is a lot of fun to do and hammering right is fun and good for fine motor skills. You need pirates and their accessories wood and hammering cardboard onto a cork board. There are many pieces included that really appeal to the imagination.

It is really hammering and therefore best for children from 6 years. The play value is somewhat lower because these types of toys do not really encourage social interaction and are not as versatile. The replayability is also somewhat lower because the game has to do it on its own, after all it is not very easy to combine with other toys.

Still, it's a game most kids will return to time and time again.

Most educational wooden toys

Kraftic Woodworking Set

Product image
8.0
Toy score
Play value
3.8
Price/quality
4.3
Replayability
4.1
Best for
  • Real hammering and building with nails and glue
  • Good first hobby project
Less good
  • Not all projects are equally good
  • From: 4 years
  • Best: 8 – 10 years
  • Up to: 12 years
  • Material: Wood, MDF
  • Theme: Building and Construction, Woodworking
  • Play Mode: Cooperative
  • Price at time of writing: €39,95 – $43,35
  • Durability: None
  • Production: Manufacturing
  • Storage: Normal
  • Safety components: Non-toxic materials
  • Playtime: Extended (30+ min)
  • Gender inclusiveness: Gender neutral

This is where it starts to get real. Real hammering with real nails and a very nice first start in handicraft. There are 80 wooden pieces to experience a few different constructions. This makes it versatile, and there are also plenty of possibilities to eventually combine the created with other toys. Also good for replayability.

The ease of use could have been a little better. It is a pity that not all projects are equally well developed. The truck was a lot of fun to do but the plane wasn't very clear. Also, the pieces are not labeled, but I think this is on purpose and part of the job so they have to measure and select the correct pieces.

The social interaction in building is good for the play value, and it's probably a project you'll do with your kids.

Best toy hammer game for babies

Tender Leaf Toys Woodpecker Hammer Tap

Product image
8.4
Toy score
Educational
3.9
Replayability
3.8
Sustainability
4.9
Best for
  • Very very strong hardwood
  • Cheerful design also looks good in the interior
Less good
  • Very very pricey

A great classic hammer game in a new cheerful jacket. Suitable for children from 1,5 years.

The hammer is a woodpecker and the bench is a tree trunk. This way you can hit the four balls through the hole and they will roll out.

It helps the baby to practice fine motor skills and is a good sensory experience with real hardwood.

This is really such a set that looks super cute, also just in your interior. But you pay a lot more for it.

Conclusion

There are a lot of hammer tapping games or other hammer games toys. I think every child must have had one in their life because it is very educational.

I hope that with this selection you have found something that suits the age and development of your child.

Also read: these are the 20 best wooden toy brands of the moment

Always something to do for the holidays or rainy day?

Play Choice now has the ultimate activity book collection, with over 60 pages of fun coloring pages and educational puzzles.

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Speelkeuze.nl is a content marketer, father and loves trying out new toys. As a child he came into contact with everything related to games when his mother started the Tinnen Soldaat in Ede. Now he and his team create helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with fun play ideas.