Melissa & Doug: Most Affordable Wooden Toy Brand

by Joost Nusselder Updated on: August 19, 2023

Melissa & Doug is a wooden toy brand founded in 1988 in Connecticut, America.

They look at the versatility of toys with the solid timelessness that wood offers.

Like building blocks, a staple of children's play since the earliest days, for one simple reason: kids love them.

This set from Melissa & Doug offers all the classic toy versatility, but with the sturdy timelessness that wood offers.

Best cheap wooden toys brand

Melissa & Doug

Their own children play an important role in the development of Melissa and Doug's toys. An idealistic couple with passion make beautiful and solid toys for a good price.

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There are 200 pieces in this set for maximum fun when building, stacking and taking down.

They come in nine different shapes and four different colors (red, blue, yellow, and green), so there's no limit when it comes to building options.

Not only do they inspire creative play and motor and spatial skills, but they can also be used to teach shapes, colors, counting and more in a fun way.

Recommended for ages three to eight, the only limit to what they can do with these blocks is their imagination.

Did you know that Melissa and Doug - from the toys - are real people?

We're talking about a spontaneous couple from the United States who started this great fun toy brand back in the XNUMXs.

While building their company, this couple also raised a family with six children!

These kids play an important role in the development of Melissa and Doug's toys.

Melissa and Doug - an idealistic couple with a passion for children and toys - make beautiful and solid toys.

From puzzles to dolls and from a wooden fishing rod set to toy treats and dress-up sets. You can't think of it as crazy as they have it.

They make a prototype of each successful toy design themselves, first with their own hands.

They ask their children's opinions and let them try out the toy item. Only then do they send it to the factory that produces everything for them.

They want to inspire children and give them food for thought with their toys: they know that our kids are naturally attracted to imitating the behavior of adults.

With that idea they developed, for example, a fantasy game with treats; just like mom and dad, children can buy fruit, vegetables and drinks - in their own shop!

After developing a solid toy series and games for toddlers and preschoolers, Melissa and Doug have also started making inspiring toys for the youngest children.

They now also have a baby toy series.

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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Are Melissa and Doug from America?

Melissa & Doug is an idealist American manufacturer of children's toys, including wooden puzzles, craft products, plush toys and other educational toys.

All products are designed in the Wilton, Connecticut headquarters by a team led by Melissa herself.

What makes Melissa & Doug toys so much fun?

By playing, your children discover themselves: their interests, passions, but also their strengths.

Playing builds social skills and makes all children more resilient. Their cognitive skills are also sharpened in a playful way.

Melissa and Doug keep all these points in their sights perfectly and want to give as many different play experiences as possible to children.

Melissa & Doug let our children experience various play experiences, which is why they have in their collection:

• classic toys, with dolls and puzzles, for example
• games where children have to design themselves
• different types of toys food and treats, kitchens and shops – from the Let's Play House series
• the Mess-Free series, tinkering without making a mess
• 3D or On the Go, tinkering and sticking with 3D stickers
• a dress-up series, with fantasy and professional clothing

Through these fun, creative and cool toys, a child can find out who he really is and what he really likes to do, according to Doug and Melissa.

They want to ensure that children are happy and when they are 'grown up' can build a career that is true to their core.

What does Melissa & Doug toys stand for?

Melissa and Doug are on a 'mission' and want to share their idealistic vision of the world through their toys.

They believe that playing freely, expressing creativity, fantasizing and discovering is of great importance for every child.

All children in the world should have the opportunity to discover their life purpose while playing, they say.

Melissa & Doug want to provide children (and their parents) with a platform that sparks the imagination and a sense of wonder in all children, so that they can discover themselves, their passions and their purpose.

That's why they are committed to making products that encourage creative thinking and encourage children to see new possibilities.

Melissa & Doug want to stand for a better world and therefore call on everyone to unite against racism and show love, compassion and respect for each other.

An interesting fact:

Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatrics has partnered with Melissa & Doug to promote the health benefits of open-ended play game for children?

Melissa & Doug are also researching parents' views on toys.

Experts agree that certain toys are essential for children's development, but what do parents actually think?

Listening to feedback from parents is very important to Melissa & Doug.

What do we like the most Melissa & Doug toys?

The toy range of Melissa and Doug is so extensive and so cool that it is not very easy to make a good choice.

We will choose two of our favorite items for your child from each series:

• classic toys, just like Baby doll Brianna (3-12 years old), who will certainly love to take care of your child, or the Magnetic Wooden Dressing Doll (3-12 years old), who can be dressed in various professional clothing. Your child will be introduced to 8 professions. Or how about the cute wooden stud puzzle with safari theme?
• games where children can design themselves: Make and decorate your own bracelets with the creative Design-Your-Own Bangles set (3-12 years) or create your own wooden Birdhouse (5-12 years) and help the birds hibernate.
• different types of toys food and treats - from the Let's Play House series such as the Wooden Ice Cream Shop Playset (3-12 years) to play shop with and the Snijset Breakfast on board (1-3 years) to cut bread into pieces and make a delicious breakfast for you boyfriends.
• the Mess-Free series, coloring and tinkering without messing with the Water WOW! reusable coloring books (4-12 years) or the Booster Glitter sticker set (5+ years)
• 3D or On the Go tinkering and sticking with 3D stickers with, for example, the reusable sticker pad 3D, which can be used over and over again (3+ years), and the fun Hangman op Reis game (also fun for in the car!) (6-12 years)
• a dress up series including the cool Astronaut Costume (3-6 years) for children who are fascinated by rockets and planets. And what do you think of the cool Vet costume set? For the child who likes to make all animals better.

Let's face it, what's not to like about this toy brand?

All types of toys are covered in the Melissa & Doug collection and children can develop their interests, passions and talents in every way.

All their skills are developed in a playful way, and that's what we all want, right?

A piece of Melissa & Doug history

In the eighties, when Melissa and Doug are both over 20, their successful Start-up story begins, in the garage of Doug's parents.

Since they are both big fans of puzzles, they first decided to take children's puzzles to the next level, by applying different fabrics and materials.

Melissa and Doug work together to get their own children to try out all the toys before putting them on the market.

They have an idealistic attitude and want to let all children in the world play happily.

So they had success with their first 'Fuzzy Farm Puzzle', with the puzzle pieces in different textures, and that's how their dream became a reality.

Their company gradually expanded and they managed to further expand their collection - and also their family.

They moved to a larger, professional space in Connecticut, USA, but always remained personally involved in all choices to this day.

Melissa & Doug will continue to make all prototypes by hand and let their own kids play with them before sending it to the toy manufacturer.

A wonderful company with a mission!

What kind of wood is Melissa & Doug toys made of?

Most of Melissa & Doug's wooden toys are made of MDF.

They are generally not that open and transparent about what exactly their toys are made of. The company itself prefers to simply say 'wood'.

But what exactly is MDF? Is the material of concern? The answer to that is: yes and no. MDF is a concern if the sawdust produced is inhaled. However, that risk disappears once the product is ready and sealed.

But there are those who argue that MDF can still pose a health risk even after the finished product is finished.

As a parent, you should be in control of how to deal with this issue.

In any case, it might be wise to keep an eye on your child when using MDF playing wooden toys, so you avoid putting it in the mouth.

Is Melissa and Doug Montessori a Responsible Toy?

Melissa and Doug is a Connecticut toy manufacturer that has been making beautiful toys since the late XNUMXs.

They offer many toys that fit the Montessori approach to children's materials, but not their entire collection is 'Montessori Responsible'.

This toy is made with great attention to detail.

How do you clean Melissa and Doug's wooden toys?

Use a mild cleaner or just use a damp cloth.

If you want to sanitize, try plain white distilled vinegar. It has natural antibacterial properties without the chemicals.

Melissa & Doug: a fun and educational responsible toy brand

Play is extremely important for healthy brain development in a child; our children learn to understand the world around them.

Toys are an essential tool for learning to understand language.

Play is also a way in which our children develop new skills that build their (self) confidence.

Melissa & Doug toys help your child not only discover what he likes to do most, but also develop all his skills.

By playing our children learn that making mistakes is okay and how they can correct them.

They are allowed to try out all kinds of new things and if they do not succeed with building or tinkering, it is not bad at all in a safe environment.

Play is simply everything for the development of a child and the Melissa and Doug toys help your little one with that!

Hopefully, after reading our article, you have been able to get a good idea about this sympathetic brand!

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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.