Where to buy quality and educational toys in 2025?

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1

Time to start holiday shopping for the young’uns… and I am saddened to see that my go-to stop for good quality toys, Pastorini, has closed.

So - where do you all go, retail or online, for good quality toys for children ages newborn to around six years old? By good quality, I mean well-made, sturdy, wood or metal instead of plastic where possible, moving parts or multiple usage design to get little minds thinking. Bonus points for toys that have an educational bent.

Pastorini used to be a mecca for toys like these. What a shame they are now gone.

I’m specifically interested in ‘Swiss’ toys. Seems the 3-4 year olds are into the train phase; I thought I’d be spoiled for choice for SBB themed toys. But so far all I’ve found is one Brio set and one Lego set. Anyone know of other Swiss train toys out there?

Would be grateful for suggestions of where to shop for children’s toys in 2025…

Many thanks!

1 Like
2

Trauffer has always been my go to for typical Swiss wooden toys

Otherwise I tend to look at the Montessori stuff, I’ve found some nice things in Migros.

Or you could look here

Oh and have a look at Kappla. It looks very simple but kids have hours of fun playing with it and it encourages them to use their imagination.

1 Like
3

Yes, so am I!

A quick search for Holzspielzeuge got me these:

Apfelkiste has loads of stuff and is not specialized on toys so you will have to search through their site for them. I’ve been buying from Apfelkiste over the years, they are a good partner. Quick delivery, free delivery from Fr. 15.00 orders, so far all things I bought were good.

With the other two I don’t have personal experience.

https://www.betzold.ch/

1 Like
4

AliExpress has a decent selection of Montessori inspired wooden (and more) toys. China & Singapore have a VERY strong cultural drive in educating children.

5

If my kids were younger, nowadays I would have been buying used toys in WhatsApp and in the local Toys Börse. I am selling kids clothing in these groups and the offer of toys is enormous.

6

That’s what I often did but I wouldn’t give second hand toys as Christmas gifts for the children of relatives in the US.

2 Likes
7

Montessori inspired? Or Intellectual Property theft?

8

If you use something from the public domain, can you call it theft?

1 Like
9

If Trump goes on like this, the US children will soon get their Christmas presents from the Red Cross and we’ll all have donated.

1 Like