FAO SCHWARZ Wooden Castle Building Blocks Set | 150 Piece Set | Toy Review
In this article, I am going to give you an honest look at a top-selling FAO SCHWARZ Wooden Castle Building Blocks Set. I will give an in-depth Sustainable Toy Review. But first, my name is Christina and I have had the opportunity to go hands-on with many toys while parenting five kids spanning 19 years. I always call it the good, the bad, and the ugly with the toys I have seen. Owning an e-commerce toy store alongside my parenting of 5 children has given me more toy experience than I have ever thought I would have. I have also had the pleasure of speaking with the President and CEO of major Toy manufacturers asking for my advice on different toys and have been featured on several podcasts.
I will bring all my experience and knowledge together to give you the most comprehensive toy review possible. A product description will be given and then my Sustainable Toy Review for FAO SCHWARZ Wooden Castle Building Blocks Set, Pros/Cons, and an FAQ featuring: Where does the castle fit into the sustainable toy category? Who is FAO Schwarz? What is the castle made of? Is it eco-friendly?
Product Description:
- BEAUTIFUL & EDUCATIONAL BUILDING BLOCKS SET FOR KIDS that will help spark your child’s imagination and creativity while promoting the development of essential skills! Surprise your preschooler with the most exciting and thrilling wooden castle-building block set!
- BUILD THE MOST FASCINATING CASTLES, BRIDGES, ARCHES & TOWERS by using the 150 durable and safe interchangeable building blocks! Your little engineer can unleash her creativity to build a different medieval castle every single day!
- HELP YOUR CHILD DEVELOP FINE-MOTOR & PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS by building this fantastic wooden castle! The different pieces combined with the unlimited building possibilities will help develop hand-eye coordination and spatial skills while having fun! It’s the perfect holiday or Christmas gift for any child!
- TRANSPORT YOUR CHILD TO A MEDIEVAL FANTASY LAND WITH A UNIQUE GIFT? Surprise your preschooler with the FAO Schwarz premium natural wooden castle building blocks set, an most exciting and stimulating birthday, Christmas or
- holiday gift!
| Best Sellers Rank | #61,632 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games) #239 in Toy Stacking Block Sets #736 in Preschool Building Sets #2,032 in Toy Building Sets |
|---|---|
| Customer Reviews |
4.8 out of 5 stars |
Christina’s Toy Review consists of 5 standardized criteria categories:
1. Sustainability:
A. Product: Solid wood made of lightweight pine, natural, and unfinished wood with zero plastic components.
B. Packaging: Recyclable printed cardboard box, good quality, can be used for storage.
C. Origin/Company: FAO Schwartz is a premium toy line, however, most of their toys do not fit into a sustainable wooden toy category as their mission towards sustainability is very unclear. Made in China. If you find it on their page, please let me know. FAO Schwarz Home Page
2. Playability:
A. Open-ended: Blocks are intended to build a castle structure, however, the blocks can easily build or make countless other structures with a child’s imagination.
B. Active Parent engagement: Both myself and my husband like to build these blocks with our kids.
C. Playtime: This set of blocks is great for just creating new buildings each time, or paired with a set of mini knights can give 30 min to an hour of imaginative play.
3. Durability:
A. Craftmanship: These are lighter-weight pine, which means minor denting occurs on softer wood.
B. Quality: Castle blocks are in the “smaller block” size category. If they were a bit heavier and closer to the “standard block unit” size larger blocks, I think they would be more impressive.
C. Price/Value: $44 is a bit high for the price, however, there are not many options of castle-style blocks that are gender-neutral (not pink princess castle style) or not baby-like. This set is definitely playable best for the older child 4 years plus.
4. Longevity:
A. Landfill or Heirloom: Castle blocks can easily last many years without being damaged. The blocks are made of softer pine-type wood and will dent or have minor imprints after play.
B. Lifespan of Toy (Age Range): This set of blocks is definitely best for ages 4 years to 12 years. My 3-year-old does better with larger and heavier blocks with his motor skills. These blocks take more skill, patience, and thought to create designs in which older children enjoy. Overall, this block set will last with your child for up to 8 years giving it an exceptional “toy life.”
C. Multi-age Families: I think this set is great for families with multiple aged children if your youngest is over 3 years old due to choking hazards with the small fence pieces.
5. Versatility:
A. Combinable with other toys: The Wooden Castle Blocks Set set can be used with small knights or princesses or any smaller-sized wooden animals. These are smaller blocks so they are too small to work with larger standard unit blocks.
B. Creativity Function: This castle set is not a basic block to be used to build a ball run or a very large tower. Blocks construct creative scenes and architecture.
C. Storage: A box is a sustainable form of storage however it wasn’t intended for this purpose as it does not have a handle.
Pros:
- Spend endless hours building awe-inspiring castles, bridges, and towers and role-playing the medieval life of knights and legendary warriors!
- Kid-Approved & Parent-Recommended Building Blocks Set for Every Little Engineer, Knight, and Princess!
- Fun, exciting, and stimulating construction set for your preschooler
- Great for Hand-Eye Coordination, Creative Thinking, Spatial Reasoning, Motor Skills, Problem-Solving Skills, STEM
Cons:
- Blocks are a little smaller than many other similar block sets
- A few reports on splintering
- Made in China
- The product description says toddler but its minimum age is 4+. Some parents think this is misleading.
FAQ:
Why Choose the FAO Schwarz Wooden Castle Set?
Unlimited Building Possibilities – Mix and match the various sizes and shapes to build and re-build castles of every design! Natural Wood – Spoil your child with these gorgeous, safe, and durable natural wood blocks! Help Your Child Develop Essential Skills. Spark your child’s creativity while developing fine-motor skills, problem-solving skills, spatial awareness, and teamwork! Spend quality time with your child and enjoy an amazing educational experience while having fun! STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) toys give kids the building blocks for future success.
What’s in the Box?
150 natural wood blocks in various shapes and sizes including bridges, turrets, arches and towers.
Is this Wooden Castle Set eco-friendly?
Yes. Made of 100% pine wood.
Who is this product best for?
Ages 4+.
Do I personally recommend this product?
Yes. There are always better quality block sets out there and I will mention some below. I do like many of the unique castle pieces which lead to a new adventure during every playtime.
Where can the product be purchased? At the best price?
It’s normally available on Amazon at the price of just under $50.00.
Who is FAO Scharwz?
What Product Alternatives Should I Consider:
- This 102-piece extra large starter set from HABA is suitable for beginner to expert architects ages 1 – 8 years.
- Shapes are in standard measurements 1.75″ x 1.75″ and compatible with all building systems from HABA including My First Ball Track, Marble Runs, and Dominos.
- Contents Include 16 square blocks, 14 rectangular blocks, 16 slats, 8 triangles, 4 bridges, 10 columns, and 34 special building blocks.
- For HABA responsibility is written in capital letters. Made of solid, natural, untreated beech wood that comes from sustainable forestry in Germany.
- Blocks have been proven to help children learn spatial reasoning and help foster a healthy imagination.
Castle Wooden Block Set | Made in the USA
- Crafted from locally sourced, sustainably harvested maple hardwood, this Castle Wooden Block Set is perfect for hours of play with King and his Court.
- There are 21 pieces, including 11 pieces for the castle, 2 mounted knights, a court jester, a catapult, a wizard, a knight, a king and queen, a sword in the stone, and of course a dragon.
- Each piece is 1″ wide for stability and easy play for small hands.
- The colorful non-toxic graphics are kid-friendly and are printed on one side of each block.
- Each set comes in a reusable box for storage.
- National Parenting Center 2016 Seal of Approval
Wooden Castle Blocks – Orchard PlanToys (5543)
- Let your imagination run wild and build a medieval fantasy world complete with a functional catapult, a king and queen, 2 knights, a horse, and even a flying dragon!
- Wooden Castle Blocks – Orchard PlanToys (5543) consists of 47 pieces.
- PlanToys manufactures in a sustainable way from recycled rubberwood.
- Ideal for children who will have a great time with it.
- These castle blocks not only stimulate the imagination but also practice fine motor skills.
- Age: 3yrs+
Fairy Tale Wooden Blocks PlanToys (5650)
- Little princes and princesses can create a happily ever after world with this beautiful set of Fairy Tale Blocks from Plan Toys.
- Use the gorgeous 35-piece set to construct endless variations on castles and smaller houses.
- The magical building set includes a variety of colored PlanWood blocks and non-colored wooden blocks (see image).
- Includes a prince, a carriage, and two horses. The prince doll can sit in the carriage, which can be constructed with an open or closed top.
- Horses can pull the carriage with the attached sturdy cord loop.
- Encourages creative, cooperative play.
- Appropriate for ages 3+.
Products To Avoid:
- Other knockoffs from China (See my Why China Toys are Bad?)
- Melissa & Doug Standard Unit (China)
- Timfuis Wooden Building Blocks
Summary:
Overall, this Wooden Castle Blocks Set has provided my kids with constructive playtime and fun. With each new playtime, this set provides various creative experiences with a “new build” resulting. These blocks are wonderful for older children 4+ and are gender-neutral. It stores neatly in a box that doesn’t take up much storage space. I recommend these for families of multi-children aged 3+ and for active parent engagement. Amazon rating of 4.8 stars from 1,336 reviews.