Summer tends to shift how children play. Days stretch longer, the boundary between inside and outside loosens, and there's more room for the kind of unhurried, unstructured time that open-ended toys are made for.
This guide pulls together some of our favorite picks across art supplies, outdoor play, music, and games — things we'd reach for ourselves when looking for a birthday gift, an end-of-school present, or simply something worth adding to the shelf. Every item here is made from natural materials, finished safely, and made to last well beyond a single season.
Art Supplies
Summer is a good time to set up an art station — on a porch, at the kitchen table, spread across a blanket outside. These are the supplies that hold up to real creative use.
Stockmar Modeling Beeswax 3-Piece Sets — from $9.95
Soft, warm beeswax that shapes easily in little hands and holds its form. Available in a range of individual colors including red, yellow, blue, orange, and natural. Made in Germany.
Stockmar Beeswax Stick Crayons, Set of 8 — $21.00
The classic eight-color set — carmine red, vermilion, orange, golden yellow, lemon yellow, green, ultramarine blue, and red violet. Non-toxic, richly pigmented, and made in Germany. A solid starting point for any young artist.
Bioland Organic Felting Wool, Mixed Colors 100g — $19.95
Certified organic, plant-dyed wool for wet and dry felting. Useful for making small animals, flowers, or abstract forms. Made in Germany.
Stockmar Beeswax Block Crayons, 12 pcs — $25.40
The block format is more versatile than it looks — the flat side makes broad washes of color, the edge works for finer lines. These last for years. Made in Germany.
Stockmar Water Color Pencils — $38.30
Twelve colors graded according to Goethe's Color Circle, usable dry or wet for watercolor effects. A good bridge between drawing and painting for children who are ready to experiment with both. Made in Germany.
Stockmar Opaque Colour Box Set — $31.10
Twelve pan paints, opaque white, a brush, and a palette in a metal tin. Well suited for children who are ready to explore mixing and layering rather than simply coloring.
Bioland Organic Plant-Dyed Felt Sheets, Rainbow Colors, 6 sheets — $19.95
Six colors of 100% sheep's wool felt, certified organic and plant-dyed. Versatile material for cutting, sewing, or gluing. Made in Germany.
Window Star Kite Paper, Standard Colors — from $18.60
Translucent kite paper in a full spectrum of colors — useful for window stars, lanterns, collage, and light-table work. 100 sheets per pack. Made in Europe.
Stockmar Block Crayons, Set of 32 — $72.00
The complete block crayon set — 32 colors including gold, silver, pearl pink, magenta, and indigo alongside the full spectrum. For children who have outgrown the starter sets and want more range. Made in Germany.
Six Jar Paint Holder with Stockmar Liquid Watercolors & Brush — $119.95
A beechwood jar holder made in Sweden, paired with six Stockmar liquid watercolors and a paintbrush. A complete and well-considered art setup — the kind that makes the act of painting feel deliberate and enjoyable.
Mercurius Potholder Weaving Loom — $65.20
A traditional maple wood weaving loom for introducing children to the rhythm and patience of hand weaving. Includes the frame, weaving hook, two skeins of soft tricot band, a cloth bag, and instructions. Made in Germany. A summer project that produces something real.
Outdoor Play
The best summer toys get children outside and moving. These are built for active play and made to hold up to it.
Debresk Small Wooden Car — $13.90
A simply made wooden car, well suited for outdoor play on patios, in sandboxes, or along garden paths. Made in Sweden.
Debresk Small Wooden Cabriolet — $17.95
A wooden convertible car, also from Sweden. Small enough to carry in a pocket, sturdy enough for outdoor use.
Holztiger Wooden Animal Figures — from $12.50
Handcrafted in Romania from sustainably sourced wood, Holztiger figures work well for outdoor imaginative play — a farm in the garden, a forest in the sandbox, animals along a path. Favorites include the Hedgehog ($13.95), Dalmatian Dog ($14.50), Hen ($15.95), Fox ($19.95), and Dragon ($39.95).
Debresk Small Delivery Van or Fire Truck — $29.95
Swedish-made wooden vehicles with rolling wheels and satisfying heft. Both are well suited for sandbox and patio play.
Haba First Orchard Game — $29.95
A cooperative game for the youngest players, ages 2 and up. Players roll a die, collect fruit, and work together to finish before the raven does. Simple enough for toddlers, engaging enough for a whole family on a summer evening. Made in Germany.
Haba Rainbow Whirls Pegging Game — $39.50
A wooden stacking and pegging game with an open-ended structure — children tend to find their own rules as much as follow the ones included. Made in Germany. Ages 2–6.
The fuller version of the cooperative fruit-harvesting game, for 1–8 players. A reliable choice for mixed-age groups, ages 3–6. Made in Germany.
Round Wobble Balance Board — $54.95
A 16-inch diameter balance board made from sustainable birch plywood in the USA. Non-slip laminate surface, holds up to 300 lbs. Straightforward active play for ages 4 and up.
Labyrinth Balance Board, Jr. — $84.50
Designed for children ages 3–5. This 17×12-inch board guides a marble through a labyrinth while the child balances — a genuine skill-builder that requires real coordination and patience. Made in the USA from sustainable birch plywood.
Labyrinth Balance Board, Sprint! — $99.95
A 22×14-inch version with in-line metal marbles, for ages 5 and up. Holds up to 275 lbs. Made in the USA.
Fagus Wooden Excavator — $215.00
A fully functional wooden excavator awarded "Spiel Gut" (Good Toy) in Germany. Made to be the centerpiece of any sandbox session, with real working mechanics and durable construction. For children who enjoy purposeful, hands-on outdoor play.
Music
These instruments are made for small hands and produce genuinely good sound — not the kind that wears thin after a week.
Auris Classic Stir Xylophone Drum — $29.99
A wooden drum that produces melody when played with a mallet or glass balls. Made in Sweden.
Auris Stirring Xylophone Drums — $37.50
Available in Wave and Melody versions. Both are Swedish-made wooden drums with a gentle, melodic tone — well suited for outdoor play.
Auris Pentatonic Glockenspiel, 7 Tone — $89.95
Seven brass plates, two mallets, and a pentatonic scale that makes it easy for children to find combinations that sound harmonious. Made in Sweden. A considered instrument for children who are ready to explore music with more intention.
Games and Puzzles
Every summer has quieter stretches — a rainy afternoon, a slow morning, an evening when the whole family settles in. These games hold up to all of them.
Atelier Fischer Wooden Nature Memory Game — $74.95
48 birch tiles with 24 pairs of nature imagery, stored in a spruce box. Made in Switzerland. Works well for a wide range of ages playing together.
Atelier Fischer Wooden Nature Lotto Game — $64.95
24 tiles and 4 wooden playing boards. Made in Switzerland. Accessible enough for younger children, engaging enough for older ones alongside them.
Atelier Fischer Mosaic Block Set, 36 Blocks — $59.95
36 maple and spruce blocks for building patterns and designs. Made in Switzerland. Meditative and open-ended — as suited for adults as for children.
Haba Basic Building Blocks Starter Set, 60 pcs — $99.99
60 standard-measure beechwood blocks, compatible with all Haba systems. Made in Germany. A reliable foundation for open-ended building, indoors or out.
Every item in this guide is made from natural materials and built to last beyond a single season. If you have questions about any of these products, we're happy to help.