As one of the most iconic toy brands in the world, FAO Schwarz has been delighting children for over 150 years with their high-quality plush animals, extraordinary life-size stuffed animals, and exciting selection of puppets, games, vehicles, and toys fit for an aspiring architect. One product line that encourages young minds to build, create, and explore imaginative worlds is FAO Schwarz wooden blocks.
These timeless wooden blocks inspire open-ended play while helping develop key skills. Whether your child envisions building an enchanted castle, royal fortress, or even infrastructure like bridges and towers, FAO Schwarz block sets spur creativity and fun.
This beginner’s guide will explore the magical world of FAO Schwarz wooden blocks including:
- Benefits of wooden block play
- Types of FAO Schwarz block sets
- Key features and components
- Comparison to other block sets
- Creative activity ideas
- Care and maintenance tips
Let’s start building!
Why Wooden Blocks Are Great Playtime Learning Tools
Wooden blocks offer greater versatility and enjoyment compared to plastic blocks. The smooth sanded wooden blocks easily stack to form <b><i>castles</i></b>, buildings, roads, and anything kids dream up. Unlike flimsy cardboard blocks, the solid wood construction ensures creations remain intact for ongoing play.
Beyond sturdiness, wood blocks win over parents thanks to their eco-friendliness and warm aesthetic suitable for any playroom.
Here are key developmental perks children gain playing with wooden blocks:
- Spatial intelligence – Visualizing and problem-solving to construct different structures
- Math skills – Counting, sorting, stacking, patterns, symmetry
- Fine motor control – Precision when placing blocks
- Creativity – Making up stories and scenes with structures
- Communication – Collaborating on building ideas with others
- Confidence – Sense of achievement seeing their built creation
Wooden blocks prepare little hands and minds for later STEM and STEAM learning. Playing with blocks utilization both sides of the brain and multiple skill areas.
While any wooden block set lets kids build, FAO Schwarz takes the play experience to majestic new heights.
FAO Schwarz Wooden Block Collections
The FAO Schwarz name promises premium quality, creativity, and nostalgia. They offer various block sets to delight toddlers through school-aged children.
Popular wooden block collections include:
Wooden Castle Blocks
- 75-piece and 60-piece castle themed sets
- Build royal castles with arches, turrets, towers, and more
- Includes 2 toy kingdom figures
- Ages 3+
Safari Adventure Blocks
- 75-piece wild animal themed blocks
- Build zoos, parks, habitats for lions, zebras, giraffes
- Includes 2 toy animal figures
- Ages 3+
Farm Life Blocks
- 60-piece farm themed blocks
- Construct barns, stables, fences, and farmhouses
- Includes farmer and cow figures
- Ages 3+
Magnetic Building Blocks
- 60-piece magnetic wooden blocks
- Build anything and magnets keep pieces firmly stacked
- No glue or connectors needed
- Ages 3+
While young kids tend to gravitate toward thematical block sets, you can spark additional projects by integrating blocks with other toys like model train sets, wooden toy animals, toy buildings, and toy vehicles. Mixing materials ignite more possibilities.
Special Edition Collections
Beyond classic themed sets, FAO Schwarz occasionally releases special edition wooden blocks in partnership with iconic storybooks, movies, or historical landmarks:
- Wizarding World blocks with a Harry Potter theme
- Statue of Liberty blocks palette
Special editions make wonderful gifts for young builders with particular interests while retaining all the open-ended build and play value of regular block sets!
Key Components Included in FAO Schwarz Block Sets
Along with an ample number of wooden blocks carved into architectural shapes like columns, arches, bricks, and roof tiles, most sets come with:
- 2-4 wooden toy figures fitting the theme like knights, cowboys, or jungle animals
- Cotton storage bag with cinch closure and handle
- Activity cards showing sample creations to spark kids’ imaginations
- Most cards feature one-side simple structures, flipside advanced builds
- Parent tip card for ways to extend creative open-ended play
Storage bags allow easy clean up and prevent lost pieces. Bonus activity cards provide helpful inspiration jumping off points while allowing plenty of room for unique designs.
Comparison to Other Wooden Block Brands
How does FAO Schwarz block measure up against other top wooden block sets on the market? Here is a brief brand comparison:
Melissa & Doug– Highly realistic designs, sturdy construction, pricier
Hape– Emphasis on eco-friendly materials, creative shapes, slim color palette
Woodkins– Smaller sets but emphasis on storytelling themes, figures
Lovevery Block Set – Curated for specific developmental stages, minimalist, costly
FAO Schwarz – Iconic legacy brand, larger sets, elaborate themes, quality focused
While there are many wonderful wooden blocks now available, the FAO Schwarz brand distinction comes from their heritage as an established leader in high quality toys combined with their magical store experiences. For many parents, gifting a set of FAO Schwarz blocks equates to giving a cherished heirloom destined to ignite grandchildren’s imagination just a like they enjoyed as a child. That rich nostalgia gets passed along to the next generation.
Creative Activity Ideas with FAO Schwarz Wooden Blocks
Unleash your child’s creativity by trying out these engaging block activities:
Block Play Storytelling
Encourage kids to make up stories featuring structures and figures. Ask open-ended questions to keep tales unfolding. Add voices for figures brought to life.
Neighborhood Building
Brainstorm familiar community places to recreate like the family home, local park, a schoolhouse, storefronts, restaurant, and other destination kids recognize.
Design Challenges
Pose fun engineering tests like building arches able to hold so many pounds before collapsing, designing a castle to withstand a mock earthquake test, or constructing the tallest tower possible.
Integration with Other Toys
Combine with train sets, dollhouses, action figures, toy cars, and stuffed animals to construct entire interactive worlds for endless play.
There are no limits on where wooden block play can take your child’s imagination. It is often parents finding the challenge pulling kids away at bedtime!
Proper Care and Storage of Wooden Blocks
Follow these handy tips to help wooden blocks retain their beauty and function after repeat play sessions:
- Wipe with clean damp cloth to remove dust and dirt
- Avoid soaking or submerging blocks in liquid
- Check for splinters before first use and periodically
- Store in included bag or sturdy storage bin
- Display favorite structures as decorative art pieces
- Hand wash figures and props if needed
- Assess wear and replace damaged blocks as needed
Well cared for wooden blocks can provide years of enjoyment passed between siblings or saved as keepsake toys for the next generation. Not only do the blocks withstand the test of time, the memories made playing with them create a meaningful legacy.
The world of FAO Schwarz encourages the child in all of us to dream big. May their magical wooden blocks ignite wonderfully wild worlds in the minds of your little ones for years to come!
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some questions about FAO Schwarz wooden blocks? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions:
What are the best FAO Schwarz wooden blocks for toddlers?
For children under age 3, I recommend starting with the 60-piece Farm Life or Pet Palace sets. These feature chunkier, simpler block shapes they can easily grasp and stack. Bright colors and cute animal figures appeal to toddler interests as well.
How do FAO Schwarz wooden blocks compare to Lego, Magna-Tiles, or other top brands?
FAO Schwarz blocks win for their solid wood construction, elaborately themed kits, premium quality and collectibility. While the plastic bricks of Lego and magnetic tiles foster creativity too, parents love FAO Schwarz blocks as heirloom toys.
Are there expansion packs available to grow my collection?
Yes, FAO Schwarz offers addon packs to supplement popular core sets. You can add to your royal castle or fire station themes. They sell smaller packs with unique pieces or figures to enable bigger builds. Sold separately.
What are smart ways to store and organize all the pieces?
Utilize the included cotton storage bag for cleanup. I recommend a compartmentalized storage bin with built-in sorting system to easily identify and grab needed blocks or figures during playtime. Labeling helps too.
Do FAO Schwarz wooden blocks have small parts hazards?
Unlike smaller Lego-sized bricks, FAO Schwarz blocks are sized well for little hands ages 3 and up to safely grasp and manipulate. However, some sets do include smaller props like treasure chests that warrant close parental supervision for ages 3-6.
Can I return FAO Schwarz blocks if my child doesn’t enjoy them?
FAO Schwarz offers a 90 day return window provided the item is unused with original tags still attached. If opened but the toy itself is not damaged, you can exchange for another FAO Schwarz product your child may enjoy more.
Where are FAO Schwarz wooden blocks manufactured?
As a high quality toy maker since 1862, FAO Schwarz makes most wooden blocks and other specialty toys at their designated manufacturing facilities in Europe. Their plush animals are produced in China. All toy factories adhere to strict specifications and working standards.