Happy Squash Toys Review + Giveaway (Closed)

If you head to the local giant toy store, you know it’s not easy to find a simple yet totally entertaining toy. Everything seems to make noise, require batteries and / or come from China. So, I’m always on the hunt for fun, affordable and safe toys to encourage imaginative play with Toddler Boy. That’s why I’m paricuarly pleased to introduce Happy Squash Toys!

Happy Squash Toys are handmade wooden toys crafted from sturdy poplar wood with non-toxic, lead-free paints and finishes. Two finishes are available: painted and natural. The painted toys all have two coats of water based paint with a light sanding between coats to provide a smooth and even finish. The natural toys are beautiful with only a beeswax finish. That’s right, the only noise that comes from these toys is the sound your kid makes while having fun, no batteries are needed, they are safe and made in Ohio.

We received the Zoo Animals 3 piece set and Toddler Boy loves them. I haven’t seem him that excited to dig into a box in a while! He immediately started rolling the Elephant, Zebra and Giraffe all over the place. The animals are a good size: Elephant and Zebra are 4 inches tall and Giraffe is 7.5 inches. The paint and detail on each animal is great and they are really, really cute.

So the toys obviously look great, but how do they work and feel? The toys roll easily on the carpet and the table without scratching or leaving marks. They are solid and obviously well made without being too heavy or bulky.

Here’s a quick video so you can see the toys in action. (I know it seems to cut off at the end, but my son starting squealing about getting “a peasant” (i.e. the elephant) out of a box and he seemed a little nuts.)

In addition to a variety of animals, Happy Squash Toys offers dinosaurs and cars in both the painted and beeswax finish. There are even a few wooden games.

To Buy… I think these toys are great and am pleased to recommend them. I think a few of these wooden gems would make a perfect birthday gift for a litte one. Fun, affordable and safe – you can’t go wrong!

Or Not to Buy? I honestly can’t think of a reason not to buy and, in the spirit of giving a balanced review, I tried.

Shop! The Zoo Animals set is available at the Happy Squash Toys Etsy shop for $30. Prices on single cars start at only $4.50 and single animals are priced as low as $9.

Win! One lucky reader is going to receive a set of three animals of your choice: Zoo Animals, Farm Animals or Dinosaurs!

How To Enter: Check out Happy Squash Toys and leave a comment with your favorite toy.

Bonus Entries:
* Purchase any toy from Happy Squash for 5 entries!

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The fine print: Please leave a contact email address in your entry. If you prefer, you may email me your contact info. Winner will be selected using random.org and has 48 hours to claim the prize before another winner is selected. Contest ends 11:59 EST on May 13. Open to international entries.