Some of the best toys don't need a lot of bells and whistles, or even horns, to make them a plaything that kids will love for years. Our newest find is Candylab's stunning, yet durable, wooden toy cars. After Candylab wooden toy cars received some acceleration from a super-successful Kickstarter campaign, six styles are ready to roll up to your house in time for the holidays for any vehicle-loving child and their mid-century-modern-loving parents.
Designed in Brooklyn, made of solid beech wood, colored in water-based paints, and rolling on food-grade rubber tires, Candylab's entire garage of toy cars are the kinds of heirloom quality toys we adore over the plastic options out on the mall store shelves. Each one pays pays homage to 1960's American modernist style. And, oh, what a gorgeous style this is, from the sleek orange GT-10 to the ready-for-speed Carbon 77.
Law- abiding kids may also want to add the Police Cruiser and Fire Chief vehicle to their collections, just in case some of the other models start playing a little fast and loose with speed regulations around the playroom floor.
While these heirloom pieces may look too nice to touch, hey, they're toys. I think they'll look even better once they are broken in a bit. At just over 7" long, these aren't puny compact cars, but will fit well into the hands of kids ages 3 and up. And all they require to go is some imagination. That's the best kind of fuel I know.
You'll find wooden toy car models at Candylab Toys. You can also find them at boutiques like the MoMA store (with a members discount) and indie toy shops like Maisonette.
Plus check our archives for more wooden toys we love that make holiday gifts for babies, preschoolers and beyond.
