What’s all the wobble about?! These awesome wooden balance boards for your toddler to rock’n’roll.
What’s so great about wooden balance boards?
There are lots of reasons to love them.
Wooden balance boards — also called wobble boards, rocker boards, Montessori boards, Waldorf boards — are a U-shaped toddler balance toy.
They are essential for active play and offer all kinds of play-time benefits.
Through all the smiles and giggles, your little ones won’t realize they’re learning and growing.
Let’s get rocking!
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Big 3 Balance Board Benefits
What are the benefits of a balance board for kids? Both exciting and developmental — here are the big 3 ways toddlers benefit from playing with balance boards.
Motor Skills
Balance boards boost gross motor skills like balance, strength, agility, and fine motor skills through balance board play activities. Look forward to better body awareness, core strength, and overall motor development. It’ll improve your child’s posture too.
Cognitive Development
Yes, balance boards improve cognition for kids too. Physical play is the best way for toddlers to connect the dots between their brain and muscles. They’ll learn spatial awareness and problem-solving as they navigate the space around them.
Since friends can play together, balance boards speed up emotional development and spur positive interactions between two or more tots. Your child will develop creativity and imagination as they come up with countless new play ideas.
Healthy Exercise
No matter which stage of development, fostering a healthy exercise routine is one of the best life habits toddlers can learn. The old Chinese saying goes “Healthy body, healthy mind”. Here’s to leading a healthy and fit lifestyle early in life.
For families where athletics are important, the balance board is one of the best early childhood play equipment money can buy. By getting an indoor climbing toy (like the Pikler triangle) for your child at an early age, they’ll be on the right track to sports success later in life.
Perfect for little dancers and gymnasts as well as runners and wrestlers.
Toddler Balance Boards: Top Picks
In a hurry? Here’s a top 12 list of the best wooden balance boards & wobble boards for toddlers — and a few parents can use too!
- Bunny Hopkins has the freshest rainbow design
- Little Dove is a popular pick with colorful felt bottoms
- Wobbel Board is the original wooden wobble board (what started it all!)
- Kinderfeets Kinderboard is a good value classic Waldorf-style rocker
- Kate Haa is my absolute favorite premium pick (at a premium price!)
- Tree Sounds are the most eco-friendly on the list
- Kimboo offers a bold Choco Brown dark wood finish
- YES4ALL Kindergarten Rocker is Amazon’s best-selling budget option
- Whirly Bird Agility Trainer is shaped like a skateboard (for all ages)
- StrongTek Professional Wooden Balance Board is useful & functional (for all ages)
- YES4ALL Round Balance Board is the best 360-degree circular board (for all ages)
- All Alive Balancing Circle Board is an all-natural 360 round board (toddler-perfect)
Best Wooden Balance Boards For Toddlers & Kids
What is the best wobble board for kids? If you prefer eco-friendly playthings for your child, wooden wobble boards are the best.
Here’s an in-depth roundup review of the 12 best wood balance boards.
1. Bunny Hopkins – Freshest Design
What’s to love about Bunny Hopkins?
First, the name is so cute!
And their rainbow balance board follows suit.
Bunny Hopkins serves up the freshest color palette. One look at the bright rainbow underneath — you’ll see how great Bunny Hopkins’ boards look.
Their boards come in two sizes — starter and regular. So it’s worth a peek if you’re looking for a baby-sized balance board to get started.
I love the meaning behind their diversity wobble board. Like a four-color rainbow of skin tones hues, it’s a progressive way to teach your toddler about racial diversity early in life.
2. Little Dove – Colorful Felt Bottom
Made from natural beech and birch wood — here’s a wooden balance board with essential features at an affordable price.
Felt on the bottom keeps floors from getting scratched plus adds stability when rocking.
Surprisingly felt options are even less expensive than without. Just one more reason Little Dove is a great deal.
Choose your favorite from four felt colors — blue, green, pink, or grey.
3. Wobbel Board – The Original
Check Price on European Website
Wooden balance boards are commonly referred to as “wobble boards”.
“Wobbel” the German company is the reason why — it’s the original wooden balance board specifically designed for toddlers.
Wobbel the company is largely responsible for the popularization of the wobble board in general. Do they now offer the most innovative or fun-colored wobble board? No — but it’s a got classic appeal!
Cork or Eco-friendly felt on the bottom to protect floors is available for a little added cost. It’s made from unpainted and unfinished beechwood — so if you want — you can paint or finish by yourself.
4. Kinderfeets Kinderboard – Classic Walforf Style
Kinderfeets’ is another Dutch-designed toddler board. Their Kinderboard is made with natural German beechwood and looks remarkably similar to the original Wobbel board.
You’re going to love the delightful color choices — including styles like bamboo, sage wash, and chalkboard grey.
(Yes, your toddler can use chalk to draw on the board!)
Here’s a heavy-duty, hand-crafted balance board with a modern touch fashion-forward parents and toddlers will enjoy.
5. Kate Haa – Premium Pick
To be honest, Kate Haa is my favorite on the list — but premium quality comes at a premium price.
Kate Haa is a trusted brand for wooden rocking toys. They make Pikler-style rainbow rockers, balance boards, and every kind of toddler rocker imaginable.
Beyond colors and finishes — Kate Haa decorates the bottom of their balance boards comes with elaborate designs.
Want a piano pattern? Toy car race track? American flag? Kate Haa’s got you covered!
Their felt-bottom option includes an innovative two-panel design which both protects floors from scratches and grips the ground for stability.
Kate Haa draws inspiration from classic balance boards and adds their own modern additions. Highly recommend!
6. Tree Sounds – Most Eco-Friendly
Tree Sounds is a company that focuses on multifunctional wooden toys and children’s play equipment.
Made in Latvia, it’s part of the wooden toys renaissance happening in Central & Eastern right now.
Their entire line of toys is made with a modern minimalist appeal — with eco-safe materials and soft earthy pastel color accents.
Their felt bottom is made from eco-safe Merino wool — and colored charcoal grey with natural dyes.
Tree Sounds makes a balance board for every age group. You can pick the appropriate size from small, medium, or large balance boards.
They even offer a super-light balance board as a budget option. You’ll get the same nature-friendly approach as other Tree Sounds boards — this time at a surprisingly low price.
7. Kimboo – Choco Brown Dark Wood
Handcrafted in Canada, Kimboo’s balance board comes with a delectable dark wood finish.
For some people — that Choco Brown is like love at first sight!
It’s made of high-quality birch plywood and finished with an eco-friendly German wood sealer.
Kimboo prides itself on following the Waldorf philosophy — a back-to-basics education that encourages exploratory learning and development.
One thing not to love is price. It’s two to three times more expensive than other budget options we’ve looked at, shipping isn’t free, and shipping from Canada to the U.S. may even incur customs fees.
It’s not the cheapest option, but you just might fall in love with that gorgeous chocolate color!
8. YES4ALL Kindergarten Rocker – Bestselling Budget Option
YES4ALL is an exercise equipment brand — not particularly focused on wooden toys or kids.
That means it’s not my personal favorite. As a wooden toy connoisseur, I prefer handmade toys from small-to-medium businesses.
Their wobble Balance Board is made of plywood with rounded edges to prevent scrapes and bruises. It follows child-safety standards with water-based lacquers and non-toxic glue.
Considering all the other handmade options we’ve looked at — however — I’m sure this one is not the most environmentally friendly on the list.
But if you want a low-cost deal from Amazon, I still say it’s a good pick.
92% five-star reviews (at the time of writing) can’t be all wrong!
9. Whirly Bird Agility Trainer – Skateboard Style
The Whirly Bird premiered back in 2018 — an innovative new kind of wooden balance board.
It’s designed like a skateboard, with three black half-spheres alongside the bottom that enables 360-degree rotation.
They call it triple-half-sphere technology.
Classic “Wobbel-style” wobble boards only wobble side-to-side, but Whirly Bird’s “skateboard style” design wobbles any way you want.
The Whirly Bird is primarily designed for adults’ agility and balance training but works great for children too. It’s too advanced for 0-3 years old — but ready for all kinds of excitement starting at age four.
It’s not the most beautiful balance board for decorating your child’s room — and it’s not as multifunctional as “Wobbel-style” balance boards.
The Whirly Bird is an excellent pick for children’s exercise and training — core motor skills like balance, agility, and strength.
After an afternoon of expending energy, your child will fall asleep peacefully. That’s the perfect time for mommy and daddy to get a little exercise too.
Good thing you’ve got a Whirly Bird!
10. StrongTek Professional Wooden Balance Board – Useful For Adults & Toddlers
Here’s another toddler-friendly balance board — fit for mommy and daddy too.
Its flat surface allows you to stand straight up and lay your feet flat — just like you were standing on the ground.
(“Wobbel-style” boards, are U-shaped so you’ll spread your legs and adjust your feet to the curve of the board.)
As the name would suggest, StrongTek is an exercise equipment company primarily for adults but it
Available in both medium and large sizes, it’s a lightweight balance board perfect for home office use. I’m quite impressed by their line of wooden exercise boards.
They’re primarily designed for parents — but kids can have a ton of fun using them too.
11. YES4ALL Round Balance Board – Best 360 Stability Booster
Yes, circular wooden balance boards are available, too!
With full 360-degrees rotation and 15-degrees tilting, it’s an entirely different type of balance board.
It’s a perfect addition to your home gym and great for the little ones to wobble on two.
The flat surface features an anti-skid pad for a secure grip for absolute safety — which as parents we know is important.
YES4ALL’s round balance board is not ideal for babies and younger toddlers — but a great fit for active preschoolers and kindergarteners.
12. All Alive Balancing Circle Board – Natural 360 Balance Board
Last but definitely not least.
I felt a little cringy introducing a few balance boards that were more for parents than they were for toddlers. But now I’m happy to end on a positive note!
Here’s a unique wooden circle balance board specifically designed for toddler play and equilibrium training development.
And it’s as cute as a button!
Made from premium quality alder wood and finished with linseed oil — it’s a wooden balancing circle made eco-friendly and toddler-safe.
All the 360-spinning action in an all-natural package.
And that’s something to celebrate!
Wooden Wobble Boards: What You Should Know
How Do Toddler Balance Boards Work?
How to use a balance board?
Rocking back and forth will improve your little one’s balance — and they’ll have a blast!
The two most popular ways for toddlers to play on balance boards are: (1) Your toddler will rock standing up by placing feet at opposite sides of the board. Push left to rock left, and push right to rock right. (2) Your toddler will get inside the balance board — on all fours or lying on their back. Push up to rock up, and push down to rock down.
Balance Board Safety Quick-Tips
Are balance boards safe for toddlers — or dangerous? Active play always poses a chance for minor wobble board injuries, but there’s no safer way to get your child rocking and wobbling — and introducing those vestibular inputs that sensory play experts rave about.
The key is to allow your toddler to take their time. Don’t rush them into performing exercises that are beyond their current stage of motor development. Don’t go for too drastic of a shift in stimuli.
Parental supervision is always recommended. They’re not too dangerous — but Your child could fall and bump their head or scrape their knees — pinch their fingers between the board and ground or even break a bone. Following the Montessori method, try to let your child explore independently, but stay within a safe distance should a tiny emergency arise.
Kids Balance Board Quality & Playability: What To Look For
What should I look for in a balance board? For you first-time shoppers, here’s a bird’s eye view of some key lifestyle considerations when choosing the right wooden rocking board for you.
To set you up for success, follow this checklist before you buy!
Price. Wooden balance board prices range from $30 to $160, but I wouldn’t go lower than that. Avoid the $10 to $20 range, unless you want a flimsy cheap balance board. At that price, it’d be better to choose a higher-quality plastic balance board.
Age. What age are balance boards for? I recommend buying a balance board before your child turns 3 years old. Kids of all ages can play with balance boards — and adults too. Babies 0-12 months old can lay inside and rock like a cradle. Toddlers 1-3 will get rocking by themselves right away. You’ll be amazed how acrobatic kids 4+ years can become. When the kids are resting, adults can use them for in-home exercise too.
Size. Balance boards made of sturdy and durable wood last for years to come — and that’s one reason choosing the right size is so important. Balance boards range from 22 to 46 inches end to end straight length — and are typically able to hold between 200 and 450 pounds. Large balance boards are better for bigger kids and adults, and smaller balance boards are perfect for babies. To get the most years of play possible, look for a medium-sized balance board.
Curve. Most boards curve at approximately the same angle. Balance boards with fewer curves are easier to use during the early years.
Bottom. Find a balance board with a bottom that suits your needs. Many balance boards come with felt-lined bottoms for added wobble stability and to protect floors. Felt comes in all different colors, so find one that tickles your fancy! Other balance boards include eye-catching designs on the bottom — like rainbow colors or piano keys.
Top. The top of most toddler balance boards is natural wood. Some athletics-focused balance boards include an easy-grip surface. Unless your child is on track to train for the Olympics, I’d recommend getting a wood-topped balance board for the best versatility.
Wood. Most wooden balance boards are made of beech or birch. In this case, plywood is a quality option because it’s durable, compact, and lightweight. All balance boards on this list come with a child-safe finish. Look for companies that use all-natural wood finishes that are eco-safe too.
So what’s all the wobble about?
Wooden balance boards are perfect for toddlers to build motor skills, boost cognitive development, and foster a healthy exercise routine.
They’re a ton of fun too!
Let us know your thoughts! Did you get one for your little one? How’s it going?
