A Wobbel is made of curved beech wood and lasts for years, with a different game on it every year. For a baby up to about two and a half, the Starter (€99) fits, from 2 to 12 the Original (€129), from 7 to 16 the Large (€169), and from 12 onwards the XL (€209). Every Wobbel carries 150 kilos, so an adult can stand on any model.
If you are torn between two sizes, take the bigger one. A child grows into it.
Which Wobbel for which age
| Age | Wobbel | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2.5 years | Starter | €99 | View |
| 2 to 12 years | Original | €129 | View |
| 7 to 16 years | Large | €169 | View |
| 12 years and up | XL | €209 | View |
A gift that grows with a child
A Wobbel is not finished when you unpack it. What comes out of it is what the child makes up.
For a baby it is a cradle to lean against and something to pull yourself up on. For a toddler a bridge, a slide, a tunnel. Around the age of four it becomes a shop counter, a boat, a seesaw. For a school child a place to balance on and to read in. For a teenager a footrest at the desk. And sometimes an adult stands on it while making a phone call.
The same piece of wood, for ten years. That is what we mean by open ended play: the toy prescribes nothing, so it never gets played out.
It is a big parcel to unwrap
A Wobbel does not fit in an envelope. The Original is 87 centimetres long and weighs 4.2 kilos, the XL measures 115.5 centimetres. It arrives in a large box, and for a child who sees a parcel like that standing there, the gift begins right there.
That also makes it suitable for giving together. Grandparents who give one. A group of friends chipping in. Two families who know there are already enough small things in the house.
It can stay out in the living room
A Wobbel does not have to be tidied away in the evening. It stands upright against the wall or stays where it lies, and it is welcome to be seen.
That is pleasant for whoever gives the gift, and even more so for the parents who will look at it for years.
Wood, felt and nothing else
Every Wobbel is made of FSC®-certified beech wood, made in the EU and CE tested. No batteries, no sounds, no screen. Nothing that can break and take the whole thing with it.
If the felt wears out after years of play, we replace the felt and not the Wobbel. That is the felt service. It exists because we would rather refurbish a Wobbel than put a new one in its place.
A gift for a child of 1
For a child of one, the Starter (€99) is the right size. It is 70 centimetres long and weighs 2.1 kilos. Light enough for a child to shift it alone, and low enough to climb onto without help.
A one year old will not stand on it at first. It becomes a rail to pull up on, a den to crawl under, a slope for balls to roll down. The balancing comes later by itself, and nobody needs to help with that.
If several people are giving together, you can go straight for the Original. It is on the roomy side at the start, but it lasts until about twelve.
A gift for a child of 2 or 3
From two years on, the Original (€129) is the Wobbel that lasts longest. 87 centimetres, 4.2 kilos, made for the years in which a child is working out with its whole body what it can do.
This is the age at which the Wobbel becomes something different every week. A bridge over a river of cushions. A seesaw when two children sit on it. A roof for a den. You do not need to explain anything.
If you are torn between Starter and Original for a two year old, take the Original. A child of two is not too small for it, and in three years the Starter will be too small.
A gift for a child of 4 to 6
Here too the Original (€129). From around four the play changes: less climbing, more story. The Wobbel becomes a shop counter, a boat, a stage, a slide for the dolls.
If the child is tall for its age, or there are older brothers and sisters joining in, the Large (€169) is more comfortable. That one carries on until about sixteen.
A gift for a child of 7 to 10
From seven years on the Large (€169) fits better. It is 100.5 centimetres long and 35 centimetres wide, enough room to stand on with both feet side by side.
At this age it becomes a challenge more often than a game. How long can you stay up. Can you do it with your eyes closed. Can you sit on it and rock while you read. It also moves regularly from the living room to the child own room.
A gift for a teenager or an adult
Every Wobbel carries 150 kilos without effort. So an adult can stand on any model, the Starter included. The difference is not in the strength but in the room under your feet.
For anyone who wants to stand on it themselves, the XL (€209) is the most comfortable. It is 115.5 centimetres long and 40 centimetres wide. It stands in teenagers rooms, in physiotherapy practices, and more often than you would think next to a desk.
If there is already a Wobbel at home for the children, do step on it yourself. It will hold.
A smaller gift
Not every gift has to be a whole Wobbel. People who already have one are often happiest with something to go with it.
- Up to €50: a separate deck or cushion, or the felt service for a Wobbel that has been in use for years.
- €50 to €150: the Starter (€99) or the Original (€129).
- Above €150: the Large (€169) or the XL (€209), also lovely if several people give together.
Not sure yet which size fits? Our guide asks three questions and gives one answer. Shipping is free from €85, anywhere in Europe, straight from the makers.
Let us help you chooseTo the shopFrequently asked questions about a Wobbel as a gift
What do you give a three year old that is not made of plastic?
A Wobbel Original (€129) is made of FSC®-certified beech wood, with no plastic parts, batteries or electronics. A child of three uses it as a bridge, a slide, a seesaw and a den, and keeps doing so until the age of twelve.
Is a Wobbel suitable as a gift from several people together?
Yes, and that happens often. The price runs from €99 to €209, which makes it suitable as a joint gift from grandparents, family or a group of friends. It is also a big parcel to unwrap.
From what age can you give a Wobbel?
From birth, as long as you choose the right size. The Starter is meant for 0 to 2.5 years, the Original for 2 to 12 years. A baby leans against it or pulls itself up on it. There is more about this in Balance board for children: from what age?
How long does a child keep using a Wobbel?
Years. The Original is meant for 2 to 12 years, the Large for 7 to 16. What changes is not the Wobbel but the play on it: from crawling and climbing to stories, and after that to balancing and reading. Many Wobbels go on to a next child.
Which size do you choose if you do not know the child height?
Take the larger of the two you are considering. A child is never too small for a bigger Wobbel, it is only a little roomy at the start. For a gift, the Original (2 to 12 years) is usually the safest choice.
Does a Wobbel fit in a small home?
The Original is 87 by 30.5 centimetres and stands upright against the wall when it is not in use. It then takes up little room and does not need to be stored away.
Can an adult stand on a Wobbel?
Yes, and on any model. Every Wobbel carries 150 kilos without effort, the Starter included. For an adult who wants to stand on it, the XL (€209) is the most comfortable, because it is 115.5 centimetres long and 40 centimetres wide. It is used beside a standing desk, in treatment rooms and for balance training.
What if the felt is worn out after years?
Then we replace the felt and not the Wobbel. That goes through the felt service. A Wobbel that has been used intensively can go on for years afterwards.
What does shipping cost?
Shipping is free from €85, anywhere in Europe. We ship straight from the makers.
Further reading
- Balance board for children: from what age?: the sizes and ages in detail, with scale drawings
- Let us help you choose: three questions, one answer
- Open ended play: why toys without a prescribed use last longer
- FSC certified products: where the wood comes from
All prices include VAT. Every Wobbel is made of FSC®-certified beech wood, made in the EU and CE tested.
