The wooden castle is one of my favorite toys.  The opportunities for pretend play are endless as little boys (and girls) discover the age of knights. This well made model by Melissa and Doug is sturdy and incorporates all of the interesting nooks and crannies found in a real castle, without the must and spider webs.

Made from real wood and including a workable drawbridge, balconies and turrets, it beats many more expensive plastic models for sheer play value. Because it has an inside courtyard, as well as, plenty of places for small figures to ride horses and brandish swords, pretend play can take various routes and a storyline can develop as figures are moved about.

One of the things I like best about a wooden castle is that it can last for years. Without the obvious toddler-like decorations often found on electronic plastic models, the wooden castle doesn’t embarrass as a child enters grade school. If he has a well developed imagination, he’ll play with this castle for years, replacing dolls with action figures and extending the fantasy.

And because its made of wood, it actually looks rather nice when it ends up being left in the middle of the living room. O.K. not really.