Balls: Deep Dive Into the Most Simple Wooden Toy

The Biggest in Balls

Whether you’re building an epic marble run or setting up a bowling ball alley, one of the first tools you need in the wooden toy world… is a set of balls.

Currently, there are two big ball giants in the game: Grapat and Grimm’s Spiel und Holz. Sourcing issues aside, they both have developed two very different lines for your playroom needs.

Does Size Matter?

Different sized balls can do different things! Here’s an examination of each company’s ball offerings. In each comparison I will include both the imperial and metric units.

Grimm’s Spiel und Holz

Grimm’s offers three different types of balls. While different retailers call each of them different things (and boy is that confusing), we will be using the product listing information directly from the Grimm’s website.

Rainbow Balls (Item Number: 10239)/ Age Grade 1+/ 4.5cm or 1.8in

Small Rainbow Balls (Item Number: 10236)/ Age Grade 3+/ 3.5cm or 1.4in

Small Wooden Marbles (Item Number: 10225)/ Age Grade 3+/ 2cm or 0.8in

Grapat

6 Balls in the Rainbow Colours (SKU: REF 16-126)/ Recommended Age: 18 months+/ 4.5cm or 1.8in

The Marbles (SKU: Art 15-108)/ Recommended Age: 3+ years / 1.8cm or 0.7in

The Size Differences are Nuts

It’s hard to know how to jump when it comes to all these choices – I totally get it. Hence, I shot some very confusing (for me) comparison pictures.

Size

Color and Texture

The color and texture of the two brands are quite different. Grimm’s website advises that the balls are varnished with water based stains and the effect is quite opaque. Not a lot of wood grain is visible. This is true for all three pieces of the line.

However, Grapat uses dyes, and as such, the color permeates the ball differently. Grain is visible on nearly every piece and the effect is much more subdued than Grimm’s. Aesthetically, I prefer the Grapat line.

Don’t be Blue!

Here are some of our favorite places for buying balls. I’m putting all the links in one place so you don’t need to scour the internet to see who has what in stock.

Grimm’s Balls: Scandiborn, The Natural Baby Company, Dearest Diapers, Treehouse Kid and Craft, Bella Luna Toys,

Grapat Balls: Happy Monkey Miami, Scandiborn, Rose & Rex, The Natural Baby Company, Mini Mint, Dearest Diapers, Bella Luna Toys,