Family Games · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

The game your children will hand to theirs

£18.99£30.99 Save 38%

or 4 payments of £4.74 with Klarna

🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.

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Standard · 2-3 working days

4 players at once
Wooden slats, not plastic
Teaches number skills
Fits a school bag
Built to last
Ships in 2-3 days
30-day returns
Klarna available

Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795

1 Free Gift Spend £45

2 Free Gifts Spend £70

3 Free Gifts Spend £100

4 Free Gifts Spend £125

as seen in

Real talk

Why you buy this one new,and not the rest

You know the feeling: a toy arrives, it's loud or flimsy or forgotten within a week. Shut The Box breaks that cycle. Solid wood, smooth-working slats, a feel in the hand that says 'this stays'. It teaches number bonds and strategy to every player,no screen, no learning curve, just four people around a table for 10 minutes or an hour.

Once your children are grown, they'll buy this same game for theirs. That's the heirloom bit. That's why it costs what it does.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

What you're getting

Everything needed to play, nothing to buy later. One solid wooden box. Four playing areas. Tiles numbered 1,10. Two wooden dice. Ready to go.

Front view of the 4-player Shut The Box game, showing all four playing areas and numbered wooden slats

In the box

Solid wood construction

Hand-finished wooden box with four separate playing areas. Each area has tiles numbered 1 through 10 and smooth wooden slats that close cleanly after each turn.

✓ Durable wood, not plastic or particle board
✓ Slats move smoothly after 100+ games
✓ Weighs enough to stay put on the table

Close-up of the numbered tiles and wooden slats showing the game mechanics

Play style

Roll, strategise, close

Each player rolls two dice, adds the numbers, then closes the matching tiles. Strategy comes in,do you close 5+5 or 6+4? The game teaches number bonds without feeling like a lesson.

✓ 4 players means no one sits watching
✓ Each round takes 5,15 minutes
✓ Works for ages 6 and up

Game in play, showing dice on the wooden surface

In the box

Two wooden dice included

Solid wooden dice, no plastic rattles or loose corners. They roll true and look the part on the table.

✓ Hand-finished to match the box
✓ Weighted and balanced
✓ Won't wear out or fade

made for a 6th, 7th or 8th birthday,or a gift that works for any age

Was £30.99

Wooden Game - Shut The Box: £18.99

While they play

What it quietly teaches

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

🔢

Number bonds

Rolling dice and closing tiles teaches children which numbers add up,5+5, 6+4, 3+7. They see it, play it, remember it.

🧠

Strategy and choice

Every roll offers options. Close the high numbers now or save them for later? That's real decision-making, not random play.

🎯

Turn-taking and patience

Four players means waiting, watching, learning to read the game. No screen, no rush.

🤝

Talking and laughing

A physical game around a table means conversation. That's the rarest thing now,and the one that sticks with children.

What families say about Jaques of London

What people who've bought it say

★★★★★

"Excellent quality wood toys, so well made, no sharp edges, all lovely & smooth, very colourful & plenty of choice. Very reasonably priced & so beautifully wrapped you don't want to open them. Highly recommend this company."

Lynda Evans✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."

Danella Jones✓ Google review

★★★★★

"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."

Irene Johnstone✓ Google review

★★★★★

"We love our toys from Jaques of London. The quality is excellent and they're the perfect size for little hands to hold and play with easily. Beautifully made, sturdy wooden toys that will last for years. Highly recommend!"

Tegan✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Harrods grade gifting for a very reasonable price. Not the usual tat from China. Had several hand picked orders fron Jaques, nice to know its a UK business with old school quality."

John A✓ Google review

★★★★★

"I am a real fan of this company. If only I had come across them years ago when my boys were little. It's my go to for beautiful, good quality toys for my granddaughter now and any gift I need to buy. They arrived quickly, prices are reasonable and the special touch is they are beautifully packaged too. I love the heritage of this business!"

Sarah Lardner✓ Google review

★★★★★ 4.5/5 from 168 reviews of this product · 4.6 average across 46,000+ Jaques reviews on Reviews.io and Trustpilot

Get ready for life

Why real play matters

Real brain growth comes from real play.

100+

Games per box before it wears

Solid wood slats are smoother after 100 plays, not duller. The finish holds. That's the difference between wood and pressed board.

→

Ages 6+

Plays across the childhood span

A 6-year-old learns to count and add. A 10-year-old plays to win. A teenager teaches a younger sibling. One game, four different uses.

→

10 mins

Perfect length for attention

Not long enough to bore, long enough to matter. Grandparents, parents and children all play the same round together.

Why this matters right now

23,000+ Orders from parents and grandparents Bought new because it matters. Kept because it lasts.

231 years Making games that teach and last Since 1795. Shut The Box has been in our range for over a century. That's not marketing,that's proof.

4 players All playing at once, every turn No waiting for your go. Everyone rolls, everyone decides. That's why families choose this over the two-player version.

230 yrs of making things worth keeping Jaques of London has been crafting games and toys since 1795. This one is built to be handed down, not thrown out.

We really are different

Why this one, not the plastic version from somewhere else

	Jaques Wooden Game - Shut The Box	Cheap Alternatives
Material	✅	❌ Plastic cracks after summer
Feel in hand	✅	❌ Hollow and light
Slats move smoothly	✅	⚠️ Stiff after 20 plays
Plays 4 people fairly	✅	❌ Often 2-player only
Worth handing down	✅	❌ Breaks or fades before then
30-day returns	✅	❌ Non-returnable
Delivery in 2-3 days	✅	⚠️ 2,3 weeks

Jaques

✅ Solid wood
✅ Smooth slats
✅ 4 players
✅ Built to last
✅ Hand-finished
✅ Ships fast
✅ 30-day returns

Cheap alternatives

❌ Plastic breaks
❌ Slats stiffen
❌ 2-player only
❌ Won't last years
❌ Looks cheap
❌ Weeks to arrive
❌ No returns offered

made for a 6th, 7th or 8th birthday,or a gift that works for any age

Was £30.99

Wooden Game - Shut The Box: £18.99

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.

Questions & answers

Questions from people buying this as a gift

Is this the right game for a 7-year-old?

Yes. Shut The Box works from age 6 upwards,the number skills fit that age, and the game stays interesting for teenagers and adults. You're buying something they'll play for years, not outgrow by Christmas. If you're buying for younger (under 6) or older (15+), we can suggest other games,just ask.

Will it arrive in time for the birthday?

Orders placed before 2pm ship the next working day. If the birthday is this week, we can tell you if we'll make it,email us or check your postcode at checkout. We also wrap all gifts ready to give, at no extra cost.

How long does it actually last?

We've had customers email us to say their parents bought this game in the 1990s and their children still play it. The wood doesn't warp, the slats stay smooth, and the finish holds. We offer a 60-day warranty, but the game outlasts that promise by decades.

Is it worth the price compared to the plastic versions?

Yes,if you're buying something meant to stay. A plastic set costs less upfront but breaks, fades or gets forgotten. This one plays for 100+ games, looks better on the shelf, and you'll actually hand it on. As one buyer told us: 'worth every penny full price'. That's the heirloom bit.

How much does it cost?

The Wooden Game - Shut The Box is £18.99 today (down from £30.99). Klarna is available at checkout if you prefer to spread the cost.

What's your returns policy?

30 days, full refund, no conditions. Return it for any reason and we refund in full. We've been standing behind what we make since 1795.

made for a 6th, 7th or 8th birthday,or a gift that works for any age

Was £30.99

Wooden Game - Shut The Box: £18.99

Our story

Making toys worth keeping since 1795.

Jaques of London was founded in 1795. We invented croquet, table tennis, and the Staunton chess set. For 230 years, we've been making things that pull children away from passive entertainment and into active, curious, hands-on play.

We've been making games since 1795,the same year the British Museum opened. Shut The Box is one of our oldest designs, and it's stayed popular for a reason: it teaches without trying, brings people together without a screen, and lasts longer than the friendships it builds. We still hand-finish each wooden box because a game this old deserves a touch that matches. Your children will play this one. That's worth getting right.

Toys and games that leave something behind: a skill, a memory, a piece of play that gets passed on.
Joe, Jaques of London

Ready when you are