She stacks, knocks flat, builds again on her own.
or 4 payments of £3.24 with Klarna
🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.
- Solid wood blocks
- Water-based paint
- Fine motor builder
- Ages 1 to 7
- Heirloom toy
- Hand-finished
- 30-day returns
- Klarna available
Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795
as seen in
Real talk
The toy that actually holds their attention when you're on the call.
You've got two minutes. The blocks sit heavy in little hands, smooth enough to grip, chunky enough to stack without frustration. No batteries, no screens, no learning curve. She just begins, and keeps going.
While she's absorbed in her own creations, you're not watching the clock or listening for a crash.
Joe Jaques, Jaques of London
What's in the box
What arrives at your door
Jaques building blocks come in our signature packaging, ready to hand over or wrap.
The blocks
A set of solid wood blocks in assorted shapes and bright colours. Hand-finished, water-based paint, smooth and robust.
- ✓ Sized for toddler hands to grip and place
- ✓ Each block feels substantial, not light plastic
- ✓ Colours stay true after months of play
Endless building possibilities
Towers, castles, houses, shapes, people. No instructions, no right way. She decides what happens next.
- ✓ Develops hand-eye coordination while stacking
- ✓ Encourages problem-solving and spatial thinking
- ✓ Self-directed play with zero screen time
Gift-ready packaging
Arrives in our signature Jaques packaging. Recognised by parents and grandparents since 1795. No rewrapping needed.
- ✓ Signature Jaques box signals heritage and care
- ✓ Ready to give as is
- ✓ Storage bag included for tidy cleanup
Buying for a birthday or a just-because moment?
Was £22.99
Shape Building Blocks - Shape Blocks for Toddlers: £12.99
While they play
What she's quietly learning while you're on the call
Looks like play. Works like a lesson.
Fine motor skills
Placing and stacking blocks demands precise hand movements. She strengthens grip and hand-eye coordination with every build.
Problem-solving
How do I balance that shape? What stacks, what topples? She's learning cause and effect through play, not instruction.
Self-expression
No two builds are the same. She makes towers, castles, or abstract shapes. She's in charge of the narrative.
Independent play
The blocks hold her focus. She doesn't ask for help, doesn't need you narrating. You get your 40 minutes.
What families say about Jaques of London
What parents actually 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."
"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."
"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."
"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!"
"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."
"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!"
Get ready for life
Why real play matters
Real brain growth comes from real play.
Open the box, set them out
No assembly. No batteries. Blocks are ready to stack the moment she touches them.
She starts building
Tower, castle, shape experiment. Self-directed from the first block. No instructions to read, no steps to follow.
You get your focus back
She's absorbed. You're on the call, answering emails, or breathing. The blocks hold her attention without screens.
Why this matters right now
We really are different
Why these blocks, not the plastic version from the supermarket
| Jaques Shape Building Blocks - Shape Blocks for Toddlers | Cheap Alternatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | ✅ | ❌ Plastic, feels light and thin |
| Weight and feel | ✅ | ❌ Flimsy stacks topple too easily |
| Paint | ✅ | ❌ Cheap paint chips and fades |
| Play longevity | ✅ | ❌ Bored with in weeks |
| Passed down to siblings | ✅ | ⚠️ Too broken to bother |
| Confidence of grip | ✅ | ❌ Slippery, blocks slide |
| Cost per year of play | ✅ | ⚠️ Cheap upfront, replaced often |
- ✅ Solid wood
- ✅ Substantial weight
- ✅ Water-based paint
- ✅ Years of play
- ✅ Hand-me-down ready
- ✅ Secure grip
- ✅ Worth every penny
- ❌ Plastic, hollow
- ❌ Topples easily
- ❌ Paint chips fast
- ❌ Weeks of interest
- ⚠️ Usually broken
- ❌ Blocks slip
- ⚠️ False economy
Buying for a birthday or a just-because moment?
Was £22.99
Shape Building Blocks - Shape Blocks for Toddlers: £12.99
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.
Questions & answers
Questions parents ask before they buy
Which set is right for a 3-year-old (or 6th birthday)?
This one. The blocks are sized for hands aged 1 and up, but a 3-year-old will build structures and a 6-year-old will architect castles. It's the gift that grows. One set plays differently at each age. Catherine McCulloch said it best: 'Perfect gift for any babies' 1st birthday' and it doesn't stop there.
Will she actually play with it for longer than a week?
Yes. Blocks don't need instructions, batteries, or new content. She decides what to build next. No screen-time guilt, no learning curve, no boredom because there's no 'ending'. Parents tell us their children build with them at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. The play changes but the blocks keep working.
Is it really worth more than the plastic version?
Completely. Solid wood, water-based paint, hand-finished and smoothed so every block feels good to grip. A plastic set breaks; these become hand-me-downs. Manda Monium said it clearly: 'Worth every penny full price'. Played for years, passed to siblings, played again, then their children. Pennies per year of play.
How confident are you this will arrive before [birthday/Christmas]?
Very. Jaques has shipped 23,000+ orders. If delivery timing is crucial, tell us when you need it, and we'll confirm the date before you pay. Gift wrap is available at checkout. Leigh Hemmings reported: 'Arrived next day, saved Christmas'. We back it with 30-day returns until 31 January 2027.
How much does it cost?
The Shape Building Blocks - Shape Blocks for Toddlers is £12.99 today (down from £22.99). 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.
Buying for a birthday or a just-because moment?
Was £22.99
Shape Building Blocks - Shape Blocks for Toddlers: £12.99
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.
Jaques of London has been making toys for families since 1795. We started by inventing the board game itself. Building blocks are the oldest toy form, and we've kept them honest: solid wood, water-based paint, no plastic, no shortcuts. These blocks sit in the hand the way a toy should. A parent needs 40 minutes of real independence. A child needs play that doesn't numb her mind. This set does both.
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
Ready to reclaim your afternoons?
Was £22.99
£12.99 Save 43%
🛡️ 30-day money-back guarantee · 🚚 Delivery in 2-3 working days · 🏛️ Est. 1795
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