PlanToys has some of the best wooden toys out there, from playsets to individual toys, and there’s a lot more benefits to these types of toys than you may realize. I had the opportunity to review a super fun playset from their catalog: the PlanToys Parking Garage.

This multi-level set has three floors of parking with a helicopter pad on top, ramps connecting each level, an electric parking station with solar panels, and the best part: a working elevator. The set comes with two colorful little wooden cars that fit perfectly inside the spots. Kids can race their cars up and down the ramps, operate the elevator with the twisting knob, and other hands-on activities that will increase grabbing skills. Imaginative play is endless too: where are the cars going? Where did they come from? Are they electric vehicles that need to be charged? Are they about to airlifted away by a helicopter?

The neatest part to me is the inclusion of an electric car charging station that’s powered by solar panels—have you ever seen a parking garage toy with either of those elements? I like that PlanToys encourages children to learn about these sustainable options at a young age, and to ask questions about sustainability so early on in their lives.

Many of PlanToys products are sustainably made in Thailand using chemical-free rubberwood, formaldehyde-free glue, organic pigments, and water-based dyes, so you don’t have to worry about any harmful chemicals. They’re also sustainable in the sense that they’re going to last a lot longer than a plastic version.

PlanToys was created in 1981 by seven college students who came together with a shared mission of infusing the world with positivity. Now, the company has branches on 4 continents, bringing optimism, creativity, and a passion for sustainability. So not only is PlanToys focused on creating toys that support healthy child development, but its other primary focus is also on sustainability.

The sustainability aspect of the company presents in three ways: Sustainable Material, Sustainable Manufacturing, and Sustainable Mind. Firstly, the wooden toys are made from recycled sawdust: a mixture they call PlanWood. They’re made ethically in Thailand, in line with the company mindset of bettering the future sustainably, with the future of our children in mind.