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I have always been a big fan of wooden toys and games for kids – they just look so beautiful, last really well and are better for our planet too.
They also make such a lovely gift for children and I love they are more likely to be kept and passed down through families and potentially generations.
Jaques of London make traditional toys and games in the UK – they were first established in 1795 (!) making them the oldest games company and sports manufacturer in the world!
They are a family-run company having been passed down from father to son for eight generations over the last 226 years! I love that and think it’s amazing that it’s still going strong today. They even invented many famous games such as Croquet, Ping Pong, Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, Tiddledy Winks and others!
We’ve been sent some great wooden games from Jaques of London. First of all, I chose the Luxury Folding Chess Set which is so beautiful and has inspired me to learn to play chess! Unbelievably I have never played chess before and I don’t have the first clue how to play but apparently, my husband does (I had no idea!) and so he is going to teach me and our daughter.
I love the idea of us learning to play together and then having (highly competitive I expect!) games together as we chat and enjoy time together.
This luxury 15-inch folding chess set is brilliant quality and looks so beautiful and I think it’s something we will treasure for a very long time. It comes with lovely hand-carved Staunton chess pieces that slot into the inside of the board when folded and they are such lovely pieces.
I love that the chessboard folds with the pieces inside so it doesn’t take up too much room but it is still a great size once open. The chessboard is made of walnut and sycamore and is really beautiful and will last forever. Jaques of London have a range of stunning chess sets – whether you want folding ones, smaller travel sets or even a compendium, they have lots to choose from and I would have thought they would cost a lot more based on the quality of them (the one we have is £31.99).
A toy or game from Jaques of London makes such a wonderful Christmas gift – everything comes so beautifully packaged, with each item wrapped in tissue paper and then in a lovely box with a ribbon around it and a handwritten note with the name of who packed it. It is all so beautifully presented and would be lovely for children (or adults) to open at Christmas and then treasure forever. I love the personalisation and care from the company despite the fact that they have been around forever.
They have such a gorgeous range of wooden toys and games for children of all ages so definitely have a look if you are struggling for Christmas gifts for the little ones in your life.
Parents will love it too as the lovely wooden toys and games encourage children off tech and offer all the educational benefits of learning and playing these traditional games.
We also have this great Chinese Checkers game – another one I didn’t know how to play – and I was excited to learn with my family. This set is actually two games in one as if you flip it over it has a Go Bang game on the other side.
This lovely double-sided game is handmade and hand-finished with a gloss varnish and comes with solid hand-carved playing pieces for both games.
Chinese Checkers is really quick to learn how to play and we’ve had loads of fun playing this together. The object of the game is to occupy the star point directly opposite yours with your coloured pegs.
I love the bright colours of the counters and the game is nice and compact and you get a nice little drawstring bag with it to keep all of the counters in so it’s a good one to take away with you especially if you’re going on a holiday in England and may well be stuck inside lots!
Both Chinese Checkers and Go Bang are great educational games, helping to teach the ability to reason and form judgements as well as encouraging collaborative play.
Go Bang (also known as Gomoku or Five in a Row) is an abstract strategy game where the winner is the first player to form an unbroken chain of five stones (either black or white) horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. We’re really enjoying playing this – it uses your brain without being too challenging and we’re all getting quite competitive with it.
We love playing board games at the weekend as a family and I’m really pleased to now have these traditional games in our collection. I really think these wooden games are going to be much played and loved for many years to come.
I think Jaques London is a brilliant place to go for some gorgeous presents this Christmas – the quality is amazing and the toys and games are such good value. You can also get an extra 15% off when you sign up to their newsletter too: Get 15% off at Jaques of London
This is a paid partnership but all words and opinions are my own. See my full disclosure policy here.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
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Look good quality