Melissa & Doug Wooden Toy Chest - Espresso

Curated from 146 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: March 25, 2025

Melissa & Doug Wooden Toy Chest - Espresso

Brand: Melissa & Doug
Price: $104
Snoop Score:
5.2
Sentiment
5.6
Popularity
1.2
Technical
6.9

Snoop's Take

The Melissa & Doug Wooden Toy Chest - Espresso is a sturdy wooden storage solution designed for children aged 3 to 8, providing ample space for toys and promoting imaginative play. Users have positively highlighted its quality, with many noting that it is a favorite among toddlers: "My son’s absolute favorite toy when we visit." However, some feedback mentions concerns about quality issues, such as paint chipping and the potential for injuries if thrown, suggesting that while the toy chest is loved for imaginative use, parents should be mindful of safety and durability. Overall, the Melissa & Doug Wooden Toy Chest is highly recommended for its intended purpose, especially for those who appreciate high-quality wooden toys. Despite some concerns, its popularity among children and its practical design make it a compelling choice for parents looking to enhance their child's playtime experience.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Toy Chests

My son’s absolute favorite toy when we visit.

Positive Feedback

I would much rather take a plastic toy to the head than a wood one.

Negative Feedback
Product
5.2
Melissa & Doug Wooden Toy Chest - Espresso
Playroom Organization
1 / 10
Nursery Storage
1 / 10
Multipurpose Furniture
1 / 10
Gift for Toddlers
10 / 10
See how this compares to all Toy Chests

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Popular among toddlers for imaginative play
My son’s absolute favorite toy when we visit.
It’s STILL his favorite toy! By a long shot.
Even now at age 4 she loves it.
She loves playing with it at a local play place.
Good quality wooden barn toy
We love our barn! Endless fun for everyone!
High quality and safe wooden toys
the best part about these brands: they're huge on influencers and the latest Montessori, etc. style.

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Wooden toys can cause injuries when thrown
I would much rather take a plastic toy to the head than a wood one.
some melissa and doug toys, when thrown, are like being pelted with bricks.
Quality issues with some items
everything I’ve got from Melissa and Doug in the last six months has splintered or cracked pretty immediately!
Quality issues with paint chipping
the wooden fruits we bought for the play kitchen had chipped paint in the first year with only moderate use.
I’ve found that the wood on the Melissa & Doug stuff chips, like a few others have mentioned.
the paint on a lot of the cheaper MD wooden toy sets chips too easily.
Inadequate storage options
I hate that they typically come in trays with no really good storage option for after it's been opened.
Lack of lids for most toy sets
I wish they made their toys easier to hold all the 1 million pieces they come with.
He was not pleased when I told him there is no lid.
that doesn’t make it less annoying.
Difficulty in organizing multiple pieces
I think their toys are hit or miss in general.

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Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Discussion on unique toy preferences for babies
But I want to hear about the hidden gems that your baby loves but you never see mentioned on Reddit.
we got cat toy wand and it’s great also encourage our then baby to crawl lol
Just cat toys in general as well haha
In our house, the cat toys become toddler toys and vice versa.
Discussion on obscure toys loved by kids
One of our best buys was a secondhand Fisher Price Klip Klop stable... she still loves it.
My son has a target shopping cart he adores since when we was learning to walk.
This is the same kid that hesitates before jumping off a three inch curb, but apparently a two foot slide is a perfectly acceptable launch pad.
He loves trying to pick things up, and making us try to pick him up with them haha.
Preference for sustainable and non-toxic materials
Where do you guys buy non-toxic, non crappy toys? Im sick of sifting through amazon listings for plastic crap from china.
Discussion on toy longevity and usage
Opinion on Trendy Toys I’m looking for honest feedback about some of the trendy toddler toys I’ve se
He's 3 now and still uses it daily so definitely worthwhile in my opinion.

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Using clear shoe boxes for organization
because that sucked.
I am so excited to go get those clear shoe boxes, thanks so much for mentioning them!
and love your idea for the clear shoe boxes!
Finding wooden toys in unexpected places
There are wooden wonders in places you don't expect.
also if you're open to gently used/second hand items i have seen tons of stuff on facebook marketpla
Most of the time it’s been when I’m not purposely looking for them!
Creative alternative uses for packaging
I store all toys like that up on a shelf and it’s like a library, one comes down at a time.
The short crate that held food I use as a corral for cleaning supplies in our bathroom.
Let the kids use them for collecting tchotchkes.
The single compartment ones for displaying works Montessori style.

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Discussion on managing toy overload for toddlers
that throwing reaction is a part of how the toddler expresses being overwhelmed, and they get overwhelmed by having too many choices, especially with toys.
the playroom is a great idea but maybe you can so shelves and switch out toys so that he has something new to play with.
my daughter's behavior and play got way better when I put away about half her toys.
Finding Melissa and Doug products at discount stores
They can be up to half price at resale stores like TJMaxx, Ross, and Marshalls.
ours has tons of Melissa and Doug puzzles and other toys that we can take out for two weeks, it's a perfect rotation.
Discussion on cleaning methods for wooden toys
I honestly don't know what kind of cleaners to use on anything he comes in contact with.
Sunshine really is magical for refreshing and cleaning.
If they are sealed wood like Lovevery, most Melissa and Doug, etc then I use Dawn and water.
As long as the thing is dry I think this works.
Shopping for discounts on toys at bargain stores
I will certainly be more choosy with what I pick up in the future, but glad I learned something today and you all showed me the way hahah 🤣 ❤️🙌
Labeling toys for organization
I felt way happier than I should labeling the kids toys… then the Christmas decorations, then the shoes, then everything else in my house …

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Discussion on the impact of toy organization on child development
Is this Montessori thing overrated? I need someone to give me permission to just throw everything in toy bins or toy boxes and the kids will be just fine!
I promise that "Mama kept my blocks in a cardboard box" is *not* what your kids will talk about in therapy one day.
Toys don't need to go in any particular basket, they just have to go in a basket, then the basket itself goes in a cubby.
I added shelves and now the larger toys are on the open shelf, and the smaller 'loose toys', like building blocks and rubber duckies are in bins.
Discussion on child safety and proper attire in cold weather
it's cold to have no winter hat or shoes on this kid .is horrible
She looks like a freaking idiot.
It’s pretty cold, that’s why most people opt to zip up, put a hat on their kid.
Discussion on Montessori display philosophy
no toddler needs full access to a ink and stamp kit.
If I wanted to display it with the lid off, I’d take the freaking lid off myself!

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