Wooden Clutching Toy Dolphin

Clutching Toys (Baby Grasping Toys)

Clutching toys are a timeless first companion for little hands, designed to gently support a baby’s earliest stages of development. Crafted with smooth, rounded shapes and easy-to-hold designs, these toys encourage natural grasping, holding, and exploring—skills that form the foundation for coordination and motor development.

Traditionally made from high-quality wood and finished with child-safe, water-based colors, clutching toys offer a warm, natural feel that plastic simply cannot match. The combination of textures, gentle movement, and soft rattling sounds stimulates the senses while keeping play calm and engaging.

Perfect for curious little explorers, clutching toys help develop:

• Fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
• Sensory awareness through touch, color, and sound
• Early cause-and-effect understanding

Simple, durable, and thoughtfully crafted, these classic toys bring a sense of comfort and authenticity—just as they have for generations.

At Hess Toys, safety, quality, and thoughtful design come first. We create our products specifically for babies and young children, and we follow strict EN 71 safety standards. In addition, we use certified local woods like beech and maple, combined with eco-friendly materials and water-based paints.

Founded in 1990 by Günter Hess in Olbernhau, Germany, the company began as a small one-man workshop. Since then, it has grown to over 50 employees across three locations. Nevertheless, we still produce everything in Germany, and we assemble each piece by hand.

While traditional craftsmanship remains essential, we also use modern technology. CNC machines and advanced printing methods help us maintain high quality at fair prices.

Finally, innovation continues to guide us. We introduced the first wooden pacifier chain in 1992 and developed many new ideas for baby products. Today, Claudia Hess leads product design. With her experience as both a designer and a mother, she creates products that support children’s development in a playful and meaningful way.