Tiny Fox Hole

Wooden Deer Puzzle

$48.00

Shipping and tax calculated at checkout.

Pre-order open

Ships in early July. We will email you the moment it ships.

A mother deer lies curled and resting, her back dotted with soft burned spots, and tucked into the curve of her body is a fawn, asleep with a sprig of flowers along its side. Lift the fawn out and it becomes a puzzle, a piece a child fits back into place again and again.

It is hand-carved from ash and finished with linseed oil and beeswax, nothing else, so the warm grain runs through every piece. The spots and flowers are burned in by hand, so nothing is printed or painted, and no two come out quite the same.

At a little under five inches across it is solid in the hand, simple enough for small children and pretty enough to leave out on a shelf when the playing is done.

MaterialAsh wood, linseed oil, beeswax
IncludesWooden mother deer and fawn nesting puzzle
Size3.14 × 4.72 in
CertifiedEN 71 certified materials
OriginEurope

Age Recommendations

345678

From age three and up, through the Pre-K and early-primary years. A hand-carved figure made to be kept and played with for years.

Why it lasts.

We carry Tiny Fox Hole at My Toy Wagon because they make pieces that are as beautiful as they are simple, just wood and a natural finish, nothing more. This puzzle is solid ash, finished with linseed oil and beeswax, with no paint and no varnish. The pieces are smooth and substantial, the burned detail will not chip or rub away, and a well-made wooden puzzle like this gets handled daily for years without falling apart. It is the kind of toy that ends up on a nursery shelf long after the child has outgrown the puzzle itself.

Who it's for

For the parent
You want a first puzzle that is genuinely beautiful, not a printed cardboard tray that warps the first time it gets damp. You are looking for something a toddler can master, take apart, and put back together, made well enough to pass to a second child.
For the educator
You value an open-ended puzzle that builds fine motor control and a little patience, with no screens and no noise. A child works out how the fawn fits back into the mother, and the calm subject makes it as useful for quiet table time as for play.
For the gift-giver
This makes a lovely new-baby or first-birthday gift, a handmade puzzle that doubles as a keepsake. It is beautiful enough to feel special and sturdy enough to actually be played with.

Be the first to review.

No reviews yet. Have you brought it home? Tell the next family what you found.

Details

Materials & construction

Every Tiny Fox Hole toy is hand-carved and hand-finished in a small family workshop from sustainably sourced solid wood, including linden, ash, beech, and birch. The natural grain is left to show, so each piece has its own character and no two are exactly alike.

Finishes are non-toxic and child-safe: water-based varnishes, pure linseed oil, and beeswax. Colorful pieces are treated with Biofa natural wax. All paints, color treatments, and sealants are certified to the European toy safety standard EN 71-3, which limits the migration of heavy metals if a toy is mouthed, chewed, or swallowed.

The designs draw on Montessori and Waldorf principles: simple, open-ended shapes that leave room for a child's imagination rather than dictating play.

Ways to play

At its simplest, a child lifts the fawn from the mother and fits it back, a satisfying first puzzle for small hands. From there the pieces become animals in their own right, joining other Tiny Fox Hole figures in a forest scene or standing among moss and stones on a nature table. When the playing is done, the deer rests on a shelf as a quiet little piece worth looking at.

Care & storage

Wipe clean with a dry cloth, or one that is barely damp. Never soak or submerge it in water, and do not leave it wet. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from heat to protect the wood and the linseed oil finish. If the surface feels dry over time, sand lightly with fine sandpaper and rub in a little pure linseed oil (raw, not boiled) or beeswax to bring the finish back. Store indoors somewhere dry. Small parts. Not for children under 3 years, and young children should be supervised during play.

Shipping & returns

Shipping

In-stock items ship from LA in 1–3 business days, plus 1–6 in transit (contiguous U.S.).

  • $10.95 standard, free on orders $150+ (after discounts, before tax)
  • Partner-warehouse items can take up to 2 weeks, check the product page
  • Pre-orders follow their own timeline; mixed orders ship together when the pre-order arrives
  • Local LA/OC delivery, Quick Ship, Hawaii/Alaska, and international at checkout

See full shipping policy →

Returns accepted for 30 days from delivery. If the toy isn't right, send it back. Free returns on damaged or defective items.

Tiny Fox Hole We are Igor and Daria, the makers behind this small family workshop. Becoming parents changed everything for us. We saw how sensitive and open young children are to everything around them, and we wanted to give them an environment full of beauty and natural materials. Wood is a wonderful material: it fills children with warmth and a quiet, living energy. Our collection of handmade wooden toys for babies and toddlers brings together the spirit of Montessori and Waldorf play. Because each piece is hand-carved and hand-finished, every one is unique, with its own small characteristics, and helps nurture a child's eye for beauty and love of nature. All of our toys are made from organic, natural materials and non-toxic, child-safe finishes and paints. Welcome to the Tiny Fox Hole.
Browse all Tiny Fox Hole →