Educational Wooden Toys · Est. 1795★★★★★ 150 reviews

The wooden toy that needs no explaining

£10.67£16.99 Save 37%

or 4 payments of £2.66 with Klarna

🛡️ 30-day full refund, no questions. Fewer than 30 returns from 23,000+ orders.

Express · order today for next-day delivery

Standard · 2-3 working days

No batteries needed
Ages 12m to 3
Solid wood build
Non-toxic paint
Gift-wrapped ready
60-day guarantee
30-day returns
Klarna available

Delivery in 2-3 working days · 30-day returns · Est. 1795

as seen in

Real talk

Buy once, keep forever

You're buying because you're tired of plastic tat that breaks by Boxing Day. Colin is different. Made from solid wood, hand-finished, weighted enough to feel real in a child's hand. The kind of toy you don't apologise for leaving out on the shelf.

And you won't buy this category again. Jaques sets outlast childhoods. They get passed down.

Joe Jaques, Jaques of London

What's in the box

What arrives at your door

Colin comes gift-wrapped in signature Jaques ribbon packaging. Everything inside is solid wood, painted with non-toxic finishes.

In the box

Colin the Clever Caterpillar

One complete caterpillar with 11 numbered segments. Each segment features a bright, non-toxic paint finish. Segments click together in numerical order, creating the full caterpillar body.

✓ 11 solid wood segments, numbers 1-11
✓ Fits together one way only (no frustration)
✓ Weighs enough to feel sturdy, light enough for small hands

Close-up of Colin's numbered wooden segments laid out to show the painting detail

Play style

How Colin works

Segments pop out and snap back. The child's job is to put them in the right number order. First time, it takes 5 minutes. Once they know it, it becomes the speed game. Plays from 12 months through to age 3 and beyond.

✓ Segments separate and reconnect smoothly
✓ No small parts that detach completely
✓ Grows with the child from sorting to number recognition

Counting Caterpillar wrapped in Jaques signature ribbon packaging

In the box

Gift-wrapped in signature ribbon

Arrives ready to hand over. No wrapping paper needed, no assembly required. The packaging itself says someone chose something real.

✓ Jaques branded ribbon packaging included
✓ No additional wrapping needed
✓ Feels like a proper gift, not a parcel

Order by 2pm, arrives within 3 business days

Was £16.99

Counting Caterpillar - Number Puzzle: £10.67

While they play

What Colin quietly teaches

Looks like play. Works like a lesson.

🔢

Number sequencing

Child learns that numbers follow a pattern. One segment must come before the next. This is the foundation of maths.

👀

Visual memory

Each segment has a colour and a number. Brain maps the two together. Faster each time they play.

✋

Hand coordination

Fingers learn to grip, rotate, align, and snap. Fine motor skills build without a screen in sight.

⏱️

Sustained focus

No timer, no buzzer, no dopamine hit. Child sits with one toy for 10 minutes. That's rare. That matters.

What families say about Jaques of London

What parents say

★★★★★

"Excellent quality wood toys, so well made, no sharp edges, all lovely & smooth, very colourful & plenty of choice. Very reasonably priced & so beautifully wrapped you don't want to open them. Highly recommend this company."

Lynda Evans✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Fast delivery, excellent products, extremely good quality and long lasting. My granddaughter loves the toys from here. Good age ranges covered."

Danella Jones✓ Google review

★★★★★

"These toys tick all the boxes, educational, colourful, fun, well made and great service. I just keep buying more and more."

Irene Johnstone✓ Google review

★★★★★

"We love our toys from Jaques of London. The quality is excellent and they're the perfect size for little hands to hold and play with easily. Beautifully made, sturdy wooden toys that will last for years. Highly recommend!"

Tegan✓ Google review

★★★★★

"Harrods grade gifting for a very reasonable price. Not the usual tat from China. Had several hand picked orders fron Jaques, nice to know its a UK business with old school quality."

John A✓ Google review

★★★★★

"I am a real fan of this company. If only I had come across them years ago when my boys were little. It's my go to for beautiful, good quality toys for my granddaughter now and any gift I need to buy. They arrived quickly, prices are reasonable and the special touch is they are beautifully packaged too. I love the heritage of this business!"

Sarah Lardner✓ Google review

★★★★★ 4.8/5 rated by families across Google and Trustpilot: real reviews, quoted word for word

Get ready for life

Why real play matters

Real brain growth comes from real play.

12m

First play: sorting and stacking

Baby removes segments, explores the shapes and colours. Learns cause and effect (push, it moves; let go, it stays).

→

Second year: number order emerges

Child begins to recognise the numbers. You notice them muttering the sequence. Not forced. They're playing, not studying.

→

Speed becomes the game

Can they build Colin faster than last time? Number memory now automatic. Focus shifts to challenge, not learning.

Why this matters right now

Est. 1795 Britain's oldest games company Over 100 million toys and games sold. Every set made to survive a childhood and then some.

23,000+ Orders from parents like you Bought once, kept. Passed down. The kind of toy that stays in the cupboard for 20 years.

60 days Worry-free guarantee If Colin doesn't click with your child, 60 days to change your mind. Full returns, no questions.

230 yrs of making things worth keeping Jaques of London has been crafting games and toys since 1795. This one is built to be handed down, not thrown out.

We really are different

Why Colin costs more than the plastic version

	Jaques Counting Caterpillar - Number Puzzle	Cheap Alternatives
Material	✅	❌ Plastic cracks, snaps, fades
Paint finish	✅	❌ Plastic paint chips after months
Weight in hand	✅	⚠️ Plastic feels cheap, breaks confidence
Lifespan	✅	❌ Plastic versions replaced every 2 years
Pass down or resell	✅	❌ Plastic has zero resale value
Warranty	✅	⚠️ Plastic usually no guarantee
Cost per year (if played 5 years)	✅	❌ Plastic adds up faster

Jaques

✅ Solid wood, hand-finished
✅ Non-toxic paint lasts
✅ Weighted, feels real
✅ Survives years, not months
✅ Resellable or passable
✅ 60-day guarantee included
✅ Pennies per year of play

Cheap alternatives

❌ Plastic cracks and snaps
❌ Paint chips in months
❌ Feels cheap, breaks easily
❌ Replaced every 2 years
❌ Worthless after use
❌ No guarantee offered
❌ Hidden replacement costs

Order by 2pm, arrives within 3 business days

Was £16.99

Counting Caterpillar - Number Puzzle: £10.67

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not right? Return it within 30 days. Full refund, no questions.

Questions & answers

Before you order

Buying for a 6th birthday. Is this the right one?

Perfectly. If they've played with wooden toys before, this is a straight fit. If they're new to wooden play, Colin teaches counting without any adult setup. Pop it on the shelf, child figures it out. Catherine McCulloch said it best: perfect gift for any babies' 1st birthday. Works all the way through age 3 and beyond.

Do I need to assemble it or add batteries?

No. Colin arrives ready to play. No batteries. No assembly. No confusing instructions. Open the box, unwrap the ribbon, hand it over.

How long will it last?

Years of daily play, then decades in the cupboard. Jaques sets from the 1990s are still played with today. The solid wood construction means it survives childhood wear. It's the toy you won't need to buy again, and neither will the next child who plays with it.

What if my child doesn't engage with it?

You have 60 days to return it, no questions asked. In practice, most children gravitate to wooden toys naturally. Leigh Hemmings reported arrival next day, saved Christmas. Manda Monium said worth every penny full price. But if it's not the fit for your child, the guarantee covers you.

How much does it cost?

The Counting Caterpillar - Number Puzzle is £10.67 today (down from £16.99). Klarna is available at checkout if you prefer to spread the cost.

What's your returns policy?

30 days, full refund, no conditions. Return it for any reason and we refund in full. We've been standing behind what we make since 1795.

Order by 2pm, arrives within 3 business days

Was £16.99

Counting Caterpillar - Number Puzzle: £10.67

Our story

Making toys worth keeping since 1795.

Jaques of London was founded in 1795. We invented croquet, table tennis, and the Staunton chess set. For 230 years, we've been making things that pull children away from passive entertainment and into active, curious, hands-on play.

In 1795, Jaques began making games because families needed toys that lasted. Two centuries later, that principle is the only one we follow. Colin the Clever Caterpillar is made from solid wood because plastic doesn't survive childhood. Hand-painted because bright, non-toxic colour teaches as it plays. Built with snap-fit segments because children learn through repetition, not frustration. This is why it costs more than the plastic version. It also costs less over time, because you only buy it once.

Toys and games that leave something behind: a skill, a memory, a piece of play that gets passed on.
Joe, Jaques of London

Ready when you are