The early bird gets the worm — push it down, watch it pop up.

The Wooden Early Bird Pop Up is one of those simple, perfectly designed toys that toddlers find completely irresistible. The board is illustrated with a sweet early bird character, and four rounded pegs designed to look like garden worms sit in the holes. Children push each peg down — then watch them all pop right back up, ready to be pushed down again. The satisfying surprise of the pop never gets old, and at 18 months it's exactly the right kind of cause-and-effect challenge.

It's part of Mentari's woodland-bird family of toys, alongside the Woodland Hammer Toy and the Stacking Tree with Bird — together they make a lovely first-birthday gift set in the Toddler Bundle.

At $20.99 with chunky construction and a clear, engaging mechanic, it's also one of the best-value toys in Mentari's 18 months+ range and a brilliant choice for a first birthday.

What's in the box:

• 1 x wooden Early Bird Pop Up board with illustration
• 4 x rounded worm pegs

Skills & development:

• Cause and effect — pushing down and watching the worm pop up is a foundational early reasoning milestone
• Fine motor skills — pressing each peg builds hand strength and finger control
• Cognitive development — predicting and anticipating the pop builds early reasoning
• Sensory play — the visual surprise of the pop and the tactile feedback are richly engaging

Product details:

• Age: 18 months+
• Size: 6.69 x 1.57 x 4.92 inches
• Weight: 0.55 lbs
• Material: Sustainably sourced wood, non-toxic paint
• Safety: ASTM F963 certified
• Assembly required: No