Eguchi Toys Hippo Rattle – Walnut & Beech Wooden Baby Rattle

A handmade walnut-and-beech hippo rattle for baby's first year: simple, warm in the hand and made to become a keepsake.

The Eguchi Toys Hippo Rattle is shaped from walnut and beech wood with a metal ball inside that makes a gentle sound when it moves. It's sized for small hands (about 5 × 4 in) and made for babies from birth to 12 months.

Specifications

• Brand: Eguchi Toys
• Designer: Kentaro Eguchi (founder of Eguchi Toys)
• Type: Wooden baby rattle
• Shape: Hippo
• Materials: Walnut and beech wood; metal ball inside for sound
• Product dimensions: 5 × 4 × 1 in (13 × 10 × 3 cm)
• Package dimensions: 5.5 × 5 × 2 in (14 × 13 × 5 cm)
• Weight: 0.5 lb (0.23 kg), product/box weight as listed
• Age: 0–12 months (distributor rating)
• Safety testing: US CPSIA tested (per distributor)
• Origin: Designed and made in Taiwan
• Item number (MPN): S221
• UPC/EAN: 4713410532219

Features

• Walnut and beech wood, shaped into a smooth, rounded hippo
• Metal ball inside for sound
• About 5 × 4 × 1 in (13 × 10 × 3 cm), 0.5 lb with box
• For 0–12 months; US CPSIA tested
• Designed and made in Taiwan

Best for

Newborns and babies up to 12 months, baby-shower and new-baby gifts, and parents who want fewer, better toys in natural materials. Pair it with the Horn Rattle or an Eguchi bird mobile for a complete gift.

Who this is not for

• Anyone looking for a teether: the distributor doesn't describe it as a teething toy.
• Anyone who wants a dishwasher-safe or washable plastic rattle: wood needs to be wiped, not soaked.
• Anyone who wants bright colors, lights or music: this is natural wood with a soft sound.

Why we carry Eguchi Toys

We've been curating design-led pieces since 2009, and Eguchi Toys fills a gap we care about: children's things that are honest, well made and good-looking enough to live in the main rooms of a home. Eguchi Toys was founded in Taipei in 2015 by Kentaro Eguchi, a Japanese designer who studied fine art at the School of Visual Arts in New York, holds a Montessori teaching qualification and founded Ivy's House Montessori kindergarten in Taipei in 1997. His team of designers, carpenters and preschool teachers designs and makes the toys in Taiwan, and the line has been shown at Maison&Objet in Paris (2017, 2019, 2024) and the Nuremberg International Toy Fair (2019, 2020). Every toy starts from what children are working on at each stage, then gets a shape and palette an adult is happy to see every day.

Worth the investment

At $40 it costs more than a plastic rattle, but walnut and beech age well; the distributor describes it as a rattle passed down from sibling to sibling and kept as a memory for years.

Buy once: durability and care

Wipe with a soft cloth and clean water, then dry it right away. Skip alcohol and chemical cleaners, and keep it away from direct sun, heaters and air-conditioning vents, which can make wood expand, contract and crack. (Our advice, based on the wood-care guidance Eguchi publishes for its furniture; VICI doesn't publish care instructions for this toy.)

Safety

US CPSIA tested (per distributor). Our advice: always supervise play, check the rattle regularly for cracks or loose parts and stop using it if you find any, and never tie it to a crib or a baby.

Frequently asked questions

What age is the Eguchi Toys Hippo Rattle for?

The distributor rates it for 0–12 months.

What wood is the Eguchi Toys Hippo Rattle made from?

Walnut and beech, with a metal ball inside that makes the rattle sound.

How big is the Eguchi Toys Hippo Rattle?

About 5 × 4 × 1 in (13 × 10 × 3 cm). It ships in a box of about 5.5 × 5 × 2 in (14 × 13 × 5 cm).

Has the Eguchi Toys Hippo Rattle been safety tested?

Yes, the distributor states it is US CPSIA tested.

How should I clean the Eguchi Toys Hippo Rattle?

Wipe it with a damp cloth and dry it straight away. Never soak it or put it in the dishwasher. Full care notes are in the Buy once section above.

Is the Eguchi Toys Hippo Rattle a teether?

The distributor doesn't describe it as a teething toy or publish the finish used, so we'd treat it as a rattle and supervise if it ends up in baby's mouth.

Gifting & bulk orders

Buying for a nursery, a school, a hotel family suite or several gifts at once? Contact us for multiples and trade pricing. MetropolitanDecor is a California design retailer, in business since 2009.

Shipping

In-stock Eguchi Toys pieces ship in 2–3 business days from the United States. We don't pad delivery promises: if your order can't leave on time, we contact you before it ships.

Please note: Because this item is made to order or specially sourced, it is final sale.