Hippychick Classic World Hercules Weightlifting review

The Hippychick Classic World Hercules Weightlifting toy is a simple, yet clever, balancing game that allows little ones to use wooden rings to correctly balance the arms of this strongman wooden figure. The eyes of the little Hercules move, so he can see straight, when the arms are balanced.

Not only is this toy a great teaching tool and aids your tot's fine motor skills and shape recognition, it is also a Mother&Baby Awards 2023 Silver winner.

Testing the Hippychick Classic World Hercules Weightlifting

The Classic World Hercules Wooden Weightlifting Stacking Learning Game is well-crafted and designed to help develop fine motor skills, colour recognition, and basic balance awareness in young children. The concept is simple but meaningful; children place coloured wooden weights on Hercules' arms, attempting to balance the arms evenly. The Hercules Wooden Weightlifting encourages problem-solving in a fun, hands-on way.

Among wooden educational toys, this game competes well with offerings from more widely known brands like Hape or Melissa & Doug. Its compact design and gentle pastel colour palette caught my attention, and based on previous experience with other fine motor skill toys, such as stacking pegs and wooden puzzles, I expected something engaging and durable. The product arrived in neat, eco-friendly packaging with clear visual guidance printed on the box. No setup or batteries were required, which instantly made it appealing as a low-effort, high-engagement toy at a very reasonable price point.

As a parent of three young children, I’ve learned to appreciate toys that offer a balance between education, simplicity, and safety. For this review, my 4-year-old daughter and my 3-year-old son were the primary testers. Both are in a key developmental window where play is closely tied to learning, so I was curious to see how each child interacted with the toy and what lessons, if any, could be naturally drawn from it.

We tested the product for some time, incorporating it into regular morning and afternoon play sessions. The children played independently, together, and occasionally with adult input. Our focus was to explore how well the toy supported its advertised learning goals, such as weight relationship by changing the weights on Hercules' arms, coordination, and shape awareness, while also checking for durability, safety, and repeat play value.

One of the most noticeable things was how easy it was for both children to grasp the purpose of the game without any verbal instruction. The kids both understand the purpose of the disc, which is to stack the discs on the arms or place them back on the wooden poles on both sides. It came with a manual which contains very simple visual illustration instructions on how to play with the Hercules Weightlifting. The toy includes seven wooden pieces: the Hercules figure with movable arms and six stacking weights in soft pastel shades. The materials felt robust and safe, with a smooth finish and no sharp edges.

During play, my daughter and son immediately took interest, engaging and iterating by carefully placing rings on the arms, playing with the arms and problem-solving the purpose of the Hercules Weightlifting. Both kids were engaging with Hercules Weightlifting, sharing peacefully and surprisingly, which could be due to how engaged and absorbed they were with stacking, restacking and figuring out the purpose of Hercules Weightlifting. Their cooperation was unexpected; it turned into a quiet lesson in teamwork, without any adult prompting.

In terms of build, the toy is small enough to store easily in a drawer or toy bin, and cleaning is quick. We wiped it down with a damp cloth after use, and the smooth surface makes it even easier to clean. The arms are attached securely, and after multiple drops and throws (courtesy of toddler enthusiasm), there were no signs of damage or wear. That said, the toy might have slightly limited longevity for older pre-schoolers. While the concept remains enjoyable, its simplicity may not provide enough variation to sustain regular use by children older than five. However, it’s the perfect fit for children from age 3 and 4+, particularly as a quiet activity that can be played alone or together.

The setup was seamless, no assembly required. Hercules stands on a firm wooden base, with movable arms with rings/discs placement on both sides. The rings themselves are smooth, solid, and painted in friendly and appealing colours (pastel orange, green, and yellow).

The design is clever. The toy invites experimentation if the weights are uneven, Hercules tilts, showing children a direct consequence of imbalance. My daughter quickly picked up on the cause-and-effect relationship and began actively testing combinations. At first, she did not get why it was leaning on one side, so she decided to move the arms left and right over and over again. It’s not just fun, it genuinely teaches something.

Visual Instructions were included in the box and the toy’s play instructions on the packaging, but the gameplay was so intuitive that we didn’t miss them. What you could do with Hercules Weightlifting is self-explanatory.

In terms of durability, the product was strong and made of durable wood material. Despite a few drops and knocks during energetic play, there were no chips or splinters. The wood is thick and smoothed down well, with non-toxic paint that shows no signs of wear.

One unexpected discovery was how the toy encouraged siblings’ teamwork and engagement in problem-solving. My children took turns trying to make Hercules “lift” evenly.

Storage was easy: the entire toy takes up minimal space and fits well into a cube toy organiser or drawer. Cleaning is straightforward and can be done using a damp cloth for the base and rings after play.

Final verdict

The Classic World - Hercules Wooden Weightlifting Stacking Learning Game is educational, well-built, and fun. The kids really enjoyed playing with it, and I was amazed at how much they focused and engaged with the toy. Surprisingly, both kids did not fight over the toy, which normal occurrence with both kids, especially when a new toy is introduced. Most probably due to the multitasking activities of stacking and moving the arm piece. They were so engrossed and engaged in the activities that fighting over it was forgotten! At £14.95 (including VAT), it offers exceptional value. It’s ideal for families who prioritise sustainable toys and developmental play. I’d especially recommend it to parents of toddlers aged 3+; it’s a perfect distraction and gets them engaged with the task.

Watching my daughter and son learn the concept of balance independently and playing together was insightful. Helps understand that toys like this would encourage team play, independent play and engross them with problem-solving games.

Maria Martin is Digital Group Editor for Yours.co.uk and Motherandbaby.com. She is a mum-of-two with a passion for helping women from all walks of life – from supporting breastfeeding mothers with expert advice to encouraging conversations about mental health. In her professional role, she has over 10 years' experience in the digital world, including editing articles, focussing on SEO, social media engagement, picture researching and video editing.