I have relative that is into wooden furniture and toys. Most of her baby's toys were wooden. It was quite interesting being around someone like that. It sounded different, it looked different, it even felt different to be around those kind of toys! But the biggest purpose was that it was healthy. At that time there were toys from China being re-called on a regular basis. So I thought, this is really neat! The wooden toys were made in America or Europe. Most people I know go to the store and buy the toys at the store (plastic and wha ese). But she doesn't do that. She invests time researcing the best wooden toys. She invests on those toys!
Another thing my relative likes to do is to purchase only furniture made of 100% wood. No MDF or particle board allowed!Why? Because those materials release chemicals during their lifetime. We smell the junk! Another thing is that when water or liquid falls on it and lands in the wrong spot it desintegrates. And what an annoying swollen item it becomes!
You can buy wooden furniture at Ikea (make sure you read the labels). If you live on a budget, check garage sales, Flea Markets, Craigs List, E-bay's local list, store sales, and re-sale shops. Make sure you aks if the item is made of wood and learn to recognize wood. It is amazing how paint can transform an old piece of furniture!