What is better than wooden toy swords for the young knight-in-arms? From the age of two, my boys have loved their wooden sword and shield sets. They play dress up and create knight costumes, that are complete only with the requisite sword and sheath.

It's been harder to find quality wooden sword sets than I expected. While many wooden toys are availabel at mass retailers, swords are not and even online sites such as Amazon fall short in supplying them for my sword-weilding young heroes.

If you can't find them at local stores, such as unique toy stores or boutiques or medieval festivals and craft shows, check online at sites that specialize in natural toys, wooden toys or dress up items. I fond one site that has nothign but medieval costumes and wooden weaponry for children and adults.

When offered at a young age, wooden swords help children build gross and fine motor skills as they play at sword fighting with eachother and imaginary dragons. They are also great for inspiring creativity and pretend play.

These toys are also appealing for quite some time, meaning that they will last for years as a favorite for many youngsters, especially boys.