Yunhe county located in Lishui, East China's Zhejiang province, known as the "Home of China's Wooden Toys", is expanding its reach into international markets with innovative wooden toys designed for seniors' cognitive and recreational needs.

Recently, at a senior care facility in Shizuoka, Japan, over 30 elderly residents engaged with various cognitive-boosting wooden toys such as number puzzles and mazes, all developed by Zhejiang Mimi Zhikang Technology Co based in Yunhe.

The company's director, Ma Dafei, highlighted their collaboration with Xi'an Jiaotong University's brain health team and Alzheimer's research groups to create over 100 senior-friendly wooden toy designs.

Their products have already been introduced to five specialized nursing homes in Japan. Tailoring to international preferences, the company produces custom items like high-quality wooden chess sets for German seniors and kendama toys for the Japanese market. In the first quarter of this year, sales of their wooden toys for seniors increased by 50 percent year-on-year.

Yunhe is promoting its wooden toy line for seniors. Wang Wancheng, chairman of Jincheng Wood Industry Co, announced plans to introduce a new line of wooden toys to attract more overseas seniors.

The county is pursuing nine strategic initiatives, including research and innovation, market expansion, and digital empowerment, as it aims to integrate the wooden toy industry with creative sectors and elder care services.

With over 1,000 senior wooden toy products developed, Yunhe is committed to enhancing core technologies and accelerating their global distribution.