Are wooden blocks better than plastic or LEGO DUPLO for toddlers?

Reviewers across r/Montessori, r/toddlers and r/ScienceBasedParenting praise wooden blocks for screen-free, battery-free, imagination-driven play, and note they require more fine-motor effort than snap-together bricks. The trade-off cited repeatedly is stability: unconnected wood blocks topple at the slightest bump, which some parents see as a feature (cause and effect) and others find frustrating for younger toddlers. If your child wants structures that hold together, connecting systems are an easier path; for open-ended balancing and stacking, wood is the consensus favorite.