mallet
Definitions
A hammer with a large, usually wooden head, used for driving chisels or striking surfaces without damaging them.
A long-handled wooden implement used for striking the ball in games such as croquet or polo.
Examples
The carpenter used a wooden mallet to gently tap the joints into place.
She picked up the rubber mallet to secure the tent stakes into the hard ground.
The percussionist reached for the soft mallet to create a mellow sound on the xylophone.