Playing with toys is the first opportunity a child has to explore and interact with the world on their own terms. To children, toys are more than just objects: they are companions, teachers, and super heroes that help guide them through a big and sometimes confusing world. They assist the physical, cognitive and emotional development that prepares children for adulthood. The Creativity Institute divides toys into four categories:
Toys for physical or muscle development such as wagons, bikes, boxes, puzzles, blocks, brooms, and shovels.
Toys for sensory (touch, sight, sound, taste, smell) development such as water toys, musical instruments, bubbles, play dough, and sand toys.
Toys for make-believe and social development such as dolls, dress-up clothes, cars, trucks, games, and books.
Toys for creative and intellectual development such as clay, crayons, paints, books, paper, and scissors. At Billie & Roo we believe the best toys are ones that engage a child’s senses, spark their imaginations, and encourage them to interact with others. We love toys!
Wooden toys provide open-ended play opportunities; encouraging imagination and helping develop essential cognitive and problem-solving skills. Well-manufactured, traditional wooden toys like those available from Billie & Roo have a powerful weight and feel to them, creating a stimulating and enjoyable tactile playing experience. These toys will often grow with a child and support their learning through various developmental stages.
There are no 'right or wrong' ways to play with these toys, they don't require batteries, they look simply gorgeous, and they can often handle the test of time. Unlike their plastic counterparts, they are a sustainable choice that will not contribute to landfill and harm our precious environment.
Wanting to bring as much love, laughter and learning into the world through healthy, sustainable choices and good old-fashioned fun, Natural Living Foster (our physical store) and Billie & Roo were born. So what started off as a small kinesiology practice with a few healthy living products and a passion to protect our beautiful planet, soon became so much more. The joy we share with customers each day, whether in person or upon the opening of a new toy through the mail, is why we’re here. We hope you can be a part of our journey … we’d love to have you aboard.