There is an inclination amongst many gift givers and parents to head to the aisles of cheap chain stores to stock up on all things plastic and shiny. But are these the best choices for gifts for children? Is there another way that, amongst a multitude of educational benefits, also cuts down on the clutter chaos that so often infiltrates homes where small children live? Surely a living space can be created that is not marred by a constant cloud of chaos and catastrophe brought about by mountains of ‘throw-away culture’ toys that don’t have a sense of longevity. This would address the constant bleeps and bloops, crashes and bangs and tripping hazards that become the soundtracks (and harsh realities) of the lives of parents of little ones. What if there were toys that increased opportunities for thoughtful, engaged and creative play.
There is much to be said about selecting quality wooden toys for children. These beautiful, durable items can encourage productive play that engages with your child on several levels and through key sensory and cognitive developmental stages.
If you choose wooden toys for your child, you are making an investment in their educational play capacity. The same blocks that they played with in infancy can provide them with evolving educational experiences through broader interaction and play opportunities. These toys can grow with your child and will quickly take pride of place in any home for years to come. Wooden toys provide open-ended playing and learning experiences. This means less cost in the long-term for parents who are looking to streamline their living expenses as well as cut down clutter around the home. Interactive, engaging and cost effective? Surely that’s a recipe for playtime success!
Selecting Quality, Durable Wooden Toys
Wooden toys can provide a key opportunity for children to engage in tactile, open ended play. These beautiful, sustainable toys mean that children are able to manipulate, imagine, and create in an intuitive way that plastic toys, often with a singular function, cannot possibly compete with. The myriad of opportunities presented by wooden toys mean that they will quickly become key features of play in the home, as well as becoming main stays in the play room for years to come.
Wooden toys for children never run out of batteries; saving money, hassle and heartache (as well as your sanity if you’re not interested in the noise pollution). These toys provide a natural sense of delight to children as well as cutting down on clutter.
It’s all about intention. When we make proactive decisions to invest in toys that are durable, sustainable, and beautiful we are making steps towards creating a learning environment that speaks to childhood experiences on a deeper level.
Selecting Wooden Toys for Children
There are many arguments in favour of making an organic, sustainable choice when it comes to stocking your toy room. These toys are more environmentally sound and easier to manipulate when it comes to educational purposes. Well-manufactured, traditional toys have a powerful weight and feel to them which creates a stimulating and enjoyable tactile playing experience, as well as acting as a safeguard against any potential health concerns that sometimes come with ‘plastic fantastic’ toys.
Wooden toys become powerful forces when it comes to growing your child’s cognitive capacity to concentrate. These items are solid and durable – they’ll be able to be carefully stored and potentially passed down through generations. Wooden toys act as conduits through which your child may begin to make sense of the world through play-acting and imagination.
What Wooden Toys are Best?
Wooden toys are excellent choices when it comes to the purchasing of fun, educational materials. Plastic
toys with flashing lights and sirens may break, or quickly be thrown into the ‘used to play with’ pile, having lost their ‘two-minute appeal’. Quality wooden toys have the capacity to stand up to the test of time and become playroom staples for years to come.
Consider the following questions when looking to select wooden toys for yourself or for a friend:
- Are these toys that will allow the child to engage in imaginative play?
- Are these toys that will grow with the child and support their learning through various developmental
stages? - Are these toys that are not only wonderful to play with but aesthetically pleasing as well?
- Are these toys a sustainable choice or will they contribute to landfill?
Choosing Quality Toys for Your Child
Electing to purchase wooden toys is an environmentally friendly solution that you can be proud of. Knowing that you’re not adding to landfill, whilst providing your child with an educational resource, has many parents sleeping better at night
