It can’t be denied that playthings today are commonly plastic toys and technology-based toys. Sure it can light up the faces of beans and toddlers as they seem to have fun with them. But they can still have fun with natural wooden playthings, right? The past generations did experience them, especially considering toys back then weren’t as advanced and complex as they are nowadays. You can never go wrong with the classic wooden toys and here are reasons why.
Why Wooden Toys?
Safety
As much as most plastic toys are more attention-catching, these are less safe than wooden toys. They can break because of the material and can be the cause of the presence of small hazardous pieces to your beans. The little ones can ingest these or broken pieces with sharp edges may harm them. Aside from the durability, wooden toys are also more environmentally safe and recyclable. As from the name itself, these are made with natural materials unlike plastic toys which tend to be more hazardous.
Long-lasting
It was already mentioned that a reason for a safer toy is its durability and that wooden toys are sturdier than their plastic counterparts. And it is a no-brainer that the techy toys, like those with overwhelming lights and sounds, don’t last long-term. Wooden playthings are certainly not indestructible but we can’t deny its longevity compared to the plastics because they are usually passed down from one generation to the next.
For Senses
We can already see the difference between wooden and plastic toys at first glance in terms of their physical appearance. But wait until you really use the former. Wooden playthings have more interesting textures and can have an imbalance in weights, sizes, or shapes that can offer great sensory experience to the beans. Take for example a smooth plastic car and a wooden car. The wooden one may not move as smoothly as the plastic but the beans will learn to exert different amounts of physical forces depending on the texture and the environment. Plus with the unique look and feel, the beans will still gain interest to play with them continuously.
Educational Purposes
Speaking of learning, the educational value stands out the most when comparing wooden toys to other kinds of toys. They may be way simpler but this is what makes the beans learn. Without the flashy lights and sounds of techy toys and general instructions of plastic toys, wooden playthings make the little ones more curious, creative, and focused. They will concentrate in stacking blocks, learning the purpose of a specific playset, or in creating natural sounds using wooden musical toys. It is also based on research from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that the material itself helps the beans. Being in a learning environment that is surrounded by natural materials like the wooden toys, they tend to be more calm and concentrated. In the end, various impacts such as neurological effects, reasoning skills, problem-solving skills, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination will be carried by beans throughout their growth.
Starter Wooden Toys
Plastic and techy toys can be found everywhere today. So you must wonder what wooden playthings are still in the toy market, right? Surely there are still a lot as the search goes on but here’s some of the common wooden toys we recommend from Anko to start-off your bean’s playing time.
Blocks and Stackers
Food sets
Play sets
Wooden vehicles
Wooden houses/dollhouses
Others
Music: Wooden music table
Fitness/movement: Wooden activity gym
These are just some of the toys you can get for your beans. It would still depend too on what you prefer. But no matter what kind of toys you provide to them, the wooden ones truly have a range of advantages from physical to mental benefits. Happy playing and learning to your beans!
