Wooden Toys...The Love Affair Is Real!
There are so many reasons to buy wooden toys but the most obvious for me is the feel, the smell and the look of it. Nothing compares the natural colours in the grain that makes each piece individual and unique and nothing beats the intoxicating smell that you can only get from wood in it’s natural and raw state!
But these are reasons why myself and most other people enjoy products made from wood but what about the kids?! They too can experience the same journey for the senses while also learning other important skills.
Children instinctively respond by using their imagination when playing with wooden toys. They are in charge of creating the voices, animal noises, and other sound effects, rather than just listening to the toy. This creates the ultimate learning environment and allows their minds explore different scenarios and solve problems. Although a lot of kids enjoy playing with electronic toys that make sounds by pressing a button, unfortunately they can interfere with their learning and limit their imagination as they are only responding to what that particular toy can do.
Imaginative play also encourages interaction with other children by including them in role play which is another great way to enahance their learning experience.
Another advantage of wood versus plastic is weight - toys made from plastic tend to be lightweight, however the weight of a wooden toy helps children become more aware of what they are doing and how they control that weight which in turn improves their fine motor skills.
Generally wooden toys will cost more than a lot of the other educational toys on the market, but they hold a great deal of value and have the potential to last a lifetime. Wooden toys won’t outgrow your child like plastic toys tend to. Children are able to find different ways of using them so they can continue to build their problem solving, reasoning and fine motor skills. Although children will always ask for the toy they have seen on TV or that their friend got for Christmas, you can take comfort knowing that whenever they pull out their wooden toys they are still able to learn and grow while playing with something that you also know is safe for them.
Thank you so much for reading!
Amy xx