Any play is considered by most to be educational to children. Playing with toys exposes children to new experiences and expands their imaginations. Many experts and parents agree that wooden educational toys are really developmental tools which engage children and encourage learning. Plus, some consider them to be far superior to plastic made toys.
Wooden toys have many distinct qualities. A well-crafted wooden toy can last a lifetime. A child might grow up and become uninterested in their wooden toys, but the toys will be waiting for the next generation of children. It would not be impossible for wooden toys to remain within a family for several generations and become valued treasures.
Wooden toys are much more earth friendly than plastic toys. Wood is an earthly phenomenon, whereas plastic is a human endeavor. This signifies that wooden toy production has a gentler impact on the environment and produces less waste, making a healthier world for all the world’s inhabitants. However, the healthy benefits of wooden toys do not end with the environment.
Many wooden toys come untreated or are finished with non-toxic paints. In comparison, recent studies indicate that some plastics can have harmful effects on human health. In addition, wood has antibacterial properties, in fact, a wooden toy in the same room as a plastic toy is said to have less germs. This is important to many parents who understand that their infants chew on toys as often as they touch them.
Wooden toys have other attributes worth mentioning. Many children enjoy the weight and feel of a wooden toy. In addition, wood retains warmth, which many children find comforting as if the slight heat is beckoning them to play. Some might argue that this naturally increases the educational potential of a wooden toy because it encourages play. Also if the toy has been carved from a scented wood, then the aroma is often lasting, which engages another of the child’s senses.
There are many educational wooden toys. These toys develop children socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically. At the infant stage, a child will play and learn with a chew toy or a colored noise maker. These toys encourage coordination and awareness.
There are toys geared towards older infants and toddlers. At this age children are beginning to understand spatial relationships between objects and to identify colors and shapes, in addition, they are still developing coordination. Wooden sorting toys or wooden stacking games are perfect to engage these skills. Moreover, children can gain awareness of balance and hand and eye coordination though play with large building blocks (later on they will graduate to basic building blocks).
As children grow the focus of their play moves to encompass everyday life and the world around them. They are swept away to a farm, zoo or wilderness as they play with carved wooden animal sets. Housekeeping, baking and building sets expand a child’s understanding of household and community activities. Language and counting abilities are improved upon as children play with wooden letter and number sets. Moreover, this age group tends to enjoy wooden toys groups geared towards younger children, for example, chew toys and rattles and toys geared towards older children, for example, puzzles and mazes.
Many older children want the challenge of toys that engage their analytical skills. Whether they enjoy puzzles, mazes and labyrinths, model building or play sets, wooden toy makers will likely have something to engage their imaginations and challenge their critical thinking skills. Regardless of a child’s age, some experts and parents agree that wooden educational toys promote a child’s confidence, encourage the use of their imagination, and create fun.
Buying baby toys isn’t just to provide your child with a fun activity – it’s also to help them learn! Shopping at local toy stores will provide you with educational toys that are both enlightening and fun, all at the same time!
