Wooden toys are much more aesthetically pleasing than their brightly coloured plastic counterparts. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind about it! Pinterest would be a very different place if it were the other way around wouldn't it?
With that being said there are so many more benefits of buying wooden toys for children other than just their appearances. Let's take a little look further into five benefits of wooden toys for children.
1. Wooden toys are more environmentally friendly.
Wooden toys are generally a much more environmentally friendly option compared to plastic toys. As an organic, renewable substance, wooden toys are biodegradable and can also be recycled (if you ever wanted to get rid of them, that is).
The production of wooden toys, especially handcrafted ones offer a stark comparison to mass-produced plastic toys.
Environmental issues seem to be at the forefront of peoples minds these days and wooden toys really are the way forward as a simple way of improving our own sustainability.
2. Wooden toys are highly educational.
It's been proven that classic staple wooden toys can be highly educational for young children. Classics such as puzzles and building blocks can help with numeracy, literacy, motor skills and problem-solving.
Even by just stacking wooden toys on top of one another it encourages children to develop their motor skills. They'll begin to find out how gravity works as well as the art of balancing.
It's especially interesting to know that wooden toys can be played with from such a young age. An age where typically not much 'learning' is done by children. Encouraging educational development from an earlier age can never be a disadvantage for our children.
3. Wooden toys stand the test of time.
There's no question about it, toys can take a real battering from young children! Mine especially! They get bashed up, thrown around and left outside in all kinds of weather. Because of this, the toys you choose to buy for your children need to be robust.
Plastic toys can be quite brittle whereas their wooden counterparts will endure much harsher treatments. A lot of plastic toys are mass-produced and made much more cheaply meaning their durability can be lessened.
Wooden toys can also be passed down and handed through different generations. A lovely sentiment but also proof that wooden toys stand the test of time.
4. Wooden toys spark imaginative play.
How many toys does your child own that either bleeps, whistles or has a screen attached to them? I know mine has a fair few! They’re all well and good & of course have their own advantages, however, sometimes simplicity is best.
Wooden toys offer a blank slate for children to project their imagination onto. Number blocks could turn into counting which could turn into tower building, and lord knows whatever else goes through your child's brain.
With wooden toys, less is more! Simplicity is key and hugely inspires imaginative play.
5. Wooden toys are much safer.
Unfortunately, plastic toys can be quite cheaply made and can break pretty easily. They can be especially dangerous if your child is at the age where everything ends up in their mouth. Because wooden toys are built better than plastic, it means they're much safer.
Safety is paramount when it comes to raising a child, it's at the forefront of parents minds & if we can encourage safe play with safer toys I think it's important that we do so.
What are your thoughts on wooden toys vs plastic toys?
