Five reasons to say “yes” to wooden toys

Grandparents are full of wisdom, happily teaching us wrong from right and telling fabulous stories from their many years of experience. They also played with wooden toys as young children, mostly because technology was simply not as advanced as it is today. However, you’d be making a big mistake if you dismiss wooden toys as being old-fashioned! Wooden toys can actually be superior to their technology-driven, plastic counterparts. From being good for the environment to inspiring imagination, here are five reasons to choose wood the next time you are faced with a store full of children's toys.

1. Wooden toys are eco-friendly.

With the urgent need to protect our earth for generations to come, using non-plastic anything is welcome in daily life. What a great time to teach our children the importance of using all-natural materials! Of course, a child won't fully understand this notion, but as upstanding adults, we understand the importance of contributing to the upkeep of the earth. There is plenty of information available now that attests to the presence of chemicals and dangerous substances in plastics, all of which any parent or loved one would want to keep far away from children. After all, isn’t it our job as parents to protect our children from danger? This is not an issue with wooden toys, making playtime safe for children as well as Mother Nature.

2. Wood is tremendously durable.

There is a reason your grandparents grew up with wooden toys. They are sturdy, long lasting, and can easily be passed down for younger siblings to use. Think of how easily plastic or technology-driven toys get too dirty, malfunction, scratch, bend, and break. With wooden toys, however, the fun can continue for generations. Wouldn’t it be great for your kids to one day pass their toys down to their grandchildren?

3. They promote development.

Wooden toys allow children to develop at their own pace, giving them a blank canvas to grow. Moreover, their open-ended nature makes them ideal for educational playtime teaching children problem solving skills and skill building.

4. Wooden toys encourage creative play.

Using toys that could be considered basic, such as wooden toys, actually invites children to use their imaginations more, something that everyone can agree is key for childhood development. There are no screens to just sit and watch like you would find with technology-driven toys. The child is able to be active and creative, with only the sky as the limit. In addition to the educational aspects of these toys, children will easily be entertained by their own imaginative world that they have created themselves with the help of a simple wooden toy.

5. Basic is better.

These toys are basic and their appeal is universal, capturing the interest of all genders and ages. More often than not, wooden toys are gender neutral. Although wood can be painted any color and formed into any number of typical boy or girl toys, wooden toys are quite often designed to appeal to the widest range of children possible, allowing all kids to feel comfortable exploring and playing. In addition, while many other toys turn out to be fads, quickly collecting dust in the dark corners of a closet, wooden toys can be used for a longer period of a child's development because they are free to play with them however they want, with no restrictions or rules regarding how the object is meant to used.

With so many benefits to wooden toys, it’s a wonder that anyone would pass them up in the toy store! The next time you have to go gift shopping for your little one or you have an upcoming children's birthday party to attend, why not choose a classic, durable, open-ended wooden toy that is sure to spur their imagination? You can even happily explain to the recipient why your gift is the best of the bunch!