The physical experience of running your hands over a well-crafted, solid wooden object is unique. And children appear to grasp this better than anyone else, given that wooden toys have never truly gone out of style throughout the years, remaining a major play item in homes, playgroups, and schools all across the world.
Wooden toys are seeing a renaissance as parents nostalgically recall their own childhoods when selecting toys for their children, and as consumers in general revert to classic toys to balance out the ever-sophisticated toys and gadgets of the digital age.
Few people have summed up the appeal of wood more succinctly than sociologist and design historian Amy F. Ogata, who wrote in her book Designing The Creative that wood “is a familiar and poetic substance, which does not divorce the kid from direct touch with the tree, the table, the floor.”
So, here are the top six benefits of wooden toys for kids.
Environmentally friendly
Of course, wooden toys manufactured from responsibly sourced, certified wood are far more ecologically friendly than plastic toys. Wooden toys are biodegradable and recyclable since they are made of an organic, renewable material.
Wooden toys are more environmentally friendly if any paint used on them is devoid of hazardous chemicals – or if no paint is used at all.
The manufacture of wooden toys, especially when handcrafted and all materials are sustainably sourced and verified, contrasts sharply with the production of many mass-produced plastic toys, which might contain questionable chemicals and frequently provide no chance of renewability.
Wooden toys also provide youngsters with a direct connection to the natural world.
Qualifications in education
Dr. Lawrence Mestyanek, a pioneering educational psychologist, identified a paucity of instructional toys for toddlers and newborns with learning difficulties in 1976. He attempted to remedy this by building a number of unique wooden toys in his garage, and since then, we have learned more and more about how wooden toys may provide a variety of educational benefits.
Puzzles, building blocks, and tiny construction sets are some of the traditional wooden toys that may aid youngsters with numeracy, reading, motor skills, and problem solving.
According to Ogata, “wood became the material emblem of timelessness, authenticity, and elegance in the contemporary educational toy among the educated middle and upper-middle classes.”
You can focus more effectively.
Wooden workplaces are both peaceful and exciting in the best possible way. Working in a setting with natural lighting and exposed grain of solid wood relaxes our thoughts and bodies and prepares us for actual work. When the workplace is marked by cold, harsh lighting and unsightly and steely (even if necessary) furniture and equipment, less mental effort is needed in overcoming unpleasant sensations. Workers can think and learn more effectively, as well as be more creative, in environments that include wood and other biophilic features.
Longevity and durability
Toys are undeniably abused by their young owners, being beaten up, flung about, and left outside in the elements. Plastic toys may be fragile, and anything digital or audio-visual is prone to failure or obsolescence.
Wood, on the other hand, can withstand rigorous use and persist for decades, guaranteeing that these toys may be passed down down the family line.
Megan Walford, a mother from the Gold Coast, has witnessed this firsthand.
“I have a full collection of wooden toys from when I was a kid that I’ve now passed down to my two boys,” she adds. “They have a few scuffs and scrapes, but they’re still quite sturdy and will survive for who knows how long.”
Stimulates the imagination
Toys nowadays are loaded with bells, whistles, bleeps, displays, noises, colours, and so on, thanks to the constant advancement of technology. But, in many cases, simplicity is ideal, and less is more.
Wooden toys provide youngsters with a blank canvas on which to portray all of the wildness and extravagance of their developing imaginations.
“My youngest son’s favourite toy right now is a stick he discovered in the garden,” Walford explains. “It’s remarkable what a child’s imagination can produce with the most basic of materials.”
Encourages social engagement
Computer games, despite their expanding brilliant and diverse nature, may frequently be a lonely hobby for youngsters. Wooden toys may encourage interaction with other children while also encouraging sharing and collaboration.
Wooden toys, which are naturally devoid of any sound or contact, allow youngsters to produce their own voices and sound effects in conjunction with one another.
With their electrical and interactive features, some modern toys ‘do everything’ for the youngsters. Meanwhile, the simplicity of wood enables kids role-playing and world-building (creating fictitious cities and towns, for example), which can help spatial and social awareness.
Safety
It is an unpleasant truth that plastic toys, particularly those produced cheaply, may break quickly, potentially leaving sharp edges and tiny pieces that can cause injury to a kid – especially if they are at an age when they put everything they come across in their mouth. In this regard, wood, which is robust and durable in comparison, presents less risk.
Not only are wooden toys safer than plastic toys, but wood itself may be beneficial to a child’s health and well-being. A connection to nature via touch with wood may promote mental and physical wellness, according to a new report released by Planet Ark’s Make It Wood, The Wellness + Wood = Productivity. According to the survey, when wood is dominant, education areas (where toys are commonly found) have higher rates of learning, improved test outcomes, focus, and attendance.
Toys made of wood can help a child’s physical, mental, and emotional development. With an ever-expanding selection of wooden toys on the market today, this is a world of play that children and adults may explore together.
For more information about wooden toy Malaysia, please visit https://www.brainius.com.my/
