Wooden Toys

The retail market is flooded with various options for children's toys. From electrical to plastic, the very materials that the toys are made from are not always considered. However, the one of the oldest variations is often overlooked. Wooden toys have stood up to the hands of time.

Some of the first documented toys were constructed of wood. As far back as the late 1700's jigsaw puzzles were constructed by John Spilsbury. He created these wooden puzzles to help teach children about geography. The 1860's is when they became widely popular. Primarily, they were dolls and dollhouses for girls and trains and rails for boys. The dollhouses were truly spectacular given their various carved details, like designs on the doors and rooftops, which truly accented the craftsmanship.

Even with beautifully crafted pieces, for some time it may have seemed that wooden toys were not as popular as when they were first introduced. However, in more recent years they are increasing in their demand. Why? Well, they are more natural. Not only are they economically efficient, but they are better for the environment. It helps parents feel more socially responsible and children tend to find them more exciting to play with.

Their texture is made to be interactive. They are often perfectly sanded to be smooth, yet they are still rigid in shape. Their shapes are easily distinguishable for growing minds. This is not only engaging for the child, but an excellent learning tool. Wooden toys greatly cater to the teaching of children. John Spilsbury proved this as mentioned before with his creation of the jigsaw puzzle. Wooden toys also provide children with the ability to develop their cognitive and problem-solving skills.

The benefits of wooden toys do not stop there. They help feed the imagination of children. They also can help in developing real life skills. The innovation of wooden toys has greatly increased over the years from their beginnings of being dolls, dollhouses and trains. Now they can be in the shapes of food, etc. This helps children see realistic items at a young age.

Another way that wooden toys are excellent learning tools is that they are far less distracting than other toys. This means their simplicity in design allows children to truly focus on the task at hand. Overly colored or overly electronically based toys can cause distraction in the child's learning process. There truly is no limit to how much a wooden toy can present learning opportunities.

Wooden toys are also extremely durable. They are longer lasting compared to plastic or cloth/fabric toys. They are easy to clean with damp cloths and dust rags. They can hold up to children throwing and tossing them around. The investment in a wooden toy more than pays for itself with this sort of construction. Wooden toys are naturally safer than other counterparts. This is because they are often larger in size, preventing them from being swallowed. They also are virtually unbreakable which means children will not be exposed to splinters during playtime. The colors used on them are typically made with non-toxic coloring, so even if it ends up in the child's mouth, it will be safe.

Most parents hunt for toys that are as quiet as possible. With a market catering to electronic toys, this can be hard to find. Wooden toys are dense and their sound is absorbed quickly when clunked together. This is an attractive feature since other toys tend to be much more noisy.

Throughout the years, wooden toys have held onto their beauty and classic features. This is true even with the development of new concepts. One of the most popular wooden toy companies around today is Melissa&Doug. This company has truly revolutionized the wooden toy market. While they do offer other types of toys, they are most known for their wooden pieces. They have wonderful patterns and textures, soft and yet bright colors, and built with learning heavily in mind. Each wooden toy they produce provides a wide variety of options for learning for all stages from infant to late toddler.

While most wooden toys are targeted to younger children, most wooden toys can transfer to older ages. Since the wooden toy encourages the use of imagination, the child will find other uses for their wooden treasures. With the rich history and continuing love for the wooden toy, it is easy to see its many benefits and truly appreciate what they bring to the world of toys.