Why Wooden Toys Are Better Than Plastic Toys for Children?

Are wooden toys betters than plastic? In order to answer this question we would need to define ‘better’. I have to admit to being biased towards wood so I’ve been pondering why this is the case.When it comes to your children, nothing's too good for them, although some things are certainly too good to be true. These days, literally well over 99 percent of the toys offered for sale to your children are made of plastic and metal. Natural wood toys are nearly non-existent. That's sad really. They're an important part of our heritage and culture, and chances are they're safer than plastic toys as well.How many times have we been told that a plastic or painted toy is safe, only to see it recalled or find out it has lead in the paint or plastic body or is unsafe for any number of other reasons? This holds especially true for very small children and babies. These little ones will be putting whatever they play with in their mouths, and plastics, painted toys and metals probably aren't high on the list of things you want in your baby's mouth.If we are considering the environment and the ultimate destination for many toys (which is landfill) then wood is clearly the better material.

If we are thinking about robustness and the resilience of the material to the treatment that toys receive at the hands of their owners then both materials can perform well, depending upon the toy.When it comes to plastic toys and wooden toys, there is more of a chance that plastic toys will be purchased. However, consumers don't seem to consider buying a wooden toy for their kid instead. In a few ways, it would be more worth the while to get.Let's think of a few differences between the two. Plastic toys: they can break easily and the edges could harm the little children. Wooden toys, on the other hand, are more durable. If you were to stand on a toy truck made of plastic, there is a great chance that it will break, possibly leaving sharp edges that could cut your child; and be fit only for the rubbish.Wooden toys on the other hand encourage your kids to use their creativity, when either they make the toys themselves or play with them.

Simple activities such as making cookies at their own toy kitchen, or riding a wooden Arabian horse and so on, boost a child’s creativity and visualization.You probably wonder why parents opt to offer their children the common wooden type of toys instead of the cheaper plastic toys commonly produced in China. Many consider that having plastic toys is more practical than wooden toys because of the cost factor. Although plastic toys are cheaper compared to wooden toys, long term consideration proves that the latter is better than the former.Wood is a natural made material which can be subjected to recycling. This means that aside from providing entertainment for your child, you can also pro actively help in preventing further degradation of the environment. Moreover, children appear to be more attached to playing with wooden toys.Play is an essential part of a child's learning and emotional development. Wooden toys are a sensible choice for the very young.

Children's wooden toys include toys such as miniature farm animals sets for infants and doll houses for young girls and boys. Many wooden toys are also educational toys for young school children, such as puzzles, building blocks, and more.Wooden toys are also more durable than their plastic or metal counterparts. Thus with proper care, it is possible to make these toys last a child's entire childhood and maybe even hand them down to their children.How are wooden toys invented? Wooden toys are invented because wood is the only easily available materials where one can make toys from with simple tools. Sad to speak, it's hard to find wooden toys in toy stores these days.

Online toy stores offer a wide variety of wooden toys to choose from. And sometimes, it's easier to find what you want because modern toy stores these days mostly sell plastic toys.Have you ever seen a child in a room full of the latest toys and found the child to be playing with old fashioned children’s wooden toys that were a big hit when you were young? What is it about this sight that is so comforting? Is it because the child’s wooden toy makes us feel nostalgic or is there something else at play here? In our world of plastic throw-away goods it is comforting to see lasting goods lasting. It is especially comforting to see goods which are felt to be worthy enough to be passed on from generation to generation.

The latest gadget on the latest toy has not made traditional children’s wooden toys any less desirable to children, or even to adults for that matter.Children’s wooden toys are toys which are made using a natural product as opposed to a product like plastic which is a product that we are trying to recycle but nevertheless remains a product which costs less to produce new than to recycle. If a child’s wooden toy is made from a sustainable forest that’s even better as it is actually helping out our troubled environment. This is only one of the reasons we feel better towards wood than towards plastic. There are also many emotional reasons why wooden toys feel better.To touch and explore is often considered as one of the most important aspects of most educational programs that help a child develop different capabilities. Letting your kids play with wooden toys would unmistakably encourage them to learn by touching and exploring. Moreover, you could even purchase wooden toys and games specially meant to educate the kids. Plastic toys come in all shapes and sizes so there are bound to be lots of brightly colored playthings that attract the attention of your child, no matter how old they are.

They are durable, washable and usually pretty safe, but as with all toys there are toy safety checks to watch out for when you are buying the perfect toy for your child.The most important toy safety check for all toys, including plastic toys, is that they have the appropriate safety marks. Although the CE Mark is not in fact a consumer symbol, it does mean that the toy you are looking for will have passed stringent safety tests and conform with a list of essential safety requirements. If any plastic toys that you are thinking of buying don’t have the CE Mark, you should avoid them because you can’t be sure whether they will be safe for your child to play with.


Article Source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/childhood-education-articles/why-wooden-toys-are-better-than-plastic-toys-for-children-838003.html

Instructions:
1. Start with a sink full of hot water. Make sure it's very hot so that you can ensure that all of the dust mites and bacteria are killed.

2. Use a mild detergent, or an organic soap, and wash the wooden baby toys using a wash cloth. Scrub them well.

3. The key in doing this right is to do it QUICKLY. The faster you wash the better. Do not leave the wooden toys in the water.

4. As soon as you are finished scrubbing, rinse and then towel dry immediately.

5. Make sure that the baby toys are good and dry.  

Toys: Tools for Learning

What Toys Do
Through toys, children learn about their world, themselves, and others. Choosing toys that appeal to your children and foster their learning will help you make their early years count.
Toys can teach children to:
1. Figure out how things work.
2. Pick up new ideas.
3. Build muscle control and strength.
4. Use their imagination.
5. Solve problems.
6. Learn to cooperate with others.

Choosing Toys
Remember that good toys are not necessarily expensive, and children do not need very many. The more a child can do with a toy, the more likely it is to be educational. Here are some tips to help you choose toys wisely for your child:
• Hands-on toys build eye-hand coordination, encourage ideas about how things work, and foster cooperation and problem-solving. 
• Books and recordings help children appreciate words, literature, and music. 
• Art materials foster creativity and build skills that lead to reading, writing, and seeing beauty in life.
• Few toys are as durable as hardwood unit blocks, and they teach children about geometry and gravity, shapes and balance. 
• Construction items contribute to muscle strength and help children learn about science and number ideas. 
• Musical instruments and experimental materials such as sand, water, and clay offer children control while appealing to their senses. 
• Active play equipment builds strong muscles and confidence to meet physical challenges. 
• Pretend play objects such as dolls, stuffed animals, and dramatic figures give children a chance to try new behaviors and use their imaginations. 
• If your child attends child care or preschool, look at the types of toys available. Is there a variety of safe and interesting toys? For toddlers and young preschoolers, there should be multiple copies of toys -- a great way to avoid conflicts. 

Get Involved in Your Child's Play 
Match toys to fit your child's thinking, language, physical skills, feelings, and friendships. Each child grows and develops at a different pace, so watching your child's play and playing together will enable you to choose appropriate toys and worthwhile activities for your child. Parents who take part in pretend play with their one- to three-year-old children help them to develop more varied and complex play patterns. These children, in turn, engage in more pretend play with other children and tend to be more advanced intellectually, better able to understand others' feelings, and considered more socially competent by their teachers. Good toys are: 
• Appealing and interesting to the child 
• Proper for the child's physical capacities 
• Appropriate for the child's mental and social development 
• Suitable for use in groups of children 
• Well-constructed, durable, and safe for the ages of the children in the group 

Article Source: Early Years Are Learning Years, National Parent Information Network. 

How to choose a toy for your baby?

Today’s toy stores offer thousands of products from which to choose, and that’s just in the newborn and infant aisles. Here are some criteria to help you select appropriate toys.
• Age-appropriateness: Your baby will get the most enjoyment out of a toy only if he can use it. An age-appropriate toy encourages or challenges your baby to use and improve one or more developing skills. A toy that doesn’t offer any challenge will probably bore him, but if the toy it’s too hard to use, it may frustrate your baby. 
• Safety: Although toy manufacturers’ age recommendations do take safety into account, you should carefully examine any plaything you plan to give your baby. Toys should not have small part’s to avoid choking, they should be finished with a non-toxic material and they shouldn’t have sharp edges, string’s and ribbons.
• Stimulation: If used correctly, a good toy will stimulate more than one of your baby’s senses (touch, sight, sound) or his developing abilities (hand-eye coordination, general motor control, fine motor control).
• Variety: Consider the toys you already have before buying any new toys. Try to select toys that offer your baby different colours, different textures, different shapes and different sounds. By opting for variety, you expose your child at a very early age to the myriad of possibilities the world has to offer.
• Simplicity: In general, the simpler the toy, the longer it will last. Simple toys have fewer parts and therefore prove more durable than more complicated toys. Simple toys also tend to offer more versatility. Today your child can hold it, next month he can move it, and next year he can use it as a prop for make-believe play.Whatever toys you choose, let your baby play with them in any way he chooses. After all, just because you know the “right” way to play with a certain toy doesn’t mean that your baby can’t come up with new and ingenious uses of his own.

Article Source: http://www.baiboo.com.my/2010/10/14/how-to-choose-a-toy-for-your-baby/

Child development chart
is useful to have to give you a brief overview of the various ages and stages of child development. This will help you to understand your child's behavior and avoid burdening him with unrealistic expectations. 

Ages and Stages
Children go through a gradual process of maturation, growth and development over the years of their childhood. Sometimes we can hit a rough patch where our child is exhibiting some unwanted behavior and we're finding it really stressful. Knowing (as is probably the case) that it's just a normal part of that stage should make it a little easier to cope with.

Each Child is an Individual Please take note that every child is different and develops at different rates and has different strengths and weaknesses. The information on the chart is only given as a general guideline of average ages for different stages. If you have concerns about your child you should talk to your child's doctor.