Kids Wooden Toys

Posts Tagged ‘Childrens Toys’

Engaging The Young Minds

As most parents would agree, young children can be quite a handful. It often proves to be quite a task keeping them engaged for long hours at a stretch. A lot of companies have come up with numerous toys that not only attract the attention of the kids, but also eggs them on to discover new things and learn in the process.

Educational toys are a particular favorite of parents as they come as the perfect foil to keep the kids busy and educate them at the same time. A wide range of quality educational toys are available for children as young as 3 months. These toys are not only fun, but can also be quite unique. Here are some suggestions that might help you choose from the different educational toys available in the market.

Wooden Toys

These are popular with parents not only because they are cheap and safe, but also because they are durable and of good quality. Plus, they break the monotony of electronic and plastic toys. There are numerous options like wooden puzzles, bead sequencing sets, jigsaws, and buildings. Children distinguish the various shapes and colors, and may even learn their first alphabets and numericals from these games. Besides, a child will also develop hand-eye coordination, and problem solving skills.

Activity Kits

These include craft kits, organic stuffed animals, block games, memory games, and also cars. Such games are ideal for the more active kids as they require active participation. Construction toys and memory games help build the child’s imagination, strengthen the memory, and also teach him/ her social skills like participation and involvement.

Books and Electronic Games

Storybooks, drawing books, and music CDs are found to leave a deep impact on young fertile minds. They are designed to stimulate the child’s senses and curiosity, and help develop their thought processes. There are some unique options like “Baby Shakespeare Find-And-Rhyme” and “Baby Bach Touch ‘N Play Pipes” that incite the child to explore art, poetry, language, and music. There are also several preprogrammed educational games for the slightly older children that can be played by simply plugging it to the T.V. These games are often designed so as to promote math, logic and spelling skills.

Cartoons and Video Games

A lot of companies like the Warner Bros. produce toys and video games with the popular cartoon characters. These are a particular favorite with children as the characters are familiar and they can identify with them. Plus, these toys give them the freedom of acting out their fantasies and letting their imaginations run wild.

While choosing a toy, it is necessary to keep in mind the child’s age and learning level. The right kind of toy can be the perfect teacher in developing and nurturing the kid’s intellect.

Do you know just how beneficial playing with wooden building blocks can be for a young child?  As well as providing them with a fun way to keep them-selves busy, these wooden toys can increase many skills needed as they grow. Giving children the chance to play with these items can facilitate not just healthy development, but may also encourage an interest in design and construction.Eye-hand coordination in one principle benefit. This is a learned skill that is important to emphasize when children are young, as this will be needed for basic motor skills will used to do most simple and complex tasks throughout life. Holding items, driving, and participating in sports all require good eye-hand coordination. Allowing a child to play with wooden building blocks frequently will help him/her master picking them up and placing them correctly when building a structure, thus improving their coordination.Decision making is another benefit. Learning to make sound decisions is also important at an early age. Every day you are faced with several choices to make, and it is usually important to make the best one. When playing with building blocks, children must learn to make the best decisions for their building structures, or the whole thing will teeter and collapse. Trial and error is exhibited through the kid’s attempts to keep the blocks stacked upon each other and standing. Learning to reason well with these kinds of toys will help them learn how to use logic in other, more pressing decisions.Encouraging social abilities is a less obvious benefit. Playing with wooden blocks may seem like it would not benefit a child socially, but it actually can when a group of kids are involved. If more than one child is working together to create a building from the blocks, they must talk to each other about the placement of the items and how to build the structure so it will stand on its own. Learning to discuss and cooperate will further their social skills. Even when they are playing alone, they will talk to whoever is supervising them about what they are creating. Given the ability to talk about their interests and what their current actions can facilitate good communication skills that will be beneficial as they grow older.Hopefully it’s now easy to see just how advantageous it can be for kids to play with building block toys. The aid in development of physical, mental, and social skills will help them as they grow into adult life. That’s a very goods reason to choose wooden building blocks the next time you come to choose a toy for your child.

Even the simpliest item or occurrence can be turned into a charming thing by a child’s imagination. A large cardboard box is all that is required for a trip to the moon, and a regular rock can easily become a racing car or a airplane. For children, playtime is made up of imaginary playtime. To help your child build necessary skills in development motivate him or her to participate in make believe and enlightening games. In dramatic play and pretend, young children take the new ideas and thoughts they are acquiring and practice using them in the real world.Kids not yet in school and beginning school ager’s will pretend a game called house to figure out how to react to situations they aren’t sure of that they may go through in the real world, such as visiting the doctor or when they are afraid. When a child absorbs interesting things about dinosaurs, they will use toy cubes and other toys trying to recreate the environment the dinosaurs lived in.Toys like tiny household items made of wood or play dollhouses with small furnishing invite children to explore various parts and gain their social and psychological attributes. Sympathy begins to emerge as children imagine to be a different person and deal with life in their shoes. Children learn to share and wait for their turn through imaginary and dramatic play, which also assists them with learning how to deal with problems.They will learn to problem solving skills as a team while playing together. Cooperative pretend play allows children experience at working together with others to reach a common goal and helps leadership skills emerge as well. Children boost their self-esteem and are more self-confident, by trying out new scenarios. Imaginary playtime also helps kids to be able to to tell the difference in fantasy and reality. Items like wooden doll furniture help children to develop speaking skills. As a foundation for reading,youngsters learn to develop their own stories during play and soon put together the similarities between written and spoken words. Youngsters are showed words specific to their interests and vocabulary will begin to expand as children learn uses for the new sounds. To help your child in reading and writing skills, it is recommended you provide books, crayons and paper, and many different toys that encourage the child to use their imagination in play. Helping your child build their math skills is as easy as giving them a toy cart and cash register, while they are playing like they are going to the store they will be using math to add up their purchases. Imaginary playtime helps children build their math skills. They will use their cognitive skills, as well as logic, to decide who plays what role or how to build an imaginary fort. Self control as well as good behavior will be acquired during pretend playtime. When they begin to use advanced abstract visualization skills, they will utilize one thing to represent another, like pretending a stone is actually food. The best toys for pretend play are those objects your child sees every day in their ordinary interaction. Children can let their imagination run rampant with a selection of wooden toys including farmyards, dollhouses and kitchen furniture. Small cars, ride-on toys, and rocking horses also provide imaginary play opportunities and are often made of wood. Wooden toys have shown to be a lot safer and withstand more punishment, which will allow your youngster many hours of developmentally appropriate play and also the generation of kids not yet born.

It is a wonderland for both children and adults alike, full of unusual and special toys from  educational toys and wooden toys including wooden dolls houses and wooden trains. There’s also a good selection of baby gifts which make ideal christening or new baby presents!Metal toys for the adults Parents will appreciate an abundance of items under £10.00 which are a perfect solution of what to take to a party. However, if you wish to treat someone special, then the possibilities are endless.Our toys are designed to help you develop your child’s imagination, creativity and of course fun. Promoting self-esteem and confidence in children by organising stimulating play activities and empowering them with choices. The toys are visual which helps a child engage in visual evaluation and activities that nurture creativity. There are toys that promote and develop physical, athletic ability, manual dexterity, and/or hand-eye co-ordination.We offer a personal world wide service. Every order is handled promptly and with the greatest care. Our toys are to be played with, all clearly marked with the recommended age. Manufacturers continue to modify and improve the quality and safety of toys to comply with any changes in legislation.Pick a time when neither you nor your child is hungry or tired. At the store walk up and down the aisles. Let your child feel the items that you buy – Talk to your child about the items: “Here, you feel it”. Be sure to name the objects that you see on shelves and talk about what you are seeing and doing: “First, we’re going to. See? It’s in a big red and blue box. Listen to the great noise it makes when I shake the box. Can you shake the box? Now we’re going to pay for the toy. We’re put them on the counter while I get out the money. The cashier will tell us how much we have to pay.” Encourage your child to practice saying “hi” and “bye-bye” to clerks and other shoppers. Leave for home before your child gets tired or grumpy. All the family can learn on a day out at Junior to Senior.We are always sourcing new puzzles and toys to display and sell in our store, says “Deborah”. With such varied stock you’re always going to find something new each time you visit.

Wooden Toys are great for children, toddlers and babies. They can be beautifully finished with non-toxic stains, paints and varnishes, making them bright, colourful and safe for even the smallest baby. Wooden toys are perfect for pushing, pulling, sorting, stacking and building and are a fun way to encourage, hand-eye coordination and imagination through play.

Toys for preschoolers must be able to withstand endless hours of play, without resulting in small parts or sharp edges. To be safe they must be strong, durable and devoid of harmful chemicals.     

In recent years, due to toxic-toy imports from China, there have been mass product recalls by well established retailers in the US and the UK. For instance, in November 2007, Mattel, the manufacturer of Hot Wheels cars and Barbie dolls, had to recall nearly a million products that were contaminated by lead paint. Similarly, in June 2007 the ‘Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway Set’ was found to contain ‘excess levels of lead’ and had to be recalled (Trading Standard). 

In China it is still legal to use lead in the production of plastics, even when the plastics are being used to make children’s toys. The reason lead is used is because it helps to make the plastic more flexible, allowing the product to return to its original shape with ease. Worryingly, England imports over £500m worth of Chinese made toys, and 90% of the toys sold in the E U are Chinese exports.

The advantage of purchasing non-toxic wooden toys is that they are 100% safe. You can be sure that they are made from natural, sustainable raw materials, free from harmful toxic substances like lead & phthalates.

Spirit of Nature offer a beautiful range of non-toxic wooden toys for baby, toddler and child, as well as hundreds of other natural and environmentally friendly products for the whole family. These wooden toys are made from European maple and pine which comes from managed Bavarian Forest. They are decorated with high quality non-toxic paints and water-soluble dyes, making them fun and perfectly safe for your baby.

Check out non-toxic wooden toys at Spirit of Nature

One would think with all the bright gadgets and gimmicks overloading children’s senses in today’s toy market, they wouldn’t have any time for the simpler things in life. This is not the case, as wooden toys are still as popular as they ever were. Toys made from wood have a certain straightforwardness about them that encourages a child to use their imagination. It doesn’t matter whether they are painted bright colors or natural, kids love to play with them.

A Brief History of Wooden Toys

Archaeologists have reported finding spinning tops made from wood as evidence that wooden toys have been around since ancient times. Hand crafted dolls and animals have been found which were made for children in dating back as far as 1100BC. Wood for toy making would have been their first choice since it is so readily available and not hard to work with. Wooden building sets, dolls houses, jack-in-the-boxes and jig saw puzzles are all wooden toys designed in the 1800′s which are still very popular today.

Toy Peddlers

It was in the sixteenth century that Germany started producing toys for trade. The men who made them would travel around the country selling them as they went. They were time consuming to make, and were considered a treat or gift for unforgettable events. Some craftsmen were lucky to be enlisted to make toys for the royals, and were paid well for their work.

Educational Wooden Toys

Whenever we think of wooden toys we think of the little blocks with the alphabet painted on them or engraved into the wood. Toys that children could learn from date back as far as the eighteenth century in the UK. When adults saw how much a child could develop their imagination playing with the blocks, they sought out more miniature friends for them. Small hand crafted animals and dolls then became more common.

If you don’t think alphabet blocks then you definitely think wooden trains when you hear about vintage toys. It was in the nineteenth century that a lot more thought was put into creating children’s toys. Craftsmen developed revolutionary items like the jack in the box, wooden army men, complex houses for girls dolls and wind up toys with moving parts. They made trucks and trains with tracks and just about anything appropriate they could to make children feel like miniature versions of their parents.

Wooden Building Toys

The twentieth century saw a boom in the building industry, both commercial and domestic. It seemed relevant, with so many father’s going to work, that a range of toys be bought out for children who wanted to be like their dads. Interlocking and interchangeable pieces that came in sets so children could build things is what they released. Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys are two companies who produced these wooden toys, and they are still around today.

There are so many flashing, plastic, battery operated toys in stores that it comes to the point where they all seem to blend into one. It is so lovely to see a child surrounded with hi tech toys and their eyes still light up when a wooden train is introduced. They may be more expensive because they aren’t mass produced in Asia, but they pass the test of time and have great benefits in stimulating a child’s individuality and creativity. They are also classic decorations as well.

Summary:

Still nowadays wooden toys are the favorite for many children. They are great for developing creativity and many are designed to educate them as well. Don’t fall for the hype of cheap five minute wonder toys, but instead invest in quality that will last lifetimes.

All parents want their children to play and learn in safety, but sitting in front of a television is not the alternative most parents seek. Rather than simply watching a screen and being “spoon-fed” a constant stream of input, children benefit from the use and manipulation of real, tangible educational wooden toys.

Numerous studies have shown viewing excessive television to be deleterious to children’s development and many pediatricians suggest minimal TV exposure for toddlers. Physically tangible toys, as opposed to television or computer screens, establish the sense of touch and stimulate neural growth. Further, the child’s ability to manipulate his toy as he wishes builds creativity and decision-making skills, as the child is not simply absorbing what is being broadcast over the airwaves.

The dexterity required to play with and manipulate educational toys also stimulates the imagination and builds hand eye coordination. Different educational wooden toys are suitable for different developmental stages; for tots, large, brightly colored objects may suffice, while a five-year old might benefit from the alphabet and numbers painted on wooden blocks.

Another benefit of wooden toys is their relative durability and safety. Plastics can become brittle with age and have a tendency to break into sharp shards, whereas educational wooden toys rarely break up beyond a splinter. Still older children have delighted themselves for years with the ever-popular “Lincoln-Logs” that allows the child to build a variety of miniature log buildings. Many educational toys aimed at teens and preteens build critical lateral thinking and problem solving skills.

The benefit of wooden toys does not lie solely in the use, however. Crafting educational wooden toys is a hobby enjoyed by parent and child alike, while encouraging intrapersonal cooperation and development of basic skills. Wood, a few tools and an imagination are all that is required to make educational wooden toys. They can range from little more than whittled doodads to elaborately carved and painted heirlooms.

Schoolchildren everywhere learn basic woodworking techniques in shop class and, frequently, the object built with these skills is a simple wooden pegboard or similar educational wooden toy. Successful creation of a real object builds confidence in children who are all too often used to success in terms of advancing to the next level of a video game.

In the age of Toys-R-Us, Madison Avenue and high-dollar advertising, companies bombard children with ads proclaiming their toy to be the best. However, no mass-produced plastic figure can compare with a custom, handmade educational wooden toy, nor will the plastic toy likely be passed down from one generation to the next.

Summary:

Although not as prevalent as in the past, educational wooden toys are an important tool in children’s development. Many educational toys aimed at teens and preteens build critical lateral thinking and problem solving skills and building educational wooden toys is a hobby enjoyed by parent and child alike, while encouraging intrapersonal cooperation and development of basic skills.