It feels like wooden toys are a novelty these days. Gone are the days when they were the main material that made up all of your kid’s toys.

These days, various types of plastic seem to be the substance that is used in today’s toys and packaging.

However, maybe this isn’t a change for the better. The fact is, many people see wooden toys, while maybe a little more expensive in some ways upfront, as actually being much better for your child to play with overall than their plastic counterparts.

In this guide, we are going to discuss some of the best reasons why wooden toys or better for your child to play with.

Combining the expertise of pediatricians, and the experience of a variety of parents (as well as a little dash of common sense), we’re going to show you what your child might be missing out on with wooden toys!

They’re Durable

We’re starting this guide this list off with a simple plus that anyone can wrap their head around.

It’s well established at this point that plastic toys are easier to mold and fit into different shapes for your toys.

However, this malleability also comes at a price, one that wooden toys simply don’t have.

Wood is a material that is both tough and surprisingly shock-absorbent in many ways, giving them a host of unique qualities.

Whereas plastic toys, even tough ones, tend to shatter when put under enough stress (or malfunction if they have electrical components to them), wooden toys, with both their tough material and simpler design, are far less likely to stop working after a simple drop.

And if your kid is playing with them, you’ll know that dropping a toy is a question of if, but when!

They Help Your Child Develop

So, what else are wooden toys good for?

Well, they’re also core to helping children develop skills from a young stage. And not just necessarily cognitive skills, but even the fundamental ones that they’ll need for the rest of their life.

Pediatricians agree that wooden toys are best given to children below the age of 3.

At this point, they are still developing both cognitively and physically, with them just starting to get a grasp on their motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

This is where wooden toys generally have a leg up over their plastic compatriots.

Whereas plastic toys are likely to have lots of confusing shapes, weights, and materials for young, still-learning minds, wooden toys are almost always well-balanced in their design, making them great building blocks for learning hand-eye coordination skills.

Plus, while the concept of tall, heavy towers of blocks might be obvious to adults, it is a great way of demonstrating to young kids how physics works!

Environmentally Conscious Toys

Wooden toys are, by their nature, made from materials that can be replanted and regrown (unless the item is from an endangered tree).

Plastics, with many components coming from non-renewable materials and sourced, deplete natural resources to a much higher degree than wooden toys do.

Plus, there’s just the fact that wooden toys are more versatile than plastic ones. That versatility means that you need to buy fewer toys, meaning that less plastic goes into waste sites over time.

And while plastic waste mostly comes from bottles and packaging, keeping every little bit, whether it’s from an action figure or a plastic sword, 

Creative Thinking

It’s often said that children are fountains of creativity and imagination.

However, as many experts and parents will know, creativity isn’t something that just comes naturally to many children.

It has to be encouraged and nurtured from an early age, and it’s something that wooden toys do masterfully.

Wooden blocks and shapes are, by their nature, quite simple and plain. It’s one of the reasons that plastic toys are often showier, with their funny shapes, bright colors, and even flashing lights.

However, with that simplicity in wooden toys, comes the chance to exercise a little creativity. Sure, that pile o blocks might look like a mess to you.

But to a child that is engaging their wonder and imagination, it can be a wall, a fortress, or even the wind (as our kids told us with their red and blue blocks)!

Having that ability to imagine that world of make-believe is crucial for children. Not just so they can find joy in everyday items, but also so that they can focus and visualize things before their eyes!

Generally Safer

It’s no secret that the chemical and industrial process that goes into plastic toys can be unsafe.

While many manufacturers may abide by certain regulations when it comes to chemicals in plastic toys, problems can still seep through the cracks and into the toys in your child’s toy box.

Wooden toys, on the other hand, might be a little heavier, but they are made from materials that are safe to handle for even young children.

They’re Cheaper In The Long Run

On the one hand, this makes sense. A tough toy that doesn’t break after one drop is going to cost less to replace than a plastic one that does.

However, it also saves you money in terms of how much you’re spending at the moment too.

Back to the point we brought up earlier, wooden toys are very versatile, thanks to their simple designs. A pile of blocks can be a castle, a mountain, a snake, a giant monster, or anything!

So, why spend perhaps twice or three times that amount in plastic versions of each one, when a pile of wooden blocks will do the same?

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

So, overall, where do we stand on wooden toys?

It’s not wrong for your child to have the occasional plastic toy. They can also be key to learning finer motor skills and speech. Plus, their bright colors are hard to top!

However, if you want your child to have toys that are tough enough to survive playtime, are safer for them to play with, and help engage them on an intellectual and creative level, experts are correct that wooden toys are generally the best!

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