Wooden toys or Plastic toys?
When choosing toys for kids we are often easily overwhelmed by the multitude of choices. Questions like “what materials the toy should be?”, “Is it fun?”, “Is it educational?” pop-up and make the process harder than necessary. Well, our answer is that generally speaking, wooden toys are healthier, safer, and more environmentally friendly than plastic toys, most wooden toys are open-ended, don’t use electricity, and rely on the child’s imagination instead of the large percentage of plastic toys on the market that are battery-powered, flashing, and single-purpose toys that serve no purpose to stimulate a child's imagination or creativity, and are quickly discarded when the child gets bored or grows up. That's why the ExploraToy team has been encouraging parents to purchase wooden toys for their children. Wooden toys are durable and definitely more environmentally friendly. They are tactile, safe, less distracting, and in many ways more interactive.
Wooden toys are better for the planet
Wooden toys are durable and long-lasting. They create much less waste than plastic toys, and wood is a sustainable resource. It grows fairly quickly and can be replaced. And at the end of its useful life, it is biodegradable and can be disposed of in a safer and simpler way. Quality, environmentally friendly wooden toys do not contain PVC, phthalates, or similar chemicals used in plastic toys.
Plastic toys, on the other hand, may contain BPA, which is a known hormone disruptor, and PVC, which may contain known carcinogens. Plastic toys also often contain electronic components that are easily damaged, making the toys easier to break and more difficult to recycle.
Stimulate your child's imagination and creativity
Research shows that children are learning while they play, that unstructured playtime helps children improve more than classroom time, and that imaginative play is critical to children's cognitive abilities. Children's imagination and creativity soar when they play with open-ended, simple toys. Children use their imagination to create anything they can think of.
On the other hand, flashy plastic toys are filled with electronic parts or voice commands to instruct your child what to do, offering little to nothing in the way of creative play, and over-stimulation can even lead to negative neurological effects that make it harder for the brain to think critically - this can even lead to developmental delays.
Your child may desperately need the latest branded flashy and loud plastic fire truck from their favorite cartoon show, but it's likely to be quickly set aside when their favorite show changes. However, the wooden fire truck could belong to Marshall, Fireman Sam, or anyone else they themselves come up with. It can be passed on to friends or future generations.
Wooden toys are timeless
Generally speaking, wooden toys last far longer than plastic toys. Not only because they are made of wood, but they are also durable and can be repaired. Almost everyone has played with a set of wooden blocks at some point in their lives. They're simple, but they can be used in many ways, they've been fun for years, and they help build a lot of important skills.
Wooden toys are both healthy and timeless. Choosing between wooden or plastic toys isn't a difficult decision either. Not all plastic toys stifle a child's imagination. But items made from quality wood or natural materials are sure to be both healthier and allow children to think more creatively as they play. Wooden toys are definitely the best choice for you.
ExploraToy wooden toys are waiting for your imagination!
