Children have very serious job since they are born. Their job is to grow up, acquire skills, develop abilities and recognize and direct their emotions. As for every work, they need tools for it as well. Their tools are called toys. Toys are usually not looked upon as something serious, they are rather underestimated as something kids can do without or do not need.
Thus working with the tools they have at hand, children build up their skills both physical (gross and fine motor abilities) and mental (cognitive, social and emotional and communication and language skills). And now we have learnt how important toys are.
So far, we have proven the importance of wooden toys, especially for newborns but equally important for older ones as well. They are natural, durable, eco-friendly, biodegradable, sustainable and renewable. As such, they deserve a first place on the list of the best toys.
Handmade Wooden Toys
make an even better option. First of all, they provide a unique element. Different grain textures and knots are allowed in their parts, which make each element a masterpiece. No two parts, although they are of the same kind, are the same. Sameness is neither implied nor possible.
Each of the handmade elements passes the very strict control of its craftsmen’s hands. They are all hand-checked, then waxed, oiled with vegetable oils, painted with water-based colours or even left unfinished.
Craftsmen care about the material they use. They can’t make large quantities, so a reasonable amount of wood is used in such production. Cutting wood is properly conducted and forests are taken care of. We have already spoken that it is best if the wood comes from sustainably managed forests.
Handwork uses almost no energy which makes this kind of production clean and environmentally sustainable. Less material is wasted than with machine work, so we can say that handmade products are zero-waste products.
Toy Industry
heads for perfection and sameness. There is no room for variation or difference. In cases of divergence, this is the waste that is not going to be used. It is not a big deal that they throw it away as wood is biodegradable and eco-friendly, but they will need more material and cut more wood to reimburse for what is wasted.
These products are not usually manually checked, but processes like waxing, oiling or painting are again done by machines. As they produce large amounts of products it is impossible to check or treat them manually.
Big industries usually care about quantity rather than quality. Hence, a large amount of wood is cut and you can’t even track where this whole wood comes from. Labels that say it comes from sustainably managed forests are sometimes displayed on the products, but large amounts of wood leave a different impression.
Moreover, toy shops abound with wooden toys that are waiting for their buyers on the shelves for a long time. However, the wooden toy industry is not to blame for overproducing, either. They have to compete with the artificial material toy makers.
All these machines need the energy to work. Using so much energy in industries results in air, water and soil pollution. Industrial pollution is one of the most common sources of pollution in the world.
All of these facts lead to higher prices of industrial products.
Comparison
of a handmade with a machine-made product is unchallenging. Less energy consumption, zero-waste, hand-checked elements and a policy that cares about our planet’s sustainability leave buyers at ease when they decide to buy a handmade product.
Again, perfection and sameness can be appealing at the first glance. However, if people are acquainted with the process of machine-made toys, it makes them think twice when purchasing them. Mass-made toys demand mass wood, much energy for powering the machines and no man control of each product.
Consequently, small manufacturers take care of their workers. If they have them, this is usually a small cluster of workers, easily taken care of and regarded with respect, compassion and tolerance. In large companies, they do not care a lot about their workers. The workers are often observed as machines, used to the end and dispensable when broken. An ethical work environment is needed in the modern world.
That tacit approval of the industrially made toys happens due to overflooding the market with toys from big and powerful industries. Somehow, they do not allow small manufacturers to develop, they either kick them out of the market or buy them out.
Thus, from all mentioned above, the appropriate question would follow:
Where to Buy Toys Then?
Apparently, from all said above, you should be able to tell two toys apart. A flawless, impeccable, spotless toy is definitely machine-made. Hands can’t be that precise and they allow for knots and differences in textures. They are inclusive and proud of it. They strive for uniqueness.
When buying toys, always look for the sign “handmade”. It is not always possible, as we have explained above, as big companies do not allow for competition. Still, this is a big planet and there should be space for everyone.
There’s a link in the photo.
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In the absence of the “handmade” sign, you can always turn to small manufacturers, who comply with all the rules to take care of our children and preserve our planet.
Even so, always take care of the kind of wood that is used and the age of your child. To remind yourself about it, read my previous blog.
Your Opinion Needed
After all this writing, I think my idea in this matter is crystal clear. Handmade toys are my choice number one. However, this option is not always possible.
There’s a link in the photo.
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In the lack of this possibility, small manufacturers are preferable to the big industries. Luckily, they are easy to find online and shop from. Still, being small and caring for children, the environment, and workers, they have a limited assortment of products. For that reason, we have to turn to the third alternative, which is buying the machine-made product.
There’s a link in the photo.
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Just to be on the safe side, I want to say that I have nothing against big companies whose workers are trying hard to satisfy people’s needs, but still for all the aforementioned reasons, I would definitely try the way I have explained above.
As always, I would really love to hear your opinion about this matter. Please feel free to leave a comment under this post.
This is just wow! site for me. After reading it I fell in love with “hand-made” toys.
I bought a few wooden toys for my daughter when she was growing up.
Your points are noteworthy.
We care for eco-friendly products, and workers making money may be staying home in this case. Does a kid really need that kind of perfection? not sure. As long as, the toys don’t have sharp edges, I am personally fine. The kids can pencil color them with lead-free color pencils.
This is more than just handmade. More than 60 years back when I was small and loved to play with toys, the only old toy from my older sister was a black doll, hand-made by a carpenter who was working for our doors then. He built it perfectly though per my sister’s request. This was the only doll in my village and kids take turns.
I appreciate your outlook, vision, and care for the environment above everything. One may not always find a big company work but one can easily hand make something for kids at home and sell it for me.
Hello Anusuya,
I so appreciate your view on my blog, even more, because you’ve been there, you’ve done that and you learnt to value wooden toys and the idea of sharing! That is a really important issue these days when kids become anti-social and selfish by using their phones.
I agree with you, kids don’t need the perfection that big industries offer. They don’t even notice it and even if they do, they don’t care. But it is parents’ duty to teach them that there are varieties, there are differences that have to be explored and accepted as normal.
And, getting back to selfishness, we have to think of other people, the people that make those toys for our children. They have families, too.
Thank you for taking interest in my blog.
Have a nice day.