Children are naturally eager for knowledge and they are initiators of play in any circumstances. When placed in a well-supported learning environment kids will create a real classroom and learn on their own.
Modern times support this rather than the conventional learning environment in which children were consciously taught. Nowadays, children are closely observed, supported in their spheres of interest and unconsciously encouraged to practice real-world skills. Observation, experiment, reflection, reasoning, analysis, evaluation and finally application of the outcome of all these processes have been proven valid.
On one hand, a wide range of such toys is available now in real or online stores for parents to choose from. On the other hand, parents can feel lost in this wide assortment and eventually be left perplexed. Luckily, in case of confusion, one can always search for help and suggestion online.
One of such toys, that stimulates exploration and experiment is Wooden Balance Men Game. You can read why in the text below.
Wooden Balance Men Game (Montessori) – Natural Educational Wooden Toy
Product: Wooden Balance Men Game (Montessori) – Natural Educational Wooden Toy
Price: $23
Cheapest Place to Buy: groovytoy.com
Material: organic pine wood
Dimensions of one piece (man): 9cm x 8cm x 2.5cm
Package: 15 Pieces in a set, 1 Piece Natural Cloth Toy Pouch
Recommended Age: 24 months +
My Rating: 9/10
Product Overview
This toy would definitely make me happy if I were a child now. It is so attractive, conforming to the rule of balance between education and entertainment.
Fifteen pieces in one set is a perfect number for various constructions and games with this toy set. So many ways to play with it, either alone or with company, for your toddlers. Big dimensions allow even younger children to safely play with it, but the educational element will be efficient for the ones over 2 years of age.
The width of the elements (2.5cm) makes each element stable and the whole construction will be firm as well. Height (9cm) is great for one element, so at the beginning, a child can play with only one element and decorate it in their own way. One by one, a child will create a society, a crew to play with. When combined in a shape or a structure, their creation will look outstanding due to the dimensions of the elements.
Skills Development with Wooden Balance Men Game
Finding ways to build a man tower of different dimensions and shapes lets the children try out their building skills. Their gross and fine motor skills will be fully employed and practised. Moving around their creation, improving it, adding or taking out elements from the stack enhances walking, hand moving and hand-eye coordination.
This versatile, open-ended game is also a way to support cognitive development, that is, how children think, explore and figure out things. Cognitive development is responsible for their knowledge, thinking about and understanding of the world around them, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Observing the pieces, analyzing, experimenting and evaluating will bring about conclusions which will be applicable to their construction work. This is called critical thinking which is very important to practice in the early stages of children’s life because they do it unconsciously and effortlessly. Practice makes perfect.
Problem-solving is as equally important as critical thinking. They will be encouraged to decide where to put the pieces or how to turn them, for example. They will draw conclusions from experiments. Experimenting is praised in kids’ plays, but not always welcome in real life. So let them experiment, practice and develop problem-solving skills while they are allowed.
Safety
As I have already written about the choice of wood, pine wood is an option for older children, not for the ones who still use their sense of taste to play with toys. You can read more about it in my blog here.
Being well processed and sanded smooth, this set of toys is definitely safe for children over 24 months old. Each element is made of one piece of wood, does not contain harmful substances and is not treated with any toxic materials. It is decorated with its own natural wooden pattern.
Leaving them natural, the manufacturer does a good thing for our children, because they let our children develop their own artistic skills. Always ask for unfinished products, because they demand action and make kids think and act. Creating their own designs, children will be more than happy to play with them later on. Specific man-shaped pieces are demanding because children are supposed to make fifteen different faces and bodies or clothes. They can even name them and play an unlimited number of games with this fantastic set.
Wooden toys are known for their longevity. In order to prolong their durability, do not wash the product with water! You can wipe it by mixing natural apple or grape vinegar with water at a ratio of 1 to 10 for cleaning and disinfection in case of contamination over time.
My Final Word
The wood choice is always the best option especially if wooden material comes from sustainably managed forests. Due to its durability, it can be passed down from generation to generation, it can be donated and eventually, it can be recycled. As it is biodegradable and eco-friendly it is totally harmless to our environment.
In conclusion to all the aforementioned facts, we can only say that this set has all the relevant characteristics of a remarkable educational toy. It meets all the standards and the balance of educational and entertainment elements we talked about in my previous blog.
I would definitely go for Wooden Balance Men Game, ask my children to decorate it and then enjoy watching them playing and learning with this fantastic set. Now, the choice is all yours. I am always available for any questions and suggestions.
