It does not take a lot of education to realize the origin of wooden toys. Since wood is a natural element along with stone, animal skin and horns, wooden toys have a very long history. I guess we can say the first wooden toymakers were kids. Of course, those toys from the past did not even look like the toys we have today. It was more imagination than the toy itself. It is exactly their imagination that brought about sophisticated toys later on.
A scientific review of wooden toy history
As history is a long story, we can speculate a lot about the first toys, but archaeologists tell us that the first wooden toys were used by the Greeks and Romans. Children’s play has always been imitating the life and the activity of adults, thus the first toys were the imitation of the tools used in their culture. Of course, at that time, these were usually hunting and fishing tools as well as figures of people and animals. The first drawings that were found in Greece depicted something similar to pull-along toys used today. Wooden rattles were found in babies’ graves, believe it or not, about two and a half thousand years ago.
The change…
Times change, people change and accordingly the kids’ perception of the world they imitate changes too. The first real toymakers appear in the 18th century in Germany. This time they did not imitate the real world as much as they did in the past, they imitated the imaginary world from the stories the kids were being told. The figures of people and animals remained but with more details and sophistication. Dollhouses and dolls emerged with refined characteristics of hand craftsmanship. For boys, the new toys were trains and soldiers. With such a given set of toys, the kids were able to practice their imagination and creativity.
Two of the major holdbacks that tried to put a stop to the development of wooden toys were wars and the industrial revolution. They brought about new toy making materials such as plastic and rubber. The process of making such toys was cheaper therefore preferable. However, wooden toys persisted against all setbacks, were modernized and were significantly improved.
Wooden toys today
Wooden toys have never been forgotten in spite of the difficulties in their historical development. However, they have always been present, not in the sophisticated form from the craftsman, but kids have always used tree branches as a gun for example or acorn as the head of a doll and several branches as the body and limbs. Kids will find a way to play and invent their own playthings even when they have no real toys to play with.
Nowadays, the modern market demands modern toys, so hand craftsmen were mostly replaced by modern machines for wood processing. Modern wooden toys now come with cool designs, they can move and sing. Still, they retain their natural value no matter the design or additional features added to them.
It is really a difficult situation when parents are encountered with a large selection of toys of different materials, each claiming that they are the safest and the best for their little ones. With so many dazzling and deafening toys, the wooden ones, no matter how cool their design is, can be easily overseen. Even when a parent really knows what is good, they can be easily misled in this wide product range of toys.
The importance of play especially with wooden toys
I do not think that I have to mention the immense importance of kids’ play. Or maybe I should, as kids rather choose to play games on phones or computers than play with toys. Parents also find this option very convenient not thinking about the long-term consequences such games have on children’s both physical and psychical development.
Any play leads to the proper development of kids, but each parent should strive for the best for their offspring. It is definitely difficult to weigh between the overwhelming product offer, children’s wishes and the parents’ beliefs. Anyhow, we will now look into the advantages of wooden toys.
First of all, the tactile sensation of a natural element is an indispensable experience. It arouses senses as different types of wood have different weights and different textures. They are demanding just as nature is. One has to put some effort, imagination and creativity in order to play with them. That represents the true sense of the play as well as strengthening children’s emotional, physical and mental skills.
Wooden toys are durable, they can last longer and they can be passed on from generation to generation. They cannot be broken or worn out. Moreover, they can be produced as zero waste products, are completely recyclable and biodegradable. Its material is renewable if we take care of it. Due to all of these characteristics, it is obvious that such toys are safe.
Apart from the natural sensation and safety, wooden toys encourage many skills such as motor skills, problem-solving skills, coordination, counting, construction, differentiation between natural and artificial and many more.
Conclusion
Wooden toys have always been considered a very good investment. They are strong and durable and many generations will greatly leverage them. Admittedly, it is difficult to convince children to choose something less gleaming and noiseless.
Honestly speaking, as the mother of two, choosing toys is not as easy as it seems, especially if you take your youngsters to the toy store with you. Maybe the best choice is to choose and order online. You can read and research about your choice on your own, order it and it comes to your door. The kids will be happy for sure and you will be spared unnecessary stress.
