Posts Tagged ‘Wooden’

Wooden Toys are Making a Come Back - Learn Why

December 18th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in toys
How are wooden toys invented? Wooden toys are invented because wood is the only easily available materials where one can make toys from with simple tools. Sad to speak, it’s hard to find wooden toys in toy stores these days.


Online toy stores offer a wide variety of wooden toys to choose from. And sometimes, it’s easier to find what you want because modern toy stores these days mostly sell plastic toys.


Unlike plastic toys, an eye for detail is needed to craft great looking wooden toys such as trains, horses, or even lady bugs. These toys are usually quite costly.


However, plastic eventually starts to replace wood when it comes to making toys and its cheaper for mass production. Hence, many toy makers switched to plastic.


In history, the Germans are well known to create high quality wooden toys since the seventeenth century.


These toys have been very popular because they are pollution free, and therefore friendly to the environment.


Young children can also benefit from wooden toys greatly because toys like wooden puzzles help a child’s mind to grow.


But do you know where to source for antique wooden toys? You can find some really great deals online. Deals come from auction sites or online toy retailers. If you are lucky, you may be the proud owner of a vintage wooden toy. But be forewarned, if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is.


In the education field, many wooden toys such as wooden beads, mazes, puzzles and blocks are used. This is because they don’t get damaged easily and can be used many times over. Also, it doesn’t matter if the child is a boy or girl. There will be wooden toys that is ideal for them. For example, boys can choose to play with wooden horses, while girls can choose to play with miniature wooden toys.


Now ask yourself: Why do you think wooden toys have always remained so popular? They have remained as one of the top collector’s choice because they come in so many different forms. The price of a wooden toy depends very much on its age and general condition. The older it is, and the better the overall condition, the more valuable it will be.


The one thing that separates wooden toys from all the other toys is that it seems to last forever. Small little wooden toys are the ideal candidate for gifts. Both adults and children will love them.


Compared to plastic toys, wooden toys are more durable, and can usually last for generations. There is also variety. Wooden toys range from toy trains, puzzle blocks, to rocking horses.


If the wooden toy is made for young children, make sure that the paint on it is non-toxic. In recent years, toys made from wood are making a come back. And for good reasons.


There is nowhere that wooden toys cannot exist - they can be found both indoors and outdoors. Maintenance for wooden toys is very simple. Use a wet cloth to clean the surface, and spray the toy with an inhibitor if you want. Wooden toys such as wooden furniture, doll houses, or kitchen play sets all allow children to development their imagination to the fullest.


Simplicity is never a bad thing. Battery operated toys are not as effective as wooden toys when it comes to encouraging young children to think. Toy collectors like collecting wooden toys more because they are more durable. And although plastic toys cost less than wooden toys, they often break more easily, making them less desirable to keep in a collection.

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Wooden Toys and Plastic Toys - Know the Difference

December 13th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in toys
What makes a wooden toy a desirable artifact to collect? Consider the items below:


1. Wood can be made into toys suitable for outdoors or indoors. Plastic toys break easily, and is no where near wooden toys when it comes to durability.


2. Miniature wooden toys make the ideal gifts for both adults and children.


3. Wooden toys are often pass the test of time with flying colors, as they never seem to fade away.


4. Wooden toys are excellent toys for pretend play. They can be reused again and again to play out different scenarios, thus providing hours of fun and entertainment.


5. Simple wooden toys engages children and motivates them to think.


6. The color, size and shape of wooden toys may vary. Young children can benefit from wooden toys greatly because toys like wooden puzzles help a child’s mind to grow.


7. Wooden toys are suitable for both boys and girls. There are toys like toy cars and toy furniture that are suitable for both genders.


There are many different types of wooden toys. They include flyers, soft toys, puzzles, pedal cars, toy furniture and more. A mint condition wooden toy means that it comes with its original toy box. And these toys are often worth more. In the popular fairy tale Pinocchio, the puppet is made from wood.


For education purposes, many wooden toys such as beads, mazes and puzzles are used. This is because they don’t break easily and can be used over and over again.


Plastic eventually starts to replace wood when it comes to making toys and its cheaper for mass production. Hence, many toy makers switched to plastic. But given the many advantages wooden toys have over plastic toys, wooden toys will never truly be replaced.


Toy collectors like collecting wooden toys more because they are more durable. And although plastic toys cost less than wooden toys, they often break more easily, making them less desirable to keep in a collection. Also, isn’t it funny why wooden toys have managed to retain its popularity over the years? That’s because there are many different types of wooden toys, and surely, some must have captured the hearts of the collectors.


So where do you start looking for wooden toys? The Internet of course! The Internet is a good place to source for wooden toys as most modern toy stores don’t have them on their shelves any more. Once you manage to find the toy that you want, learn how to preserve it.


It’s rather simple to preserve a wooden toy. Protect it from dirt and grind by cleaning the surface with some clean water regularly. A rust inhibitor is optional.


It is not uncommon to find wooden toys that cost much more than plastic toys. That’s because crafting a sophisticated wooden toy takes years of practice and experience.


Finally, assume nothing when it comes to safety. Always read the labels to make sure that paints are child friendly before giving the wooden toy to a child.

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Have Wooden Toys Had Its Time?

December 6th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in toys

Nowadays, parents tend to buy toys made of plastic or other materials to their children because most of the time, these toys are more interesting compared to the much simpler wooden toys. Modern toys can do so many things because most often than not, they are battery-operated. However, there are still some specialty toy shops that still sell wooden toys because of their unique characteristics and features.

There are many advantages in using wooden toys. Wooden toys are generally simpler and quieter than modern toys. Modern toys usually produce noise and usually do some acrobatics that some kids might find chaotic and might make them confused. Wooden toys on the other hand, give them a chance to be creative and to do things on their own using their free hands and their imagination because of its generally simple design.

Wooden toys are also safer than other toys made with other materials. Wood is non-toxic and they usually are not very complicated toys which make it easier for children to manipulate or play with, without fear of your children getting hurt. Also, most toys made from wood are not operated with battery.

These toys are also considered to be more educational than plastic toys. Toys made from wood are very simple which children can touch and explore with their bare hands. This helps a lot in their development.

These old-fashioned toys can also stand the test of time. You will still probably see your Dad?s wooden rocking horse in your attic or your Mom?s wooden toy dishes. This can make you save more money than buying plastic toys. Moreover, when a plastic toy breaks, it could even be dangerous to your child. Plastic toys also have negative effects on the environment. And we don?t need that especially now.

Because wooden toys are simple, they are also easier to clean and maintain. They do not have so many nooks and crannies that you might overlook when cleaning. These are also great gifts since most wooden toys are considered rare finds. Plastic toys will lose their value after being used for many times, but not toys made from wood. You can keep your wooden toys for now and after so many years, they can be considered as collectibles.

So you might ask yourself again, have wooden toys had its time even if they have so many benefits?

Probably yes. Because of the increasing popularity of plastic and electronic toys, toys made from wood are now being left behind, despite the aforementioned advantages. Children now prefer toys that can do many things. They do not want very simple toys anymore. And some wooden toys are more expensive than their plastic counterparts probably because they are considered to be collectibles and very unique and hard to find. Moreover, you can almost hardly see wooden toys in the leading toy shops these days.

To sum things up, the answer to your question ?have wooden toys had its time? is almost. There are only a few of them now. Before these toys went out of the market completely, buy some for your children for them to experience the advantages of playing with wooden toys.

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Sam is the owner of online Educational Toys. You can find more information on Vtech Toys on his website.

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Wooden Toys - the Most Durable Toys in the World

November 28th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in toys
Wooden toys are regaining popularity again. And the main reason for this? It’s durability. But first, how did wooden toys come about? Wooden toys exist because that’s the most readily available material, and toys can be produced simply with a carving knife.


The price of a wooden toy depends very much on its age and general condition. The older it is, and the better the overall condition, the more valuable it will be.


In terms of price, wooden toys cannot match plastic toys upfront, as it’s cheaper to produce plastic toys. However, wooden toys often last much longer, resulting in substantial savings in the long run.


Wooden toys traditionally started out to be cheaper than all other toys. But as technology evolves, plastic eventually starts to replace wood when it comes to making toys. Hence, many toy makers switched to plastic. So if the decision to buy a toy is based on price alone, then perhaps plastic toys will win this battle. But often, toys mean more than just money alone.


Today, the price of a piece of wooden toy rises in proportion to the time and skill required to make the toy. In other words, the more time and skill needed, the higher the price. Still, people continue to buy wooden toys because they are suitable for everyone.


Whether you are an adult or a young child, you will fall in love with tiny wooden toys, as they are just too adorable to resist. Wooden toys are also suitable for both boys and girls. There are toys like toy cars and toy furniture that are suitable for both genders. Children love wooden toys because they can play with them both indoors and outdoors.


To preserve a wooden toy, clean the surface with a wet cloth before putting it away. Regular cleaning will make the wooden toy last longer. Some children like to use wooden toys for pretend play. Pretend play stimulates a child’s imagination. Simple wooden toys engages children and motivates them to think. The secret to improving thinking and motor skills is to use simple wooden toys to play simple games. For example, use wooden blocks for counting games, or use puzzles to help encourage thinking.


But for most toy collectors, they like to collect wooden toys because wooden toys can last for a very long time, they are often kept for sentimental reasons. For an avid toy collector, there are many different types of wooden toys to choose from. But what makes a wooden toy a desirable artifact to collect?


For one, as wooden toys last so long, they are often still around even when their owners have grown up. And despite having grown up, the owners often refuse to give away their wooden toys as these toys bring back many happy memories. Also, one does not have to worry about harming the environment with wooden toys. In terms of durability, wooden toys can outlast any plastic toys with ease. They are also popular because of their versatility.


Case in point: skilled toy makers can create more complex wooden toys such as puppets. Pinocchio is a wooden puppet in a fairy tale, and he wants to become a boy. Puppets are interesting toys that can move. Simple wooden blocks can be used as educational toys. They can be used to playing counting games, or to build shapes. Such wooden toys can be used many times over.


So whether simple or complex, wood can be made into all sorts of different toys. That means, surely, there must be some wooden toy out there suitable for everyone.

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For more information on children’s wooden toys or wooden toys for children, please visit our toy resource site.

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Wooden Toys With Sentimental Value Attached

November 10th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in toys
Do you keep your wooden toys? Perhaps they are still around. Plastic toys do not last as long as wooden toys and so, they are usually not around when the owners are all grown up. Thus, wooden toys are more ideal as souvenirs, as they are more likely to be still around to bring back happy memories. So for old times sake, preserve and keep your wooden toys.


This is easy enough to do because the one thing that separates wooden toys from all the other toys is that it seems to last forever. But first, before we rant about how great wooden toys are, here’s a brief history lesson.


During the seventeenth century, wooden toys really began to catch on. And many German toy makers have been known to create innovative toys. Plastic eventually starts to replace wood when it comes to making toys since its cheaper for mass production. Hence, many toy makers switched to plastic. Now if you are buying toys solely based on price alone, this fact alone could affect your buying decision. But toys are precious things. And some things, money can’t buy.


For instance, wooden toys are widely used by child care centers for education purposes. Children love wooden toys because they can play with them both indoors and outdoors. Many people don’t know that the secret to improving thinking and motor skills is to use simple wooden toys to play simple games. For example, use wooden blocks for counting games, or use puzzles to help encourage thinking. Some children like to use wooden toys for pretend play. Pretend play stimulates a child’s imagination. Playing simple games with wooden toys such as building blocks encourages development of motor skills and thinking skills. Besides, wooden toys are not exclusive to any gender. Both boys and girls like to play with them. Just make a visit to any child care center and you can see for yourself - Boys playing with wooden toy guns, while girls play with wooden kitchen sets. A lovely sight for sure.


But bear in mind that toxic paints on a wooden toy can be dangerous for children. So make sure that the paint is non-toxic before giving the toy to a child.


There are many reasons why people choose wood to make toys from. One primary reason is that wood can be made into anything - little toy cars, puppets, and even furniture. Although plastic toys may be cheaper, wooden toys are far more durable and can last for a long time.


There are many different types of wooden toys. Wooden toys with a good old age are sometimes very valuable because they can’t be found anywhere else. Money can’t buy them because they are out of production. So needless to say, the value of the toy goes up.


When sourcing for wooden toys, buying toys online would be a good place to start as most toy stores these days don’t sell wooden toys anymore. Wooden toys are gaining popularity because they are environmentally friendly.


From a toy collector’s perspective, wooden toys that are hard to find and well preserved are worth more. So preserve their physical condition by cleaning them on a regular basis with clean water. Also, toy collectors should look out for wooden toys that require more skill to produce. They are harder to find and therefore, they often fetch a higher price.


Think about why are wooden toys so widely accepted. Many people like to collect wooden toys because they come in many forms. Tiny wooden toys look cute and adorable, and many people would love to own them.


Because wooden toys are durable and reusable, they are often ideal educational toys. They can be used again and again without breaking. In the longer term, wooden toys will save you more money. They last longer than plastic toys, and have greater replay value.

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The Real Truth About Wooden Toys

November 3rd, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in toys

Conventional toy makers may be in the minority today yet many parents feel the cost of traditional wooden toys are well worth it: delivering permanence as well as safety and imaginative play and so have witnessed resurgence in popularity.

While some wooden toys can cost significantly more than their plastic counterparts, many parents feel wooden toys still remain the best play options for their children, regardless of cost. In a ‘cost conscious’ consumer market, with many budget-wholesale-discount outlets, why do so many parents go the ‘extra mile’ in time and expense? The answer can be found in the advantages of the ‘Classic Wooden Toy’ for their children.

The Wooden Toy Advantage…

Wooden toys, in particular, are bright and safe toys for your child, especially when purchased from reputable manufacturers in the U.S.A. Wooden toys from manufacturers such as ‘D and Me’ , ‘BEKA’, and ‘THE PUZZLE-MAN TOYS’ are made in the United States and meet all current standards for toy safety. These manufacturers specialize in wooden toys for children. For them, it is their ‘bread and butter’ … so quality and safety are tops in their design and manufacturing process. Today, while it is certainly true that most aisles of toy stores are dedicated to plastic toys, there are more than a few toy makers making a go of it by producing high quality crafted wooden toys. I especially like the manufacturers mentioned above as I am familiar with their dedication to safety and quality. Because of this, ATLPlaytime, an online toy retailer (www.atlplaytime.com) can unconditionally stand behind products from those manufacturers.

Wooden toys allow children to use their imaginations. These toys don’t ‘play with themselves’ and, being relatively simplistic, there are few to no ‘bells and whistles’ to distract a child from the thought and imagination that goes with quality play. Though it certainly cannot be explained by anything scientific, wooden toys just seem to have the magic touch when it comes to encouraging imaginative play through exploration and contact.

Wooden Toys ‘Feel Good’. Let’s face it, there is something inherent to wood that makes it speak quality. Kids are more likely to learn how to use their sense of touch and feel when they use wooden toys. Toys made of clear wood, especially hardwoods, with good grain that ages gracefully with play soon takes on that heirloom quality. Indeed, the cost of many of these toys is directly due to the choice of quality, select hardwoods that are becoming increasingly rare.

Wooden Toys are Durable. Just ask any pre-school, kindergarten, or grade school teacher. Wooden toys have staying power and can take the daily abuse that real kids and real play imposes. Those educators who most commonly purchase wooden toys for their students are Kindergarten and first grade teachers and those who teach children with special needs. Occupational Therapists especially use wooden toys and puzzles frequently and with great success to help the ‘developmentally slowed’.

Wooden toys are one of the products which have lasted centuries and while we tend not to think in those terms we may very well think of our grandchildren and perhaps even our Great Grand Children. In this context, modern plastic toys can commonly and simply be destroyed. Wooden toys are designed to withstand damage much easier and can even take on character. My Granddaughters play with wooden toys that have MY teething marks on them! Wooden toys can be an investment that can be handed down generation to generation.

Wooden Toys Will Never be Obsolete…

Toys have certainly changed during the last one hundred years but one thing that has not changed is the fascination of both old and young alike with classic wooden toys.

Look in almost any cut rate store this coming Holiday season and notice the many current toymakers that continue to bedazzle the world with their seemingly endless supply of computerized and electronic toys. Despite this, there should be little doubt that wooden toys will remain beloved favorites for many more generations to come.

Wooden Toys Will Always be Popular…

The truth is that the latest gadget on the latest toy has not made traditional children’s wooden toys any less desirable to children, or even to adults for that matter. The latest plastic toy has not made wooden toys become obsolete. In addition, while wooden toys may not have all of the bells and whistles of modern toys they still allow children to engage in meaningful play, developing cognitive and problem-solving skills that will carry throughout the rest of their lives.

Kids have been enjoying their playtime with wooden toys for centuries… and as long as there are trees, it will continue to be so.

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Barry Chickini is the owner-operator of ATLPlaytime, an on-line store specializing in Quality Toys for Educational and Therapy: www.ATLPlaytime.com.

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Why Wooden Toys Are Better Than Plastic Toys For Children

October 1st, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in toys

 

Are wooden toys betters than plastic? In order to answer this question we would need to define ‘better’. I have to admit to being biased towards wood so I’ve been pondering why this is the case.

 

When it comes to your children, nothing’s too good for them, although some things are certainly too good to be true. These days, literally well over 99 percent of the toys offered for sale to your children are made of plastic and metal. Natural wood toys are nearly non-existent. That’s sad really. They’re an important part of our heritage and culture, and chances are they’re safer than plastic toys as well.

 

How many times have we been told that a plastic or painted toy is safe, only to see it recalled or find out it has lead in the paint or plastic body or is unsafe for any number of other reasons? This holds especially true for very small children and babies. These little ones will be putting whatever they play with in their mouths, and plastics, painted toys and metals probably aren’t high on the list of things you want in your baby’s mouth.

 

If we are considering the environment and the ultimate destination for many toys (which is landfill) then wood is clearly the better material. If we are thinking about robustness and the resilience of the material to the treatment that toys receive at the hands of their owners then both materials can perform well, depending upon the toy.

 

When it comes to plastic toys and wooden toys, there is more of a chance that plastic toys will be purchased. However, consumers don’t seem to consider buying a wooden toy for their kid instead. In a few ways, it would be more worth the while to get.

 

Let’s think of a few differences between the two. Plastic toys: they can break easily and the edges could harm the little children. Wooden toys, on the other hand, are more durable. If you were to stand on a toy truck made of plastic, there is a great chance that it will break, possibly leaving sharp edges that could cut your child; and be fit only for the rubbish.

 

Wooden toys on the other hand encourage your kids to use their creativity, when either they make the toys themselves or play with them. Simple activities such as making cookies at their own toy kitchen, or riding a wooden Arabian horse and so on, boost a child’s creativity and visualization.

 

You probably wonder why parents opt to offer their children the common wooden type of toys instead of the cheaper plastic toys commonly produced in China. Many consider that having plastic toys is more practical than wooden toys because of the cost factor. Although plastic toys are cheaper compared to wooden toys, long term consideration proves that the latter is better than the former.

 

Wood is a natural made material which can be subjected to recycling. This means that aside from providing entertainment for your child, you can also pro actively help in preventing further degradation of the environment. Moreover, children appear to be more attached to playing with wooden toys.

 

Play is an essential part of a child’s learning and emotional development. Wooden toys are a sensible choice for the very young. Children’s wooden toys include toys such as miniature farm animals sets for infants and doll houses for young girls and boys. Many wooden toys are also educational toys for young school children, such as puzzles, building blocks, and more.

 

Wooden toys are also more durable than their plastic or metal counterparts. Thus with proper care, it is possible to make these toys last a child’s entire childhood and maybe even hand them down to their children.

 

How are wooden toys invented? Wooden toys are invented because wood is the only easily available materials where one can make toys from with simple tools. Sad to speak, it’s hard to find wooden toys in toy stores these days.

 

Online toy stores offer a wide variety of wooden toys to choose from. And sometimes, it’s easier to find what you want because modern toy stores these days mostly sell plastic toys.

 

Have you ever seen a child in a room full of the latest toys and found the child to be playing with old fashioned children’s wooden toys that were a big hit when you were young? What is it about this sight that is so comforting? Is it because the child’s wooden toy makes us feel nostalgic or is there something else at play here? In our world of plastic throw-away goods it is comforting to see lasting goods lasting. It is especially comforting to see goods which are felt to be worthy enough to be passed on from generation to generation. The latest gadget on the latest toy has not made traditional children’s wooden toys any less desirable to children, or even to adults for that matter.

 

Children’s wooden toys are toys which are made using a natural product as opposed to a product like plastic which is a product that we are trying to recycle but nevertheless remains a product which costs less to produce new than to recycle. If a child’s wooden toy is made from a sustainable forest that’s even better as it is actually helping out our troubled environment. This is only one of the reasons we feel better towards wood than towards plastic. There are also many emotional reasons why wooden toys feel better.

 

To touch and explore is often considered as one of the most important aspects of most educational programs that help a child develop different capabilities. Letting your kids play with wooden toys would unmistakably encourage them to learn by touching and exploring. Moreover, you could even purchase wooden toys and games specially meant to educate the kids.

 

Plastic toys come in all shapes and sizes so there are bound to be lots of brightly coloured playthings that attract the attention of your child, no matter how old they are. They are durable, washable and usually pretty safe, but as with all toys there are toy safety checks to watch out for when you are buying the perfect toy for your child.

 

The most important toy safety check for all toys, including plastic toys, is that they have the appropriate safety marks. Although the CE Mark is not in fact a consumer symbol, it does mean that the toy you are looking for will have passed stringent safety tests and conform with a list of essential safety requirements. If any plastic toys that you are thinking of buying don’t have the CE Mark, you should avoid them because you can’t be sure whether they will be safe for your child to play with.

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