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 wooden toys. Regardless of the newest gizmo that may be on the market, few can resist the timeless appeal of wooden trains, rocking horses and even abacuses.
Of course, the allure of wooden toys is nothing new. Children as far back as the Roman, Greek and Egyptian empires played with carved wooden horses, dolls and other creations that sought to imitate life around them.
Archeologicalstudies as well as examinations of tombs and crypts have revealed that even thousands of years ago children had a veritable wealth of wooden toys with which they could play.
By the 16th century German craftsmen sought to capitalize on the wooden toy allure. Sales representatives were hired to market the toys throughout Europe, often taking special orders to commemorate special occasions, particularly from the royal families in the region. By the beginning of the 17th century, German toymakers had gained a reputation for producing surprisingly life-like toy figurines of animals and figures.
Throughout the next century and beyond toymakers used their skills to produce toys that were increasingly more elaborate. Wooden trains and train tracks, toy soldiers, ornamental dollhouses and jack-in-the boxes were just a few of the toys to be produced during this time period.
The allure of wooden toys continued well into the 20th century; however, the interest in these toys took a nosedive following the end of World War II.
It's no coincidence that plastic came into being about this time, making it easy to produce more inexpensive toys on a large-scale basis.
Still, it would seem that not even plastic could completely dim the appeal of wooden toys. Today, while it is certainly true that most aisles of toy stores are dedicated to plastic toys, there are more than a few toymakers making a go of it by producing high quality crafted wooden toys. With the advent of the Internet it has become even easier for parents to choose from a variety of wooden roleplay toys such as kitchens and tool benches as well as puzzles, pedal cars, train sets, dollhouses, forts, rockers and even outdoor toys.
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 fact, many special needs educators as well as those who follow the Montessori school of thought tend to agree. Not only are wooden toys much safer than plastic toys (they do not contain dangerous levels of PVC which could be ingested by children) but they also provide numerous other benefits that plastic toys simply cannot offer.
One of the most important of these benefits is the invitation to touch, feel and explore; an important component of any education program. While children might play with a plastic toy, their interest can quickly wane and few, if any, plastic toys encourage children to actually learn through feel. Wooden toys; however, are much different. 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.
Even parents who may not necessarily be aware of the link between education and contact with wooden toys seem to feel that these rather simplistic looking toys provide numerous other benefits. In a day and age when video-games and highly complex electronic toys seem to be driving the minds of our children to places where we would perhaps rather they not go, traditional wooden toys offer the opportunity to enjoy a more value-driven type of imaginative play.
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.
Durability is also a strong advantage for many parents and children. While modern plastic toys can frequently and easily be destroyed, wooden toys are designed to withstand damage much easier. Considering the fact that wooden toys tend to last much longer than plastic toys, this makes their cost more negligible than one might at first think.
While many modern toymakers may continue to bedazzle the world with their seemingly endless supply of computerized and electronic toys, there is little doubt that wooden toys will remain beloved favorites for many more generations to come.
Toys have been an important part of childhood since early civilization and while children today are much different than those thousands of years ago, many of their favorite playthings are similar to those that have been around for centuries. As long ago as the ancient Greek and Roman empires, children are known to have played with dolls, horses, and chariots. The earliest toys discovered by archeologists were all made of wood.
Wooden toys continued to be a common part of childhood for thousands of years. By the 1700's, German toymakers began to craft a variety of playthings from wood to sell to the general public. Salesmen would travel around Europe to market the popular wooden toys, taking advance orders for special occasions and often for custom made wooden toys. Almost life-like dolls and animals were becoming favorite playthings for children all over Europe.
Over the next century, toymakers became more elaborate and detailed with their wooden creations. Wooden miniatures like dollhouses and theaters became popular during the 19th century, as well as wooden toy soldiers. Many of which, like the classic Jack in a box, were hand painted with bright, vivid colors. Wooden trains, along with their wooden tracks, were one of the best selling items during this time period.
By the end of World War II, a number of new materials had been introduced to the manufacturing industry including still popular plastic. The production of wooden toys steadily declined as more and more toymakers opted for cheaper and more modern materials. Plastic games were much easier for mass production and were more affordable to families with children.
Today, traditionally made items are rarely seen,except on the shelves of traditional toy stores but the charm and appeal of these childhood classics has kept a number of traditional manufacturers in business. A variety of examples can be purchased online, from miniature appliances to small novelty gifts and games.
Wooden toys are typically simple playthings that encourage a child to use their imaginations. Wooden puzzles encourage children to develop cognitively as well as develop fine motor skills. Wooden ride-ons and pedal cars enhance physical skills and gross motor development. Whether it is a fire station or a farmhouse, miniature wooden play sets aid in social and emotional development. Wooden toys hold great educational value because of their simplicity.
Plastic alternatives are still generally less expensive than wood and are considered safer by some because of the flammability of older wooden toys and possible injuries from thrown or falling wooden objects, but wood does not contain toxic PVC like plastic do. They are the most durable playthings and can usually last through generations of play.
Today's wooden toys are just as innovative, if not more so, than modern, electronics. Cars, trucks, and wooden wind-ups make wonderful gifts and wooden pull alongs delight toddlers. Quiet games like chess and checkers, and even tic-tac-toe can be found made of wood, as well as physical games like ring toss. For toys that provide educational benefits and last for decades, choose the games that have been tested by time, wooden toys.
Both Brittney Foster & Gary Clay are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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