Wooden Toys—Not Just Your Grandparent’s Pleasure
A century or two ago, wood toys were the most often seen. Wood was readily available and summer evenings would find dads and grandfathers sitting out on porches carving toy trucks, dolls and games for the kids. Wood toys were sturdy and often were passed down from one generation to the next. Over time, however, plastic and other materials replaced wood and assembly lines mass produced toys quicker than carving. They became rare.
Today, places have revived wood toys and a new generation of kids is discovering the simple pleasures that come with wood toys. Today’s wood toys are often more elaborate than those of yesteryear, but they are as long lasting and encourage the development of a child’s imagination. Follow me as we explore some of the wood toys children can enjoy today.
The simplest wood toy has to be the wooden building block. With these, children can build anything their imaginations can conceive, from simple towers to elaborate castles. Blocks have long been a favorite among children because they can grow with the child. A toddler may start with building a simple tower, developing hand-eye coordination. As he or she grows, structures become more complex, stretching the imagination and skill of the child.
Toy vehicles have always and will continue to fascinate young minds. Wood toys come in all forms of vehicles from cars and trucks to planes and trains. These wood toys are yet another way to help children develop their creative skills. Many children have explored the Earth and outer space without ever leaving their backyards. Wood toys rarely come with bells and whistles, lights and sirens. They allow a child the freedom of exploration and imagination, two of the world’s best learning skills.
Wood toys also can be found in the areas of puzzles and games. Jigsaw puzzles were originally made of wood. The pieces of puzzles can be assembled and disassembled hundreds of times without showing wear and tear. Games such as checkers and chess challenge a child to develop strategic thinking and develop good sportsmanship. Wood toys such as yo-yos and pick-up-sticks help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, all without seeming like work to the child.
These are just a few of the hundreds of wood toys available on today’s market. Many of these toys will be passed down to the next generation, and the one after that. More importantly, the skills developed by playing with wood toys will stay with the child an entire lifetime.