Earth-Friendly Wooden Toys
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Great Classic and Wooden Toys
Earth friendly toys are everywhere - ok, not everywhere, but you hear about them a lot. What I find really amusing, in a philosophical kind of way, is that only about 100 years ago, most kids had earth friendly toys. Even the poorest child had a wooden toy or two. Today we think of them as new and revolutionary - yet they have been around for hundreds of years. Obviously, in those days nobody was particularly concerned about their earth friendliness, but the toys were truly earth friendly - even more so than the earth friendly toys of today. Typically a father would make a toy from leftover wood - wood grown in his own woodlot. The toys did not require cutting down trees - trees were already cut for other purposes. The toys used wood that was no longer useful for anything else. They did not require electricity to make - father typically made them by hand. They did not need gasoline to be transported across the continent - dad handed the toy to his kid as a Christmas gift or a birthday gift. And parents did not need to worry about lead-painted toys - they knew for sure there was no lead paint involved.
Enjoy this selection of earth friendly wood toys Children will fall in love with the Waldorf toys, and wooden toys that are specially made to show off their natural beauty. Waldorf-inspired and Montessori-inspired toys generally carry the highest play value, longer toy lifespans and a true respect for the natural world.
Baby Toys
Dolls
Earth Friendly Toys are Kid Friendly Toys
Today's earth friendly toys do get made in factories, and do take some gasoline to transport to the stores, but in many ways they are truly earth friendly. What is important to me, is that they are kid friendly as well. Whether you get a wooden doll house, or a wooden notched block set, a set of wooden pulleys, or simply some wooden dolls - you are giving your child a truly wonderful gift. Most of the earth friendly toys are made of unpainted wood. This in itself is a huge advantage - you know your kids will not be exposed to lead paint. On top of that, the wood has texture that simply cannot be matched by plastic toys. Many wooden toys will be made from a variety of woods, for a richer tactile experience. The sense of touch is very important to humans, yet modern toys are designed for the eyes. Wooden earth friendly toys reverse this trend and let your children develop the sense of touch while playing in the safety of their own home. Made with 2-3 different kinds of wood, the texture will differ from section to section. Some pieces are polished smooth, some are more rough. Some toys will leave bark on some pieces - textures of bark are almost infinite in variety - even on the same piece of wood. If you don't believe me, just go to a local park and pick up a stick - check out all the textures carefully - try to count how many different textures you can discover - you will be amazed at how many there are on a simple stick. EcoChoices.com Earth Friendly Toys on ABC
Eco Toys
And lets not forget the scent - different woods have wonderful scent - often very subtle, but humans can still smell it. I read somewhere that researchers discovered that a human nose can detect a single chemical molecule - believe me, the subtle smell of wood will be there, even if you are not aware of it all the time. But it is there, it enhances the play value of the toy, and most important, enhances development of your child. The sense of smell is particularly neglected in our culture - we keep our houses odor free, we keep kids out of the kitchen, etc - not many smells around. Playing with woods, kids' sense of smell will be exposed to new scents - and early childhood experiences are the ones that create most neural connections in the brain - that's how brain learns and later knows how to do things. So the more varied stimuli you provide your child, the more versatile his or her brain will become. Great Wooden Toys
Earth Friendly Toys Engage All Senses
Texture and smell are very important for child's development - we know that from research. But there is another aspect of most earth friendly toys, and in particular, wooden toys that is very important. This is the interplay of all five senses. When kids play with wooden toys, all senses are engaged in an integrated manner, and the messages they get are harmonious. This not only enhances play value, but again, enhances learning and child's development. Let me give you an example - a kid picks up a wooden figure - it has a certain weigh, it looks a bit rough, it feels rough, it has a scent of unpolished wood, when it touches another wooden toy, it makes a sound that's soft or hard - depending on the kind of wood it is. In a wooden toy, all these variables are in harmony - hard oak makes hard sound, is heavy, hard to scratch etc. Soft pine will make soft sound, will be lighter, softer in touch, easy to notch with a fingernail, smell the distinct soft pine smell. This integrated, harmonious experience is extremely valuable, for it teaches the brain to use different senses to understand the world, and to use information from many sources to confirm its understanding. Earth Friendly toys, by their very nature, engage the senses in this integrated, developmentally beneficial way.So even though they tend to be more expensive than the plastic stuff made in China, you may consider getting one or two earth friendly toys for your child. One way is to simply get parents and grandparents together, and pool the money to buy one toy instead of many. Consider it an experiment - buy one well thought out earth friendly toy and see how much play it gets. I suspect you will be amazed how much more time your child will spend with such toy as compared to the throwaway stuff from the local retail store.
Toy Garage -Car Garage Toy
Made in USA
Zome Tool Toys Lauri Toys
Harrisville Designs
Beka Toys
Green Toys
Exclusive Construction Site stands a towering 24" tall and comes complete with husky wood girders, 17 assorted blocks, decals, and a laminated wood ramp. Load up the working crane and hoist supplies up to the top! Provides open-ended play while simulating a real construction site. (Tonka trucks not included).
Wooden Toys - Green Toys - Earth Friendly Toys
Market Stand Accessories
Pulley
Recycled Tire Swing
Wooden Toys
Classic Wooden Toys
Pastel Toys
Butterfly Cottage Playhouse
Designed in England. Handmade in India.
Toys NOT Made in China
Baby Toys NOT Made in China
Organic Baby Toys
Butterfly Cottage Playhouse
What could be more fun for a kid than their very own little house? This cheery Summer Cottage playhouse will be well loved over the years, as a cozy spot for reading, tea parties, playing board-games, and all sorts of imaginative play.
It's immediately obvious that the Summer Cottage playhouse far surpasses ordinary playhouses. No detail is spared in the handiwork-the playhouse is expertly stitched of the finest embroidered woven cotton; colorful flower appliques decorate its border. The roll-up window coverings, and curtains add a sweet touch, and the optional handmade floor quilt, appliqued with flowers and butterflies, makes it even cozier inside. A great addition to the garden, playroom, or bedroom.
Orange Stripe Playtent
Toys NOT Made in China
Baby Toys NOT Made in China
Organic Baby Toys
Orange Stripe Playtent
Two moms have dreamed up the ultimate cozy nook for tea parties, games, reading, and all sorts of imaginary play. The Anderson play tent is 100% cotton in a print featuring giant pink and perwinkle blue poppies, with colorful stripes and hot pink trim, finished with apple green polka dotted grosgrain ribbon. Each tent comes fully assembled, bundled in a special storage tube, and is easily folded for storage in closet corners or under beds. Each play tent is custom made.
Important Note: When shopping for a play tent for your child, consider the materials used for its construction. Lucy & Michael play tents use sturdy cotton fabrics, and solid pine supports. Most others use flimsy plastic that can break easily. We've chosen to offer Lucy & Michael tee-pee style play tents because we believe they are the finest quality on the market, and we love their gorgeous fabric combinations.
Click here to learn more about Lucy & Michael play tents.
Little Engine That Could Wooden Toy Train Set
Little Engine That Could Wooden Toy Train Set
We love Watty Piper's classic story around here, so we were thrilled to find this Little Engine That Could train set. This wonderful made in the USA toy is compatible with Thomas and Brio sets. Includes the engine, three cars, and red caboose.
:: Authentically made to last for generations
:: Painted with child-safe paints and sealers
:: Fine Hand Detailing
:: Handmade of reforested birch hardwood
:: Railcars are heavier than other brands
Play Stand
The Play Stand is an all-purpose play prop found in many schools and homes. Its uses are as varied as the imaginations of the children using it. It can be a storefront, puppet theater, horse or vehicle . . . and at night, it doubles as a shelf for baskets of toys, and a place to hang costumes, jump ropes, etc. It's sturdy enough for children to sit upon, and yet light enough for young children to maneuver.
Kraul Cable Car Kit
Developed by Walter Kraul, a German science teacher dedicated to introducing children to the laws of physics in a fun and meaningful way, these kits combine play and learning most creatively.
This kit comes with the necessary materials and detailed instructions. In most cases, they will take less than one hour to complete.
Our crafty Large Cable Car Kit creates a miniature system for transporting stuff across the room or up to the tree fort. For ages 9+.
What is your favorite wooden toys brand?
Haba Wooden Toys
Haba Wooden Toys
Dollhouse
Dolls and Dollhouses
Toys NOT Made in China
Wooden toys, educational toys, baby toys, building blocks made in USA and Europe.
Toys NOT Made in China
Wooden toys, educational toys, baby toys, building blocks made in USA and Europe.
Earth Friendly Toys
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- Games and kits from Naturally Playful include down-to-earth variations of classics such as ?America Opoly,? her best seller, ?Fairy Opoly,? ?Illustory,? and ?Farm,? an earth-friendly variation on Lincoln Logs.
- Monthly craft kits bring parents, kids together
- What: Eco-conscious materials for three projects per month, all using earth-friendly, sustainable, recycled or recyclable supplies. What: Supplies for two projects (plus bonus materials): arts and crafts, science activities or imaginative play, ...
About Me
The Toys of Our Lives - What is your favorite classic toy? Why do you love it?
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siempoor
Dec 15, 2011 @ 7:26 pm | delete
- it is important to introduce an eco friendly toys to your child...nice article
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aviator7
Aug 15, 2011 @ 5:14 am | delete
- My favorite when I was growing up had to be my toy garage which I used to play with for hours on end. I used to have plenty of Matchbox cars to run around it as well.
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UKGhostwriter
Apr 2, 2011 @ 6:37 pm | delete
- great lens Bernadette!!
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playhouseplans
Mar 9, 2011 @ 1:15 pm | delete
- Brilliant selection of toys on this lens. I couldn't agree with you more and there's no more earth friendly material than wood.
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sheilamarie Dec 28, 2010 @ 12:19 pm | delete
- Great choice and variety of toys here! I always love wooden toys for their quality. Lensrolled to my 10-favorite-melissa-and-doug-toys lens.
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by bernadette1
I am a new mother, a teacher, an iMac fanatic.... Since my child was born I 've become crazy about babies, toys, early education etc. I started my adventure... more »
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