The one knock on parents and grandparents is they always think their generation is better. They always have something to say about the present generation being lazy, disrespectful, entitled, or too vain. Smartphones have completely changed the way people access information and do business. On the downside, people take the technology for granted that they expose their kids to harmful risks due to excessive usage. What the older generation couldn’t claim, however, is the technological advances that permeate through different products like toys, clothes, furniture, and others.
The truth is – your grandparents would have preferred wooden toys for toddlers compared to
mobile device of today. According to this survey from SellCell, 8.6% of parents of kids 6 years old and below purchased a smartphone for their children. Essentially, for some people, smartphones are very effective babysitters so they can get some household chores and work done.
Apart from mobile devices, the toy industry is dominated by plastic. Data from Plastics.com
reported that 9 in 10 of toys in the market today are manufactured out of plastics. You can hardly see any wooden toy today, which is unfortunate. Your grandparents are not just waxing nostalgic when they claim that wooden toys for toddlers are a great foundational tool for your kids.
Here are the key advantages of wooden toys over plastic toys:
- Durability- One clear benefit of buying a wooden toy is the guarantee that you get your
money’s worth. It’s not uncommon for wooden toys to be passed on from generation to
generation. It might have some discoloration or chips on the paint, but the structure itself is still sturdy. - Do your part for the environment- Toys are a multibillion-dollar industry. Millions of
plastic toys roll out of factories all around the world. While it’s not clear how many
plastic toys end up in the landfill, there are an estimated 269,000 tons of pieces of plastics today. That’s a huge burden on the environment. Remember that plastic doesn’t break down easily. While it’s not entirely non-biodegradable, it will take at least 450 years for a plastic bottle to break down. - Wooden toys fuel the imagination- While barbies and toy cars are great visually, they
also typically mimic how people or vehicles look like in real life. This is almost accurate portrayal leaves little room for creativity.
Meanwhile, modular cinder blocks will fuel your toddler’s imagination and creativity.
Some toys, such as the magnetic wooden blocks from Kontu, are even used to accelerate
learning in science, engineering, technology, and math during the early childhood stage.
Non-toxic- In some parts of the world where quality standards are not up to par, the plastic toys contain toxic substances that are harmful to kids. A University of Plymouth
study found toxic chemicals such as chromium, bromine, antimony, lead, barium,
selenium, and cadmium. In large doses, any of these chemicals can be fatal.
Those are just some of the advantages of buying wooden toys rather than plastic toys. Sure, they might look like what your grandparents would play with. However, while their insistence on sticking to traditions can be tiresome at times, in this instance, they are not wrong.
