Why are Wooden Toys Better Than Plastic?

We just love wooden toys! I have great memories of using wood for virtually everything. When my grandad used to cut logs to warm up our house, I would collect all the wood scraps and improvise an entire story based on made-up characters. I would build castles, plant trees, and pretend that wooden sticks were warriors and leaves were flags.

Years have passed since then. I have never imagined I would end up creating wooden toys – coincidence? – but here I am, doing what I love most, tyring to share the love for nature with as many families around the world as possible.

Hello, dear reader! We are Lucian & Oana – founders of Noelino Toys – and we are going to share with you a couple of reasons why wooden toys are better than plastic. And why, if you haven’t already, you should consider investing in long-lasting, nature-friendly toys!

There are several reasons why wooden toys are better than plastic. Firstly, they are safe for your children, and environmentally friendly. Secondly, they are less expensive in the long run and more durable than plastic ones. They also have educational value: children who play with wooden toys develop their literacy and numeracy skills.

Read on to find out ten reasons why your children will benefit from them too.

Wooden Toys are Safer for Your Child

The first thing that you should know about wooden toys is that they are safe for your children.

Wooden toys are made from natural materials, so they do not contain any chemicals and toxins.

Plastics can cause skin irritation, especially if they are painted. Children who have an increased risk of developing certain medical conditions (ie. allergies) are more susceptible to the negative effects of plastic toys. So, it is better to choose wooden toys that are made of natural materials, like wood. 

Your child will enjoy playing with them without worrying about the health risks of plastic toys which can be a choking hazard too, while wooden toys are more resistant to breakage. 

Wooden Toys are Better for The Environment

Wooden toys are non-toxic to the environment as well. Eco-friendly wooden toys do not contain harmful chemicals found in plastic toys, and wood is a durable and renewable resource.
Plastic is a petroleum-based material that can contain toxins such as BPA, phthalates, and PVC. And it takes a long time for the planet to recover from using up all of its available oil.
Plastic toys are more likely to be broken and don’t last that long, which means more plastic being thrown in the bin and years to clean the planet.

They Can Improve Fine Motor Skills

Children develop their fine motor skills when they start using wooden toys. The movement and dexterity of their fingers improve with time, which helps them improve their coordination. This way, they become more coordinated and learn how to play safely too! This leads to the next benefit.

Enhances Early Education, Literacy, and Numeracy Skills

Toys made from natural materials like wood and clay stimulate the tactile sense of touch. This helps children develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, which are important for learning to read in the early years of primary school.

Toys made of wood are safe to be introduced from an early age, although we recommend you never lose your baby out of sight with any kind of toy!

Wooden toys also help children develop their understanding of numbers and counting, which is an important skill for later literacy development.
And that is the reason why wooden toys help improve teachers’ skills and students’ performance, a win-win situation.

Improve Functional Outcomes for Children With Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Children with mild to moderate disabilities benefit from toys that are made of wood. They do not splinter, break or deteriorate as plastic ones do. Because wood toys are softer, they can be manipulated more easily. This makes them an ideal alternative for children with sensory impairments, such as autism and ADHD.

They Keep Your Kids Busy

Playing with toys made of wood seems to give kids more playtime than playing with plastic ones. There is less stress on the brain and body while they are engaged, preventing them from getting tired as quickly as usual. The wood does not get worn out as easily as plastic toys do, so children continue to play with the toy for a long time before becoming bored.

Wooden Toys Encourage Creative Play

Play pretend is one of the best ways children can learn while playing with wooden toys.

Children like to make things and play with them, and the natural beauty of wood appeals to them. Playing with toys that are not made of wood is limiting for the little ones. Children do not have the same creativity as adults when it comes to making new and interesting toys from scratch.

So, they can use the wooden toy for many different activities, such as playing with it, pretending it is a car or boat, and building things with it. Take a wooden farm set for example. It teaches them so many interesting things about living on a farm while having fun. They won’t even notice they’re learning!

Cheaper in The Long Run

Plastic toys do not hold up to the rigors of rough play and will eventually break. Wooden toys have a thicker, more robust construction, which makes them more durable.
Plastic toys tend to be expensive and have many parts that can easily be lost, broken, or eaten by pets. Which is something you really don’t want! However, wood is much safer because it can break less and does not contain toxic chemicals that can cause damage when ingested or inhaled.

In addition, the cost of buying and maintaining new plastic toys is much higher than the cost of wooden toys. You will need to replace your plastic toys more often, which means that you must buy more new ones. Again and again. If you want to save money in the long term, then wood is a better choice for most types of toys.

Easy to Adapt as Children Get Older

Wooden toys grow up with your children. Wooden toys are easy to adapt as children grow up and can be used for various purposes: playing with them, pretending to play, building things, and so on.

Most wooden toys are designed to adapt to a child’s hands, but with a bit of creativity, children can also customize them for their older siblings.
As a bonus, wooden toys have the potential to become a generational toy that has been passed on over the years, as a valuable family heritage.

Plastic Toys Interfere With Your Child’s Development

Children are fascinated with plastic toys. They can be molded, painted, and decorated to look like almost anything. This fascination leads them to form a false perception of the world around them. Children who usually play with plastic toys often believe that they are superior to other children because their toys are so much more sophisticated than those of their peers who don’t have such advanced things as dolls or toy cars.

Sadly, children with plastic toys tend to be more self-centered and less independent than children without them. And they are also more likely to become obese. They spend hours playing with their plastic toys, which means that they don’t have time for exercise or other activities that could help them develop their physical fitness.

In addition, the high energy costs of running around wearing out a toy can lead to lower grades in school because kids who play a lot with their toys will not be as attentive at school as those whose brains are being stimulated by something else besides the toy itself.