Wooden toys have a natural beauty that synthetic or plastic toys simply cannot compare to. They have been around since the ancient times and endure until today, even with all the new high technology toys, video games, and sophisticated gadgets manufactured and upgraded year after year. There is simplicity and elegance in toys made out of wood simply because they are made of natural materials and are marked with craftsmanship. In a way, they have more heart compared to mass produced and factory manufactured toys. It's not surprising that wooden toys endure more than synthetic toys and are passed on from one generation to the next. Some are even considered as family heirlooms.

A rich history

The earliest toys unearthed in Egypt date back to as early as 4,000 years old, and most of these toys were made of wood. In the early days, they had what could be considered early versions of checkers and chess made out of wood pieces carved on wood. Wooden horses and chariots were popular among Roman children and these toys may possibly have inspired the legendary Trojan horse. The first puzzle was also made out of wood, created by a mapmaker named John Spilsbury. In 1760, Spilsbury glued a map to a thin wooden board which he cut into pieces. Victorian women were also enamored with wooden toys in the form of wooden houses, sometimes elaborately constructed with marble and ivory and would even cost as much as a real house. One of the most popular wooden toys during the Middle Ages were wooden puppets constructed by woodcarvers. These puppets were usually shown in street-side carnivals and were manipulated by ventriloquists. One of the most famous wood toys in modern times was created in 1916 by the son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the Lincoln Logs, which are still sold in most toy stores today. Wooden models of cars, airplanes, and fire trucks became popular among children sometime after the First World War.

Closer to nature

Besides its fascinating and rich history, wooden toys are also environmental and bring children closer to nature. Because it is made of sustainable and renewable material, it does not harm the environment as much as non-recyclable toys made of plastic or PVC. It also helps that most wooden toys are not battery-operated and therefore lessen the use of disposable batteries, which we all know are very toxic and harmful for the environment. Most wooden toys are handcrafted and help local artisans earn a living doing what they do best. Locally made toys also help reduce the amount of fossil fuels needed to transport a toy halfway across the world and socially and financially, it helps enrich one's own community. The value of workmanship and craftsmanship shows in every piece of wooden toy allowing kids to learn how to appreciate the hard work that goes into creating a piece of craft, as well as its natural beauty, texture, and form. Wooden toys help kids connect to nature and appreciate the natural world.

Safe for kids

Harmful materials such as PVC (Polyvinyl chloride), which a lot of factory-made toys are made of nowadays, release toxins and chemicals that may be harmful to children or for people in general. One such toxin that is released when children chew or suck on the toy that is made of PVC is dioxin, which is linked to cancer and learning disabilities. Non-toxic wooden toys made of sustainable wood are naturally germ-free so it is safe for babies or toddlers to chew on when they are teething. They are also light and easy to operate, making them wonderful tools for expanding the imagination. There are wooden toys for all ages, from colorful baby toys to wooden blocks for toddlers and model airplanes and trains for older kids. Whether you want to encourage imaginative play or hone your kids' motor skills and problem solving skills, wooden toys are available for any type of learning and play. Kid's furniture is also available in wood to make kids' rooms safer.

Choose wisely

Not just because it is made of wood, however, doesn't mean it is already safe or environmental. There are toys made out of wood that came from denuded forests or illegal logging. When choosing a wooden toy, try to get the history of the toy by researching on the company and its background. Look for fair-trade certification which ensures that the wage given to the person who made the product was fair and that no child labor was involved. You can look for wooden toys that are made from FSC-certified wood, which means that the wood used to make the toy was logged responsibly and sustainably. Also look out for volatile organic compounds also known as VOCs which are found in the paint used for kids' toys and can be toxic. Opt for water-based paints or no-VOC paints. Other compounds that you need to look out for are toxic flame retardants, carcinogenic dyes, and insecticides.

Looking to the future

Toys shape children's initial perceptions and perspectives in life and of the world. Not only are toys entertaining and fun for kids, but it is with toys that they learn the basic skills they need, to function in the real world. Skills such as identification, classification, cause and effect, logic, problem solving, motor skills, imagination, creativity, and even consumption are some of the things they learn while playing with their toys. Their own little world starts with their world of toys. Equipping kids with the right kind of toys will help them think for themselves and affect their decisions in the future. Saturating your kids with toys made of materials that are harmful for the environment would make them see these toys as common and everyday-these materials would be the reality of their lives and when they grow up to be consumers, they will see no fault in consuming these harmful materials. But when you buy them earth-friendly wooden toys and fill their environment with other eco-friendly materials, they will grow up in this eco-conscious reality and will be more comfortable consuming eco-friendly materials when they grow up.