Overall, while plastic toys may have their benefits, wooden toys are often considered a better choice for children because of their durability, safety, developmental benefits and respect for the environment. According to the QCI report, up to 30% of plastic toys did not meet safety standards for admissible levels of phthalates, heavy metals, etc. I imagine that toy standards in India are similar to those in the United States. Even the biggest American toy manufacturers, as described below, have been caught using unpleasant conditions and manufacturing toy products with harsh chemicals, such as lead.
I love using Plantoys as an example. First, they are passionate about child safety. PlanToys manufactures some of the safest toys in the world. They are the winners of the “gold medal” in terms of environmentally friendly manufacturing of safe toys.
They pay close attention to the safety regulations of their production processes, manufacturing in a way that is environmentally friendly. Among the many awards, PlanToys has received many prestigious awards for its environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. They exceed international safety standards and have the ISO 9001 & 14001 environmental management standard. Next, I dive deeper into them in my Brand Spotlight.
Yes, they can be a little pricey, especially compared to their plastic counterparts. Trust me, I know it can be hard to spend twice as much on a wooden baby toy. A mother's main concern for her child is safety. In fact, wood is a safer alternative than plastic or metal, as children tend to put everything in their mouths.
It's unfortunate that plastic toys, especially those that are manufactured cheaply, break easily and can leave sharp edges and small parts that can harm your child. Therefore, if you are concerned about your child's safety every time they play with their toys, it's a better option to give them high-quality wooden toys. Wood, robust by comparison, offers less risk in this way. Not only are wooden toys safer, but they also benefit your child's health and well-being.
While wooden toys have been a staple in toy boxes for centuries, which means that some of them will also be cheaper than the newest plastic toy sold in the box. That's precisely why, in recent years, wooden toys have returned in a big way, and companies like John Lewis, Argos and The White Company are just a few of the major stores that have jumped on the wooden toy bandwagon (opens in a new tab). Plastic toys may still have their place in the toy box; however, it's a good idea to evaluate the durability and educational value of the toys before buying them. By buying a sustainably sourced wooden toy made with certified wood, you contribute in a small way to reducing the amount of plastic waste.
While plastic toys can offer sound effects and flickering lights, studies (opens in a new tab) show that wooden toys can improve children's numerical, literary, spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. And these are just three of the most basic reasons why wooden toys (opens in a new tab) are better than plastic ones, as there are many others, from ensuring that toys are created under ethical working conditions to simply the aesthetic design of the toy itself. In a world where countless plastic toys accumulate in your house, making the conscious decision to switch to wooden toys isn't just an investment in your toys, but more importantly, it's an investment in your child. While the initial cost is higher than that of plastic toys, the lifespan of a wooden toy is significantly longer than that of a plastic one.
Wooden toys are durable and practically unbreakable if they are made of good wood materials, so there is no need to keep wearing out new ones as is the case with plastic toys. Children also begin to exercise fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination with wooden toys instead of simply pressing buttons and looking. One of the main advantages of wooden toys is that they require the child to use their own imagination to play. This is why there is SELDOM much commercial publicity surrounding wooden toys, because they have been enjoyed for generations.
While some people think that wooden toys are a bit dated compared to the modern high-flying and tech-savvy toys available today, wooden toys are actually much better than plastic ones for the environment, your child's safety, and your bank account. .
