Why Buy Wooden Toys? 6 Reasons To Ditch Plastic Toys

Photo by Nareeta Martin on Unsplash

Nothing beats good old-fashioned wooden toys. Whilst they may not be the latest all-singing and all-dancing techy toys kids lust after nowadays, they are much safer, much better for the environment, and much gentler on your bank account (Don't hold us to that).

In recent years, Bigjigs Toys have worked hard to ensure our wooden toys for kids are created in ethical production facilities and use high-quality, responsibly sourced wood. In fact, our Director, Liz, visits the factories in person to ensure all acceptable standards are being upheld.

So, Why Are Wooden Toys Better Than Plastic?

Photo by Yan Krukov from Pexels

1. Safer For Kids

Did you know that UK parents spend an average of £299 per child on toys every year? Toys, therefore, are everywhere and are an integral part of a child's development, but a common thought that runs through many parents minds is, "Is this toy safe?". Plastic toys often have small parts that if broken, can become choking hazards. If a plastic toy breaks, it can leave a sharp point and cause an injury.

Wooden toys, however, are solid and sturdy - meaning that no parts can fall off or break. Wooden toys also are free from harmful chemicals that some plastic toys contain, such as BPA, PVC and phthalates. Bigjigs Toys are proud to produce wooden toys that are safe and contain child-friendly paints, stains and lacquers.

2. More Eco-Friendly

In 2018, it's estimated that the UK generated 43.9 million tonnes of commercial and industrial waste. Whilst most of this came from plastic waste, plastic toys also contribute to that figure.

Wooden toys produced from sustainable materials are a much more eco-friendly option than plastic. Wondering if wooden toys are recyclable? As wood is an organic material, wooden toys are biodegradable and can be recycled. They can also be "recycled" in the sense they are passed on when older children have outgrown them and can start a new life!

By opting for wooden toys that are sustainably sourced - particularly if they are FSC® Certified toys - you are helping combat climate change by reducing the amount of plastic waste.

3. Durable and Long-Lasting

We all know that kids toys can take a battering from their enthusiastic little owners, which is why wooden toys take the top spot. Plastic can be brittle and break easily, whereas wood can endure lots of rough and tumble - perfect for passing toys down through the generations.

4. Educational

Wooden toys are great for improving children's dexterity, hand/eye coordination, fine motor skills and creativity. This is because the most popular wooden toys tend to be puzzles and building blocks, where tots are encouraged to create something new. An eight-year-long study even found that wooden blocks actually promote problem-solving and mathematical thinking skills.

5. Ignites Creativity

Much like how wooden toys can develop youngsters educational skills, they also ignite their imaginations and creativity. Although plastic toys can often have more designs, interesting features and sound effects, wooden toys encourage kids to use their imaginations to invent their own playtime. Less is more!

6. Encourages Social Interaction

Watching videos on tablets and playing computer games can isolate kids. Wooden toys provide the opportunity for children to learn how to take turns and work together as a team.

Where wooden toys lack sound effects and sophisticated design, children can make their own sound effects and actions when playing. Wooden kids toys are ideal for developing vocabulary and role-playing scenarios from the grown-up world.

What Are The Best Wooden Toys?

We Don't want to toot our own horn, but we know quite a bit when it comes to wooden toys for kids. These are toys that can last a lifetime and be cherished for many years to come. Here are our top toy picks:

1. Wooden Toy Kitchen

Aspiring little chefs can host a dinner party or lunchtime treat with our fabulous Tidlo Play Kitchen. It features an oven and hob with clicking dials, a cupboard, a Belfast sink, shelves, and most importantly, a clock with moveable hands to make sure dinner is served on time!

It has been designed with a taller work surface to ensure many years of play as kids can grow into it, rather than out of it. A fun way to develop hand/eye coordination and ignite their imaginations. As well as being available in blue, this play kitchen also comes in pink. Explore our full play kitchen range here.

2. Wooden Dolls House

Rose Cottage is our award-winning wooden dolls house. It is an adorable two-storey dollhouse with a pretty pink and lilac design, a lift back roof and a sliding patio door. Each room in the dollhouse can be easily accessed and is decorated to a high standard.

Your little one can add their own special finishing touches with the included 18 pieces of doll house furniture to truly make their house a home. Encourages hours of imaginative playtime. Explore our full wooden dolls house range here.

3. City of London Wooden Train Set

Take a trip into the city! Our City of London train set takes mini train enthusiasts on a tour around England's capital. Visit iconic London attractions including London Eye, Big Ben, Harrods, the Gherkin and more!

The train track can be arranged in all sorts of layouts and isn't just limited to the popular figure of eight design. Includes over 50 wooden railway pieces, such as an underground train, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, a Black Cab, Double Decker Bus and much more. Ideal for developing kids creativity and hand/eye coordination. Explore our full wooden railway range here.

4. Wooden FSC® Certified Noah's Ark

An ideal wooden baby toy, our 100% FSC® Wooden Noah's Ark has 12 animal pieces that go in two by two, hurrah. The foldable side ramp is easy for little hands to unload and load the animals. A fantastic way of developing kids imaginations through creative role-play.

What's unique about our Noah's Ark toy is that it's produced from responsibly sourced FSC® Certified materials (FSC® C147826). This means it has been ethically harvested and meets a strict set of sustainable standards. Explore our full FSC® Certified range here.

5. Under The Sea Wooden Floor Puzzle

A deep-sea adventure awaits in this busy 48 piece sea scene jigsaw puzzle. Little pairs of hands can piece together the wooden puzzle, learning about the different types of sea creatures as they go. Can you see where the octopus is? What about the stingray?

With so much to look at and talk about, it's the perfect parent-child activity and chance for quality time. Suitable for little ones aged 2 years and up. Explore our full range of wooden puzzles here.

Where To Buy Wooden Toys

Bigjigs Toys is the go-to place for wooden toys for kids.