What are some of the best educational toys for kids?

For many today, the idea of traditional toys seems obsolete – a thing from the good old years though this is not just true. There are still plenty of traditional toys out there – old wooden blocks, wooden pull toys, rag dolls, and the like. You just must know where to find them – or how to make them if you are feeling adventurous! Making homemade toys can be a lot of fun, if you’re up for it! A handmade wooden toy will last a really long period of time and can be passed on by your own children to theirs. Such items will be cherished far more than throw away plastic alternatives.

Traditional toy making refers to hand-made wooden toys, sewn and soft toys, and even a few recycled items. Remember, babies and toddlers, in particular, don’t need fancy or expensive toys with flashing lights and lots of sounds to have fun. (As you would have known if you have ever seen your two-year-old most of the morning playing with the laundry basket or a cardboard box!

When going down the route of making toys yourself, it will open you up to the world of crafts, which you can eventually share with your children as they get older. Soon, you won’t be making toys for them, but with them! Exciting right? Sewing projects and woodworking are the two front-liners when it comes to traditional toy making. No matter what your skill or talent, there’s something you can make. Look online. There are a lot of free tutorials, patterns, and instructions. So, go on have a go at it, you’ll be surprised how satisfying it is!

While you make old-fashioned toys with a traditional feel for your kids, you’re not just walking down fantasy lane. Some of these items can benefit your children. Traditional toys, much more so than modern variants, actually help your kids expand their minds and imagination. Plain old sturdy toys are the best educational toys for children in the long run. They inspire creativity and exploration. With modern toys, there’s often nothing to really think about and most of the time kids are just emulating what they’ve seen on TV.

A toy box filled with traditional toys – ones that you’ve made or purchased – invoke your child’s ability to create, invent, and innovate. Traditional toys are calmly educational – your child’s creativity will grow and expand without them even realizing it! Old-fashioned wooden toys like building blocks, puzzles, and pull-toys encourage lateral thinking, problem-solving skills, and even fine motor skills. Ironically traditional toys are often a lot safer than modern ones. There are less choking hazards, less worry about lead-based paints, no leaking batteries or electrical components, and are less likely to collapse when chewed on.

Ultimately, these types of toys endure the test of time. Though many parents went through a stage of removing them from the lives of their children, traditional toys are back for 2012! Sales are increasing, and the interest in parents making their toys has soared too.

Traditional wooden toys can last generations and stay when modern toy trends come and go. So, if you already haven’t set aside some time to try and make something, or find a quality shop that specializes in wooden and educational toys like we do at Little Sardines.

For More information and Buying Educational Kids Toys