Plastic vs. “Natural” Toys
Over the past few years, warnings have been issued about the dangers of plastic. I’m not completely convinced that plastics have life-endangering chemicals, but I can also appreciate “natural” toys made of wood and other non-synthetic materials.
Plastic is easy to clean, colorful, and durable. Wood has a heft and feel that I associate with the peacefulness of trees. Die-cast metal is perfect for spaceships and airplanes. Dollies made of felt or soft flannel cloth are comforting beyond compare.
My general philosophy of life is everything in moderation (with a few exceptions like smoking, of course!). Toys of every type and make enrich a child’s life and better represent the world we live in.
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POSTED IN: Children's Toys
5 opinions for Plastic vs. “Natural” Toys
Parentingjoy
Jul 24, 2006 at 8:10 am
When it comes to wooden toys, one has to be aware of how the wood is treated and whether the paint used is non-toxic. It would be naive to assume that wood must be better than plastic just because it is ‘natural’.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Jul 24, 2006 at 8:12 am
Parentingjoy: I totally agree! In the article I linked to, she also said plastic toys were easier to break than wooden which I totally disagree with. One wooden toy I got from Maine was made of very soft wood and I caught S chewing on it when he was an infant. AHHHH!!
didi
Jul 30, 2006 at 10:17 pm
I agree that wood is natural in its untreated state - paints -solvents and finishes can make it toxic just like plastic. The fact is plastic toys are toxic when exposed to your children’s mouthes, and tub water. This fact is so well known that the entire Eurpean Union has banned phthalates from toy production.
Also there is a difference between wooden toys and how they are treated. If you buy wooden toys make sure they are not from soft wooden or forests that are under a reforestation project. Otherwise you are harming our environment.
The best place to buy non toxic toys is from Toymobile.com
You won’t be disappointed. The toys are handmade with beeswax finishes. And there are a few links on the page which offer more about this subject.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Aug 1, 2006 at 1:46 pm
didi: Thanks for stopping by and telling us about Toymobile!
Wooden toys for babies
May 6, 2008 at 1:36 am
More research is coming out that chemicals in plastic to make it pliable may be very harmful to children’s hormonal development. For that reason and other environmental factors, my family is staying away from plastic toys. We are happy to see that there are many wooden baby toys that are green and healthy for our child.
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