Fantastic Plastic; A Threat to Health and The Environment

Modern life is 'plasticized,' conveying enormous benefits to our lives in hygiene, convenience and colour. Plastics are everywhere within the home, in food packaging, cooking utensils, children's toys, building materials and household equipment. Plastics result from the petrochemical industry (non-sustainable and environmentally disastrous) and are environmentally hazardous throughout their lifecycle; starting with their production which involves large-scale pollution, releasing potent chemicals such as dioxins, phthalates and toxic metals into our environment; and affecting human, animal, plant and aquatic life. Plastic is given different qualities through treatment with a cocktail of other terrifying chemicals, all of which can leach out of the individual products and into air (you know that new plastic smell?), water or something in close proximity to the plastic. And then what do we do?

We wrap our food up in it! Most supermarket food is placed on polystyrene trays, packed and smothered in cling film, displayed in glossy punnets, or preserved in tins lined with plastics. Next we eat the food (and possibly the leached plastic chemicals) and chuck the packaging into the bin. From here the plastics stay with us forever, being largely un-biodegradable. Tiny fragments of plastics are accumulating in the Pacific Ocean and wreaking havoc throughout the food chain. If the plastics are burnt, then they release a stream of unpronounceable and highly toxic chemicals into the environment (posing a huge risk to the health of fire-fighters, and possibly proving fatal to occupants of burning buildings who inhale PVC fumes). Plastics are quite literally a problem that will not go away.

They appear to be so useful and hygienic, but can seep dangerous chemicals into the foods which they come into contact with, possibly exacerbated by heat (think oven-safe and microwaveable packaging). Recent studies across America (including the University of Rochester and the National Centre for Environmental Health) have suggested that phthalates (chemicals found in plastics such as Clingfilm, vinyl and plastic bags) can cross the placenta, damaging the sexual development of male children (this is also recognised in other mammals) resulting in physical and possibly behavioural problems. A team of Swedish researchers have linked the household use of plastics to an increase in eczema, asthma and other allergies, and there is concern that the immature bodies of children and babies are at increased risk of toxic damage and build up of plastic chemicals, found in food packaging, toys and drinking bottles. (Several types of plastics have been phased out of use for toys of young children due to their health-risk). Further research has indicated a link between the use of plastics around food and the development of certain cancers such as breast cancer, immune problems, and even infertility.

So what can you do to reduce the amount of plastic in your life?

1) Ditch plastic bags, and always carry cloth bags and baskets; for fairly traded organic cotton bags try http://www.bishopstontrading.co.uk Keep bags in your car, and fold cotton bags up small in your handbag.

2) Chuck out the cling film and use unbleached brown paper and grease-proof paper or recycled aluminium foil to pack sandwiches and store foods in the fridge. Buy unbleached paper bags at http://www.soilassociation.org The paper bags can be reused several times and eventually composted or recycled with your newspapers.

3) Have your vegetables delivered to you to cut down on supermarket packaging; http://www.riverford.co.uk mostly use unbleached paper bags, cardboard punnets and boxes, cutting out a vast amount of packaging and waste. Ask your supermarket to provide unbleached paper bags, or take your own; my local shops are quite used to my strange behaviour by now! Try using local markets, fruit and veg shops or your farmers market and take your own baskets and bags; I get sellers to tip stuff straight into my bag if they do not have paper bags. A further bonus is that less stuff ends up in your bin, and you don't spend an hour unpacking everything.

4) Drink tap water in stead of mineral water, and send kids to school with a drink in a metal sports container rather than plastic bottles. If you can't bear the tap water, then buy the larger 5 litre mineral water bottles, or buy a water filter.

5) Go shabby Chic; spring-clean all of the plastic stuff out of the kitchen and invest in wooden spoons and chopping boards (both of which draw bacteria into the wood and kill it), have some fun choosing ceramic mixing bowls and other kitchen stuff. Look on Ebay for old-fashioned stoneware jelly moulds, and other traditional kitchen things. Don't forget, Christmas is coming, so you can ask for some new things as presents.

6) Sometimes, having children seems to involve surrounding yourself with mountains of multi-coloured plastic, but with some careful buying you can choose safer products for your family and friends, especially for tiny vulnerable new babies. Look out for traditional rag dolls, and knitted woollen teddies, or visit http://www.naturalnursery.co.uk Buy young children wooden toys (www.borndirect.co.uk ) which can be safely chewed and sucked, discourage use of dummies (I know it isn't that easy, I have been there) and source PVC-free, and glass baby bottles from http://www.greenbabyco.com Also you may wish to avoid chemical 'fleece' blankets and go for natural fibres http://www.borndirect.co.uk

7) Choose natural fibres in general. 'Fleece' materials may be extremely cheap, but are made of plastic derivatives (some are made of recycled plastic bottles). Synthetic clothes are an environmental nightmare because not only do they release dangerous chemicals during their processing, but they are almost indestructible, do not biodegrade and burn to release noxious chemicals back into the environment. In fact clothing is another area which you may wish to think about. It is worth considering that school clothes are thought to be some of the most chemically toxic items of clothing which you can buy. I know it is expensive, but go for real cotton, wool, linen and other natural fibres where possible.

Cutting down of the amount of plastic in your life will help you to eat more healthily (lots of local fruit and veg), give you a great excuse for a clear-out and a shopping spree, and help you work toward a more sustainable, and healthful lifestyle. There has been so much concern in recent years about the negative impact of 'plastic living' on our health, that there is plenty of choice when looking for alternatives.
Until next time, happy shopping!

Vikki Scovell BA(hons) PG DIP is a fully qualified Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach. She is a qualified Nutrition Adviser, GP Referred Trainer and runs successful Community and Corporate Exercise classes and events. Vikki is a consultant in Healthy Eating and Exercise initiatives to schools in the independent sector and publishes School and General Healthy Living newsletters. Vikki believes passionately that everyone can make small changes to their lifestyle to ensure that they live happier, longer and healthier lives. She lives in Bristol in the U.K. with her partner Jeremy and two young children Apple and Honey. For enquiries for nutritional advice, personal training, corporate wellness and general enquiriesvisit http://www.getfitter.com

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Balance Bikes Made From Wood - The Healthy Choice For Growing Kids

With so many toy brands on our shelves today, shopping for kids has become a straight forward task.

However, with a growing awareness of what is good for the body and the environment, people are starting to become more particular about the toys they buy for kids.

Wooden toys have been around for years but just recently the demand for them has grown considerably. Products such as wooden building blocks, trains and the balance bike have become increasingly popular. The balance bike for example, teaches children between the ages of 2 -6 years how to gain balance and maintain control on a lightweight wooden bike - making it an easier transition when it comes to handling a pedal bicycle.

Kids are very susceptible to sickness, especially during the first few months of their lives. They develop rashes, come down with coughs and colds and suffer from general sickness. There's only one way to minimise the risks of this happening - to surround them with things that are healthy on the body.

Toys are the one thing that kids regularly come into contact with from the day they're born. They play with them on the ground and religiously put them in their mouths. It's not so much what's on the ground that's of concern either - it's what the toys are made of that poses the most threat to their health.

Wooden toys are not only made from a renewable resource but they're also generally free of chemicals and lead - two harmful materials that are commonly found in plastic toys.

Some experts have linked some of the chemicals in today's plastic toys to some serious conditions. So while the initial cost of plastic toys is usually cheaper than wooden toys, the potential health hazards are greater. It's therefore no surprise that toys made from natural fibres, such as wood, are now the preferred choice among parents.

The smooth finish and tactile pleasure of quality wooden toys cannot be matched by any other material. They are built to last and have no sharp edges.

Wooden toys help stimulate children's imaginations as well as support their physical and mental development. Purchasing a balance bike for your young children will build up their confidence while also improving their co-ordination skills.

With so many wooden toys to choose from, there's simply no reason why we can't surround our growing infants with the health they need. They'll appreciate it and so will you.

The Wooden Toy Box is the trading name of Yellowpepper Distributors Ltd an innovative and creative wooden toy distribution company, with offices in Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand and New South Wales, Australia. We have over 400 products to choose from including balance bikes, designed and made both in New Zealand and internationally. They are all made using renewable resource timbers as well as certified non-toxic paints and lacquers.
Our mission is to provide these quality products and brands for our customers, along with excellent customer service and reliable product support. We have a full product showroom in Mt Maunganui, Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand, which is open to the public, and an extensive online shop.
Yellowpepper prides itself on its dedication to provide quality products, sensible pricing and a determination to become a recognised supplier of top quality, educational and fun wooden toys.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_V_Smith

Traditional Toys - How Role Playing Affects Childhood

The most common, not to mention the most fulfilling, type of play occurs when children imitate the situations and experiences they encounter in their everyday life. Role play toys are traditional toys that encourage children to pretend and play out these different opportunities for learning.

Pretend, or dramatic play, is the foundation of most childhood games and often centres around a variety of toys. When children pretend, they assume the roles of others and imagine what life would be like in their shoes. Make believe games are essential to a healthy childhood and is such a natural part of play that toys aren't even a requirement. Role play toys enhance play time by providing props that make pretend play more realistic.

The Benefits of Role Play Toys

Toys that encourage role playing are tremendous fun for children of all ages, especially during the preschool years, and are also extremely valuable tools for healthy development.

- Pretend play encourages children to invent and create, expanding their minds as well as their imaginations.

- Children learn cooperation and a number of social skills in typical role playing scenarios.

- These toys aid in the development of language skills as well, from basic vocabulary to more advanced storytelling.

- These old fashioned toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk] can also teach problem solving skills and logic as children explore the various ways each prop can be used in their play.

Types of Toys

Traditional toys that are considered to be role play toys include an array of different toys and play time accessories. Simple toys like blocks, and even natural objects like sticks and rocks, can become role play toys in the eyes of a child. A flat, rectangular block, for instance, can easily represent a telephone, while a long twig makes a wonderful fishing pole.

There are also a variety of toys that are designed specifically for role play and directly influence dramatic play. Miniature household appliances are favourites for both boys and girls. Small children love to imitate mom and dad so child sized kitchens, laundry tools, cleaning aids, and even tool benches are excellent role play toys.

Puppets are also toys that encourage creative, pretend play and role playing. Puppets and puppet theatres can help children discuss their fears and showcase their accomplishments while boosting language skills, social development, and fine motor skills. Playhouses, tents, and other hideaways are full of potential with endless possibilities for imaginative little ones.

Dramatic and pretend play is an essential part of childhood. Whether a child is replaying a memorable vacation or birthday party or working through her personal fears of the dentist with her own doll, role playing games are one of the most valuable types of play. Including a selection of role play toys, dress up clothes, and other traditional toys that encourage make believe in your child's play time will provide her with plenty of opportunities to learn and explore life while having fun.

Gary writes extensively on the role of traditional toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk] in childhood development for his blog and online toy shop Monkeyshine where you will find an amazing range of quality children's toys.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Clay

Thomas The Tank Engine Toys

There are hundreds of Thomas the tank engine toys available. A large number of these are train set related! This shouldn't come as a surprise for fans of Thomas and his friends! The engines and carriages all have names and children are very good at learning these. Parents are expected to be able to know the difference too!
Trackmaster Thomas is a motorised train set that children will love! it's suitable for children aged 3 upwards although they might need some help arranging the track layouts! You can buy additional engines in each range too so they can collect the full set.
The misty island play set comes with a die-cast Thomas engine. The set will also connect to other Take-n-Play play sets and is compatible with all die-cast trains. It's called take and play the entire set folds up for easy storage and for taking round to friends houses to play Thomas there too! Thomas Take Along range is compatible with the Thomas Take 'n' Play range.
The wooden train set is really lovely and very high quality! Which ever set you start buying you'll find your child loves playing with it and will want to collect all the other engines and carriages!
There's a vast array of other items too - bikes, bedroom items like duvets, curtains and more, art and learning toys, plus Fuzzy Felts Thomas the tank engine set! A huge variety of toys to suit every child and they will enjoy playing with it so much! There's VTECH alphabet train that will be lots of fun pus it'll start teaching them their alphabet! The range is huge and well worth delving into if you have a Thomas fan in the house!

Thomas the tank engine toys available at Top10toysfor.co.uk to help you find the perfect toys for your children.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diane_Drinkwater

Compare price at Amazon

Thomas The Tank Engine Toys

There are hundreds of Thomas the tank engine toys available. A large number of these are train set related! This shouldn't come as a surprise for fans of Thomas and his friends! The engines and carriages all have names and children are very good at learning these. Parents are expected to be able to know the difference too!

Trackmaster Thomas is a motorised train set that children will love! it's suitable for children aged 3 upwards although they might need some help arranging the track layouts! You can buy additional engines in each range too so they can collect the full set.

The misty island play set comes with a die-cast Thomas engine. The set will also connect to other Take-n-Play play sets and is compatible with all die-cast trains. It's called take and play the entire set folds up for easy storage and for taking round to friends houses to play Thomas there too! Thomas Take Along range is compatible with the Thomas Take 'n' Play range.

The wooden train set is really lovely and very high quality! Which ever set you start buying you'll find your child loves playing with it and will want to collect all the other engines and carriages!

There's a vast array of other items too - bikes, bedroom items like duvets, curtains and more, art and learning toys, plus Fuzzy Felts Thomas the tank engine set! A huge variety of toys to suit every child and they will enjoy playing with it so much! There's VTECH alphabet train that will be lots of fun pus it'll start teaching them their alphabet! The range is huge and well worth delving into if you have a Thomas fan in the house!

Thomas the tank engine toys available at Top10toysfor.co.uk to help you find the perfect toys for your children.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diane_Drinkwater

Ride on Toys For Kids - There's One For Any Aged Child!

Are you looking to buy ride on toys for kids for your child? There are so many different ones to choose from it can leave you feeling somewhat confused about what you should be purchasing. Don't despair because although there are many to choose from, once you know what you're looking for, the choice will be easy.

To help you determine which of the many ride on toys for kids is suitable for your child we'll break them down into some of the most popular categories.

1. Push Ride on Toy - This type of toy is suitable for not just for toddlers or preschoolers but also for infants. Push rides are designed to be used in different ways. Your child can sit on the toy and use their legs to help move them forward on it. These toys are also fitted with a handle on the rear that the child can hold on to when standing behind the toy while pushing the toy to move it forward. The great thing about this second way of moving the toy around is that it helps to strengthen the large muscles in your child's body.

2. Kid Trikes - This is another great ride on toy for children of preschool age. It is one that will help to strengthen their leg muscles so that they will find walking on their own much easier. As a result you will find that your child becomes a lot more independent when playing as well as more confident. This is the ideal toy for parents to get for a child before they then purchase a bike with training wheels for the child.

3. Scooters - Over the last few years we have seen the popularity of this type of ride on toys for kids steadily increasing. But it isn't only children of a preschool age that are clamoring for this type of toy but a great many teenagers as well. There are two styles of scooters now available. The first is the conventional type where one foot remains on the ground and pushes the toy forward. The other kind is fitted with a small battery operated motor and is popular with the older children.

4. Battery Powered Ride On Toys - During the last few years we have seen the popularity of these types of ride on toys for kids increasing quite substantially. Again like most ride on toys they are suitable for children of all ages. There are even some that are suitable for children who are only a year old. With these rides the speed at which they travel varies and depends on what age the child is that will be using it. To determine which of these you should be purchasing for your child then look at what age the manufacturer recommends they are for.

Ride on toys for kids are not only fun but they're also developmentally stimulating. They're the perfect way for your kids to become more independent and gain self confidence. Not only are they age appropriate for children of all ages, they're durable and will last for months and even years so you can pass them from one generation to another.

Some of the most popular and sought after ride on toys for kids include the Ride on Excavator and the Power Wheels Ford Mustang. This is just the tip of the iceberg so don't hesitate to visit my favorite site at http://www.toddlerrideontoys.net for even more reviews.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=T_Traver

Several Toys for Kids

As technology advances, toys do change too. There is a continuous development with the production of toys as years passed by. There is only one thing that remains constant, toys are kid's favorite. Childhood days will never be completed if without toys. They do excellent in school for the sake of having new toys as their reward. We can't deny the fact that toys nowadays are becoming more and more expensive especially if the kids grow older. So many high technology toys are available in the market. Lots of commercials can attract the attention of your kids to toys. It is best that parents know what toys to buy for their kids that would fit to their family budget. There are various toys for kids that parents must look for. But before anything else, you should consider the hobbies and favorite of your kids. The toys must be appropriate according to their interest and gender. Some kids may like PS3 and other kids might prefer PSP or even educational toys. So the first thing to do is to ask and verify the toy that your child wants.

The most common toys that are fun and beneficial to kids' cognitive skills are the educational toys such as checker board, chess board, Rubik's cube and Lego. These toys are composed of bright colors that are attractive to kids. It is easy to play and will make your kid think all throughout the game. Lego is easy and relaxing while your child are clipping them together and forming different shapes. On the other hand, Rubik's cube is very handy and can be brought anywhere. Chess and checker needs an opponent. So if you have two kids, it is a good idea to buy these kinds of toys that needs more players. It will help you save money.

Preschool and school age girls are fond of collecting Barbie dolls, toy kitchens and house wares. Barbie dolls have so many kinds that kids would love to collect. They change their dress, comb their hair and sometimes treat these dolls as their babies and playmates. Dolls have different colors. Most commonly, kids love color pink. Barbie dolls are good toys and remembrance for the childhood days of your daughter. This kind of toy can either be kept in a cabinet which serves as your child's collection if she grows older and doesn't want to play dolls anymore or as decoration in your child's room to make her room more colorful and attractive.

Kids especially the boys at the age of seven to twelve are fond of video games. The most recent gaming systems are the PS3, X-box360 and Wii with numerous games to be played such as Tekken 6, Street Fighter 4, Final Fantasy XIII, NBA Live 2010, Army of Two, etc. Kids usually stay at home during holidays to play these video games. These games have good graphics and sound effects which enchants the players. However these kinds of toys are more luxurious than the toys mentioned earlier. In every game that kids love to play, it is important that parents must set limitations to maintain balance in their daily activities.

William G. Steinmetz enjoys writing for Targettossgames.com which sells corn toss game and all weather corn toss game as well as a host of additional products.

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How to Choose Kid Friendly Toys

If you are looking to buy a toy for your child or someone else's, it is important to make sure that the toy is safe and child friendly. There are a lot of toys being made these days in countries that do not have very good manufacturing standards and so it is especially important to be vigilant concerning the toys that your child comes in contact with. In this short piece, I will give you certain tips and suggestions about picking great child friendly toys that your kids will love and cherish.

When it comes to very young children, the biggest risk is that of choking on small parts. Kids tend to put small objects in their mouth and it is very easy for them to choke on a small piece of plastic so you should be especially careful when buying toys for smaller kids. Look for labels that imply choking hazards and stay away from those toys for smaller children. Remember, the most important thing that you can do as a parent is to supervise your kids. There is no substitute for that.

Because safety standards are constantly improving and we are learning more about our world and the way chemicals affect us every day, it is important to keep older toys and hand-me-downs away from small children. Hand-me-downs have a lot of emotional value but may actually be very dirty. A lot of older stuffed animals, for example, may have germs and bacteria that would not be very healthy for young kids. Also, they may be made from materials that are now considered unsafe for young children.

One other thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the toys are not made from flammable material. Children are intrigued by fire and it is a good idea to surround them with flame resistant materials. Also, if you are considering buying a stuffed animal or a plush toy, then think about getting one that is washable. Kids tend to get very messy at times and washing their stuffed toys in a timely manner can prevent a lot of infections and diseases. If you have pets around, their hair can also get stuck in stuffed toys so it is vital to always wash your kid's teddy bears regularly.

A few years ago lead paint was the norm. These days we have realized the dangers of certain forms of lead and actively keep it away from our children. Make sure that your children's toys are made from lead-free paint. This is another reason not to give them older toys because they also may contain lead paint and that is a significant health risk for children.

Finally, a blanket tip is to make sure that all your kid's toys are made from non-toxic materials. Kids tend to put random objects in their mouths and many emergency room visits are the result of children swallowing toys. These include any small toys and especially crayons and erasers. So it makes sense to choose toys that are made from non-toxic materials so as to avoid expensive emergency room bills and sleepless nights. Let's keep our kids safe and make sure that their childhood remains happy and fulfilled.

Take a look at Melissa and Doug Puzzles for some wonderful gift ideas as well as my blog on gifts

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karan_Trishool

The Miracle of Kid's Toys

Kid's toys aren't just for fun. Toys make amazing rewards that can encourage kids to behave. Toys can be used to encourage general good behavior or you can use them to teach manners, stop phone interruptions and more. The power of kid's toys is utterly amazing when you start using them as leverage for positive behavior.

How Kid's Toys can Encourage Overall Good Behavior

Get three of anything. It can be three pennies, three rocks, three small toys etc... Put the three items in a drawer. Get a plastic cup and put your child's name on it. If you catch your child doing something really nice during the day like using good manners, doing chores, being nice to a sibling or more then pull out one of the three items and place it in your child's cup.

Tell your child that he earned 1 point for his good behavior and compliment him on a job well done! Explain that if he earns 3 point in a day you'll play with him and his favorite toy at day's end. Now if 3 points are too easy, you might want to push it up to 5 or more, depending on your child. When play time arrives, count up the points and if he's earned the right number let him go and get his favorite toy of the day and play with him for at least 30 minutes. You'll find that doing this will improve your child's behavior very quickly and once he learns that you'll play "his way" for 30 minutes he'll be very determined to earn those points every day!

Using Kid's Toys to Teach Manners

If your child has a favorite doll or stuffed animal then you're in luck. You can use his furry friends to help teach him good manners. You'll first need to write down a list of manners that you want your child to learn. Do you want to teach him table manners and help him learn to say please and thank you often? Do you want him to know how to address adults like Mrs. Smith instead of using first names? Do you want to teach him how to say hello and goodbye on the phone and in person? What you teach your child is up to you, but it's a good idea to write a list and practice often till it sinks in.

To teach table manners, have your child bring is favorite stuffed animal or doll to dinner. Ask him how his doll should be sitting and have him place his doll in the appropriate seated position. Then ask your child to do as doll does. Then ask him to tell you what his doll should do if he wants to talk, but has a mouth full of food. Use his doll as an example for every table manner you want to teach your child. You can even have him place a napkin on dolly's lap. You could have your child roll play his "inside" voice talking through his doll and even talk about how dolly could use his manners at a restaurant.

After dinner, head to the family room and sit your child and doll on the couch. Ask your child to have his dolly use the words please and thank you correctly. Roll play with the doll. Encourage your child to have fun with the roll plays to really "show off" his knowledge of good manners. Let him add lib and make things up and ask him to have dolly show you all the good manners that he has. This can be very fun, as well as, quite educational and effective at teaching manners.

Using Kid's Toys to Stop Phone Interruptions

All parents have been on an important phone call and had their child yell, "Mommy!" over and over again. This is annoying for mom and annoying to the caller, but it can be prevented by simply creating a phone call kid's toy box. First step is to get a box. You can choose a pretty handbasket or plastic bin depending on where you want to keep the container. Get a box that's big enough to fit 2 or 3 kid's toys. Then you'll want to choose some toys to put in it. I'd advocate choosing toys that encourage long-time play such as: blocks, pretend play toys, puzzles or anything else that will keep your child's attention.

Discuss, with your child, the importance of letting you have a quiet phone call. Let him know that he now has a special "phone toy box" that can only be opened when you're on a phone call. Show him the box and the special toys inside. Tell him that every time you're on the phone he can play with those toys. Let him know that if he's really good you'll let him choose some new toys every 2, 4 or 6 months (depending on what you decide and your budget) that he can put in his phone toy box.

If he's quiet while you're on the phone then he can keep playing with his special toys until the call is over. If he interrupts, then the toys go back up on the shelf straightaway. If he needs to tell you something "important" you can practice teaching him how to interrupt the nice way. Have him walk over to you and place his hand on your arm or knee and wait till you excuse yourself from the call. Teach him not make noise as he approaches.

As you start using toys as rewards you'll encounter how much fun it can be to teach your child good behavior without having to use negative consequences. These techniques are a win/win for you and your child because each of you will get what you want in the end!

Kids learn best through play so it's important to spend fun time with your child every day. Kim Proulx, a Certified Parent Coach, gives fun ways to use kid's toys to encourage positive behavior.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_M._Proulx

Prehistoric To Playstation - A History Of Children's Toys

Traditional toys and games have been a part of society and culture all over the world for thousands of centuries, possibly since the beginning of time. As long ago as 6000 B.C., we know of the existence of games similar to modern day chess. Babylonians in 4000 B.C. also played a board game similar to traditional games of checkers and chess.

The first games of backgammon have been dated back to ancient Samaria in 3000 B.C. In Egypt, toy marbles were first fashioned out of stone. By 2000 B.C., Egyptians were making and playing with a number of children's toys and games. Dolls were made from string, paper, and other easy to find materials and board games much like our traditional game of checkers were played. At the same time, the first skates, constructed of iron, were in use in Scandinavia.

Traditional toys like kites and yo-yos were first introduced in 1000 B.C. Though kites were probably in existence long before, their first recorded appearance was in China during this time period. Greek children begin to play with yo-yos made of stone. Soon after, the first playing cards were dealt in Asia.

Over the next thousand years, many of the kids toys we know of today were designed in their earliest forms from crude materials. Most traditional toy inventions were not a recorded part of history until the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The first roller skates were invented in 1759 by a man named Joseph Merlin, and, like many traditional toys, they are still being refined and altered today to fit modern society.

The 19th century saw the introduction of many traditional toys in America and throughout Europe. Dolls were already being made in several European countries, but in 1840 an American doll maker began the first mass production of this still popular traditional toy. Only three years later, the first American board game was produced, called 'The Mansion of Happiness.'

Board games continued to be popular children's toys throughout the years. The Indian game, Parcheesi, is tone of he oldest toys to still be produced today and was introduced to England in 1867 as Ludo. As the 19th century drew to a close, more and more innovative traditional toys came into production. Traditional toys, like alphabet blocks, stuffed animals, and wagons and sleds, were all being commercially manufactured.

The late 1800's saw the introduction of toy guns and pistols, as well as the BB gun. The concept of talking toy dolls was perfected and high quality wooden toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/traditional-toys-21/wooden-toys-22] were produced in a number of traditional toy styles, including train sets. Radio Flyer developed the traditional toy sled for outdoor winter fun and musical toys and soft toys were in mass production.

The early 20th century marked the invention of lots of traditional toys children still adore during playtime today. Battery powered train sets and the famous Lionel trains were invented in the early 1900's and the cherished teddy bear became more and more popular in the United States. Other traditional toys, like rag dolls, stacking rings, and all sorts of block varieties were also introduced during the first part of the 20th century.

Today, video games and electronic toys have gained a fair share of the toy market, but classic, traditional toys still continue to warm the hearts of children around the world. Traditional toys, like dolls, blocks, and board games, have been around for thousands of years and will most likely continue to be an important part of childhoods for thousands more.

Gary Clay is an expert on quality traditional toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk] and runs the UK's favourite shop for kids, Monkeyshine where you will find a range of luxury traditional toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk] for children.

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Old Fashioned Traditional Toys Vs Electronic Toys

How long a child will be captivated and play with a new toy is one of mum and dad's first considerations when buying baby toys or children's toys. Nobody wants to see the traditional cliché of forking out lots of cash on a toy and find the child playing with the box it came in! Yet another major factor but one that many parents don't take into account are the positive effects a toy may have on the advancement and development of the youngster.

Children grow in a variety of areas these are; cognitive (physically), and socially (through interaction with other children and adults). A well designed child's toy can, as well as being great fun to play with, help to trigger growth in some of these areas. So when you visit the toyshop are there any simple do's and don'ts we should be considering when selecting that critical purchase?

First of all, and somewhat controversially, you can pretty much steer clear the new wave of electronic toys and computer run educational toys available. Experts discovered that these toys are goal oriented, meaning that a kid isn't learning to think creatively or exploratively in their play, and thus their cognitive growth is not triggered. Toys that coax the child and thereby reduce the child's efforts and cognitive process in play do not stimulate development. This class of toy will not give a kid the chance to think creatively or discover new ways of creative thinking. As any parent knows a child's imagination is limitless and it is this gift to think differently from adults that enable a child to grow cognitively at such an incredible rate. If the toy only has one path and one outcome, a child will not learn to decide between options to work out a puzzle.

University studies have demonstrated that old fashioned toys are the most beneficial when it comes to triggering cognitive growth simply because a infant can employ them in any variety of ways. This enables a den to be anything from a house to a market stall to the space co-ordination centre for the latest mission into outer space. Jean Piaget, a revered child physiologist, termed new methods of thinking "schemas". Schemas are developed through the kind of creative thinking we describe here.

Traditional baby toys also come up trumps in the area of stimulating motor ability too. A child's physical advancement can be divided into two major areas; gross motor skills (the growth of the large muscles so we can run, lift and move) and the fine motor skills (these allow us to control objects with our hands with great skill and care). Classic, traditional toys such as sorting cages and xylophones are super fun for young toddlers to develop hand-eye co-ordination, while bikes, trikes and toddler cars keep older kids moving as they develop their growing muscles, strength and co-ordination.

Finally, it's clear that the most straight forward toys might be the answer for social growth as well. Toys that trigger interaction and team work are a superb way to develop a child's ability to empathise and work with others. Role play toys are amazing at this, allowing a kid to practice unfamiliar situations in a safe place and also to interact with other children to produce more complex make believe situations. They permit a kid to act out scenarios and better comprehend the environment around them whilst being secure at the same time.

Remember the following points before you start your next Christmas shopping, It will help you greatly.

1. Can the toy be used in a number of different ways?
2. Can a infant change the purpose of the toy with his or her own minds eye and ideas?
3. Would this toy be durable, safe, captivating, enjoyable, and certified for that age of child?
4. Can the toy provide increasing levels of difficulty so it can grow with the child?
5. Check whether the toy is suitable for use with other youngsters, permitting interaction.
6. Is this toy simply a flash in the pan or will it remain a component of your little one's life for years to come.

No matter how fancy it looks, or how well advertised or packaged it is, the robot dinosaur will never offer your child the development of skills that the plain old pull toy offers. The spotty dog will still be taking walks even with the batteries drained on the Robo-Dino.

Gary Clay, a child development and kid's toy expert, writes extensively about the threat modern society has on the kind of adults, children become. As a UK e-tailor, his internet toy shop, Monkeyshine Ltd specializes in premium conventional wooden toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk] and children's toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk] picked for their positive influence on kids.

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Fabulous Toys and Games For the 21st Century

Now we are well into the 21st century, the Toys and Games that are readily available have combined the beauty of our traditional toys with the technology of today. Gone are the days where all that is available is plastic toys or very expensive wooden toys. Now toys are generally made from replenish-able wood, like rubber wood, making toys both good for the environment and giving other countries a highly valuable way to make a living.

Traditional wooden toys will provide hours of fun for children, and parents will prefer wooden toys to plastic when given as a gift. Very special wooden toys will be treasured and may even be passed on to Grandchildren. An example of this could be a Pull along wooden toy, which is a very popular toy idea for a 1st birthday gift. Also a Wooden Noah's Ark which could be given as a birthday gift or an unusual Christening Gift. Toys and games today will often aim to have an educational slant to them. A perfect example of this is an Alphabet Toy. Alphabet Toys are great for learning the alphabet. Choose from Alphabet Blocks, wooden alphabet puzzles and alphabet stamp set.

Role Play toys are exceedingly popular, for example - Kitchen toys, great for boys and girls. The play cutting fruit set, wooden cutting vegetables and the play lunch box are great to help teach young children about healthy eating. Shop toys are great for role play, like a cash register. What child doesn't like to play shop? Wooden Train sets are an absolute classic toy. Great for encouraging creativity, in designing different train tracks using bridges and cross roads.

Traditional Games are still very popular for family fun. Traditional board games make perfect Kids Christmas gift ideas. Snakes and Ladders and the Ludo Game are two classic, traditional wooden games. Puppets make great toys to expand the imagination. Hand puppets and string puppets will give your child their first experience of drama, pretend voices and story telling. We live in a fabulous age for toys and games, if only we were young again!

To know more about wooden toys please log on to http://www.alphabetgifts.co.uk/Toys-and-Games.

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Top Doll House and Toy Distributors in the UK

There are a lot of toy and dolls' house manufacturers in the UK, but some produce a better quality of product than others. When choosing a dolls' house, playset, or other toys for a child, you naturally want to make sure you're buying them the best. These are some of the top names in the British toy industry, renowned for the quality, safety, and fun that goes into making their dolls' houses, playsets, and other toys.

Le Toy Van
Le Toy Van design, manufacture and distribute painted wooden dolls' houses and toys designed to spark the imaginations of small children. The Le Toy Van range of dolls' houses will delight both girls and boys, and includes everything from fairytale cottages to haunted houses. Whatever your child's interests, there is bound to be a Le Toy Van product that will keep them entertained for hours on end.

Along with these delightful dolls' houses, there are many other toys and accessories available from Le Toy Van. Children can enjoy toys inspired by the animal kingdom such as the Jungle Hospital and Safari Park, sail the seven seas with Le Toy Van's buccaneering range of toy ships, or play out epic battles with their fantastic wooden toy castles and other medieval toys and accessories.

Le Toy Van dolls' houses and toys are suitable for children over 3 years of age. They are delivered flat-packed and can be assembled easily by slotting the pieces together. Le Toy Van products are built to the highest standards and will provide your children with years of enjoyment.

Le Toy Van also distribute Papo toy figures, all of which are scaled to fit the entire range of Le Toy Van dolls' houses, castles and other toys.

Papo
The Papo range of toy figures includes everything kids love - monsters and wizards, ogres and princesses. Papo knights come equipped with their own arms and armor, and swords to defend their champion, as well as beautifully decorated shields to defend themselves. Battering Rams and other large weapons are also available. Papo figures enable the user to invent their own amazing fantasy land, for full-on action play. Rescue that damsel in distress! Hunt that woolly monster! Vanquish that foe! What's on the next page? Who knows where the story will end?

These fantastic scale plastic figures are hand painted in beautiful realistic detail, to provide hours of entertainment for children of all ages (3+)! Very cleverly made, with an average height of around 8cm, your figure can either stand or ride a horse (except where mentioned), so you can mix and match different horses to different knights. And all at an inexpensive price. Brilliant for helping children learn about history as well as developing their imagination, every playtime is a new adventure.

If you've been looking for the perfect toys to get your children thinking, at a reasonable price, your search has ended here! Papo figurines make the perfect birthday or Christmas gift. There is such a huge range available, and they cater to an age range from smaller children (over 36 months) right through to teens. But they make an attractive collection of figures for children of any size!

Schleich
Schleich are a toy manufacturer renowned for the lifelike quality of their toy animals and figures. Schleich have been making children's toys since 1935, and since that time have earned a reputation throughout Europe and North America for the craftsmanship and realism of their toy ranges, particularly their extensive range of toy horses.

Schleich toy horses offer hours of educational value and imaginative play to girls and boys of all ages. Each toy horse from Schleich is lovingly crafted to be a perfect replica of its real-life equivalent, and is scaled to fit perfectly with Schleich's range of equestrian toys and farm animals. There are so many breeds and designs to choose from, that many children enjoy building up a collection, and Schleich toy horses have become popular with some adult collectors. If you are looking for the perfect gift for a child who loves horses, then Schleich is the name to remember.

As well as beautifully detailed toy horses, Schleich offer many other toy animals which are equally well-crafted. From farm animals such as cows, sheep, and goats, to more exotic wildlife like chimpanzees and gorillas, Schleich have created a whole world of furred and feathered friends that will delight your children and provide hours of creative and educational play time. Schleich horses and other animal toys are suitable for children over the age of 3.

Pintoy
Pintoy produce a range of dolls' houses, furniture and accessories which are manufactured in Thailand using rubber wood from properly managed latex plantations in the south of the country. The trees are cut for replanting when they no longer produce enough latex. Studies show that rubber plantations can be as efficient as natural forest in removing carbon-dioxide from the air, by converting it into rubber latex, soil and wood - making rubberwood an environmentally friendly choice.

Pintoy have created a delightful selection of dolls' houses for children, including the popular Marlborough House model. To complement this range, Pintoy have also produced a large collection of dolls' house furniture that is scaled to fit perfectly with any Pintoy dolls' house.

Joytoys - Heritage Playsets
Heritage toys have produced a number of dolls' houses and other playsets which have proved very popular with children, particularly the Malvern Manor dolls' house. Their brightly colored and attractive playsets are a hit with boys and girls alike, and are guaranteed to keep them enthralled for hours on end.

Apart from dolls' houses, the Heritage toys range includes a garage, a riding school, a safari park full of animals, and a palace for a fairytale princess. All of the playsets come with lots of fun features guaranteed to spark a child's imagination. For example, the City Auto Center has a working lift and a car wash, while the Princess Palace comes with a rope ladder, a removable roof, and even a secret entrance!

Heritage playsets come complete with furniture, dolls, and other accessories, so children can start having fun with these delightful playsets straight away. All Heritage playsets and accessories are suitable for children over 3 years of age.

Choice Dolls Houses stock dolls' houses and toys from all of these manufacturers and more, available to buy online for delivery throughout mainland UK.

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Great Children's Toys Being Made From Wood

It is true that the majority of toys being made today are made out of plastic, but there are still a wide variety of toys for children that are still made out of wood. Wooden toys have been around for many, many years are they remain very popular with children even in this advanced technological world in which we live.

There are a wide variety of classically styled toys that have been created out of wood on the market today. Often times these toys have been proven to be much safer and and there are many different types of wooden toys that children all over the world may enjoy playing with. There are a wide variety of wooden toys available on the market today that include puzzles, cars, doll houses, blocks, and many more.

Wooden puzzles are simply puzzles created out of wood that are available for children of all ages. Many of the wooden puzzles on the market have large puzzle pieces that are especially suitable for younger children, but there are still other wooden puzzles that will have smaller pieces that are meant for older children. Many children have discovered that wooden puzzles are extremely fun and helps teach children hand and eye coordination skills and the ability to solve problems on their own.

Another favorite wooden toy among children are wooden cars and trucks. Long before the toy metal cars, children played with wooden cars and parents did not have to worry about little parts falling off and their child accidentally choking on one of these small parts. Other transportation that have been carved from wood are trucks, trains, helicopters, and airplanes, which children continue to enjoy today.

Little girls enjoy playing with wooden doll houses whether the doll house have been personally created or if it has been purchased. There are all types of accessories that children can add to their doll house that are also created out of wood such as tables, chairs, sofas, beds, and more. Wooden doll houses have been around for years, but now they can be purchased with even more exciting options like jacuzzi's and swimming pools.

Toys that have been created out of wood are suitable for any child and many childcare providers and day cares often prefer wooden toys for their children. These toys can create hours and hours of imagination and adventures for children. There are several types of wooden animals that children are sure to enjoy that include wooden dogs, horses, cats, cows, and many more.

Some wooden toys of animals have be designed to have wooden wheels and a string so that children can pull the animal toys along. These types of wooden animal toys have become extremely popular with children throughout the years. As you can see the classic concept of wooden toys has continued to blossom through the years by only making these children favorites even better. Wooden toys of long ago have a different appearance than those that are produced in these modern times due to them having more of a modern look.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about kids toys, dolls, and video games. You will find the best marketplace for kids toys, dolls, and used video games at these sites for wooden toys, dolls.

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Traditional Wooden Toys For Education and Child Development

Children are learning even before they are born. Every event or experience they have is educational which is why it is important for them to have access to play facilities and toys that will make a positive contribution to their ongoing learning.

Play activities contribute towards a child's educational development in many ways including:

• Psycho-motor skills development: hand to eye coordination, dexterity
• Language development
• Communication skills
• Cognitive skills: (concentration, perception, memory and logical thinking)
• Creative thinking and problem solving
• Personality development

Modern Toys

Today's toy shops are full of the latest whizzy electronic toys. Many are advertised as being educational but are really little more than attention grabbing noise making devices. Tests have shown that humans are predisposed to pay attention to rapidly changing events and loud or unusual sounds. Many modern toys exploit these predispositions with loud, noise-making flashing toys that will grab the attention of any youngster. While toys like theses may be amusing many actually provide limited educational value.

The right educational toys will be stimulating and fun to play with rather than simply another form of entertainment. And the right educational toy for a baby is obviously a lot different to the educational toy that will stimulate a 10 year old.

Babies and Infants

Babies and infants need things to look at, to touch, to shake, to taste, to rattle and to roll. Varied colours, varied textures, varied sounds and varied behaviours will all provide immense enjoyment and stimulation to an infant and they will be learning whilst having fun.

Toddlers in the 1 to 2 year age range are getting to grips with language and associations with the physical world. They like to stack things, build things up and then knock them down again. They will often find the packaging more interesting than the item that was packed!

The baby walker is a well known traditional toy that is loved by toddlers, helping them to take their first wobbly steps. Equipped with a cargo of assorted bricks that allow the child to stack and build and knock down while encouraging their creativity.

As they grow toddlers begin to copy and emulate the adults and older children around them. They will enjoy dressing up, role play and imaginative fantasy games that will see them adopting personas such as a fireman, postman, nurse or doctor. They will also derive enjoyment from problem solving, puzzle games, building kits and creative craft work.

The toy castle is another traditional toy that many of us will remember from our own childhoods. Building the castle encourages all sorts of skills development including manual dexterity, language skills and creativity as the child imagines their castle occupied by knights and princesses, fighting off dragons and invaders.

Creative Play

From a very early age children will enjoy creating things by drawing, painting, gluing and colouring. As they grow their drive to create becomes ever more sophisticated. They will want to have a go at all sorts of creative play, from painting pictures to pottery. Luckily there are plenty of creativity toys from simple sets of crayons and colouring books to bead jewellery and flower gardens.

Don't be deceived by the hype and advertising of modern, supposedly educational toys. Many have limited educational value and are actually entertainment devices that provide little stimulation or opportunities for learning. There are many traditional toys that make ideal gifts and will provide a valuable educational experience for a growing child.

By Tony S Gee
Visit a top quality online toy shop - go to: http://www.mulberrybush.co.uk/

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Why Everyone Online is Searching For Wooden Baby Toys

Buying a gift for a child is so much easier today than it used to be. Or is it? With literally millions of different toys of all shapes and sizes on the market, there's quite simply no excuse for not being able to find something for your kids or somebody else's. From battery-operated cars and balance bikes, to train sets and building blocks, there's practically no toy that hasn't been made or isn't in the process of being made.

Whilst our choices for toys are endless, there are questions that need to be asked to establish just how well these toys perform overall.

Is the toy quality built, sturdy and reliable? There's nothing worse than opening up a present to find a toy that is broken or one that falls apart on you in the first 10 minutes of using it. When it comes to gifts for babies, there's nothing better than wooden baby toys. Not only are they resilient, but there are a host of other benefits they offer, that most other toys can't.

Wooden toys are made from a natural source that is not only healthily for our kids but also the environment. Plastic toys on the other hand, can affect a kid's health because of the harsh chemicals and lead found in most of them. Kids have a tendency to put everything in their mouth and contact their faces with them as well. Because our kids are more susceptible to sickness, choosing toys that are free of these nasty materials is the obvious choice. Wooden baby toys that are made from natural dyes and sanded down to a smooth finish, pose very little risk to our kids.

Another benefit of buying toys that are made from wood is that they are excellent for a kid's imagination. Because most of them don't use batteries, they trigger a kid to play with them in more of a creative manner. This stimulates the mind and helps kids think for themselves more as the get older.

One of the draw cards of wooden toys has always been the sound and feel of them in action. Whether it be wooden building blocks or a wooden train with carriages, the whole experience is much more natural. The weight of wood makes for superb natural movement and whilst the extra weight of wooden baby toys can prove dangerous at times, it holds better in the hands and will sound realistic when they hit the ground.

The Wooden Toy Box is the trading name of Yellowpepper Distributors Ltd an innovative and creative wooden toy distribution company, with offices in Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand and New South Wales, Australia. We have over 400 products to choose from, designed and made both in New Zealand and internationally. They are all made using renewable resource timbers as well as certified non-toxic paints and lacquers.

Our mission is to provide these quality products and brands for our customers, along with excellent customer service and reliable product support. We have a full product showroom in Mt Maunganui, Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand, which is open to the public, and an extensive online shop. Yellowpepper prides itself on its dedication to provide quality products, sensible pricing and a determination to become a recognised supplier of top quality, educational and fun wooden baby toys.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_V_Smith

Is The Wooden Toy Box Making a Return?

Surprisingly, there are not that many suppliers in the UK who provide good quality wooden toy boxes, but if you look around you can find a few. Prices range from around £50 to £150 depending on size, quality and design and they are mainly available by mail order.

Many parents are going back to the old style of toys for their kids and one of the first things they buy are wooden toy boxes. These boxes are not just for children and toys, if a wooden storage box is personally engraved, it also makes the perfect gift for any special occasion, including weddings, retirement, graduation, and more. Wooden toy boxes are strong and extremely durable, can take any abuse you might give them and are usually made of solid wood, so the bottom will never give way when stuffed with toys. A wide variety of toy boxes made from teak, rosewood, mahogany and maple are popular, and although these are expensive they add aesthetic value to a child's room and are built to last. Additionally, these boxes are not only a great way to store away children's toys, but also a great way to let a child be creative and decorate the box to his or her own liking. If a box has an imaginative design, it is a great way to encourage kids to pick up their toys, and these wooden toy boxes are a classic complement to any room and come in a variety of wood finishes, which lets you match it to the style of your child's room or select a finish that will stand the test of time as a family heirloom. Wooden boxes are generally designed to ensure children's little fingers and hands do not get trapped in the top, making them perfect storage answer in any child's bedroom.

If you want to jazz up your wooden box, select one that's available in colours that please both you and your child and what child wouldn't love seeing his or her name on the chest, personalizing with a name or phrase is a great way to make your child feel special. Also you can buy a toy box that can double as a seat with a padded top, which can save space in a small nursery or bedroom or even one with wheels, so it can be easily moved around and they are guaranteed to outlast the flimsy plastic designs. It is even possible to have a toy box made to your own design and from your own choice of materials.

All in all, I think we are seeing a return to the more traditional wooden toys and this, I believe, is a good thing enabling children to see the craftsmanship and design that has gone into making the product rather than a block of moulded plastic.

There are several suppliers of wooden toy boxes, for details go to http://woodentoybox.weebly.com

Phil Curl
http://www.philcurl.co.uk Personal Blog with Product Reviews & Recommendations

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Why Wooden Toys Are Better Than Plastic Toys For Children

You want the best for your children and that includes keeping them safe and happy whenever they're playing. When choosing toys for your tots, you seem to have an everlasting list of choices to make. One of the most crucial ones is the material of a particular toy. While plastic has become the material of choice for many toy manufacturers, wood is a superior material for producing them. Here are some reasons why:

1. Wooden toys are durable.

OK, it's true that some hard plastics are also quite durable now. The problem is that toy companies typically use the cheapest plastics available when producing toys. From the perspective of the company, perhaps this is somewhat understandable. They're concerned about their bottom line and oftentimes must answer to shareholders. The company might also find itself in some tough economic times. Companies often feel the pressure to reduce their production costs by whatever means at their disposal. Using cheaper materials, such as plastic, may seem to be a viable solution. The problem is that this could require you to replace a toy soon after buying it. Not only will a broken plastic toy disappoint your child, but it will also be a burden to your finances.

2. Wooden toys can be cleaned easily.

It's much easier to clean toys that have been manufacture in wood thoroughly, than it is to clean plastic toys. This is basically due to wood being a natural material, while plastic is produced via a chemical process. In fact, many parents have the misconception that they can't clean wooden toys. To clean unfinished wooden toys, a damp sponge is all you need for regular cleaning. Fine-grade sandpaper can help to remove various types of stains. Meanwhile, when cleaning finished wooden toys, a light washing with soap and water is sufficient for regular cleaning. To remove stains, use a 50/50 blend of water and white vinegar.

3. Wooden toys are natural.

This is one of the key health and safety benefits of wooden toys, over plastic toys. Today's plastic toys include several chemicals that could potentially be harmful to your son or daughter. In fact, experts have linked some of the common chemicals in today's plastic toys, to some extremely serious conditions. So while the initial cost of plastic toys is usually cheaper than wooden toys, the potential health hazards are greater. That's why it's advisable to choose toys made of natural products, such as wood.

4. Wooden toys are cost-effective to recycle.

While we can recycle some plastics, that's not the case with the ones often used in children's toys. As a result, such plastic toys become rubbish. After finding their way into landfills, the toys emit various chemicals into the air-creating health hazards long after children have stopped playing with them! And while we can recycle some plastic toys, the process is significantly more expensive than recycling wooden toys.

When choosing the next toy for your child, think twice about choosing a plastic toy. While the low price may seem appealing, the ultimate cost to your wallet, your child's health and the environment means that they're not child's play.

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For childrens traditional toys, he recommends ChildrensGiftIdeas.com, one of the UK's leading online toy shops.

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The History Of Wooden Toys

Toys have been an important part of childhood since early civilization and while children today are much different than those thousands of years ago, many of their favorite toys are similar to those that have been around for centuries. As long ago as the ancient Greek and Roman empires, children are known to have played with dolls, horses, and chariots. The earliest toys discovered by archaeologists were all made of wood.

Wooden toys continued to be a common part of childhood for thousands of years. By the 1700's, German toymakers began to craft a variety of toys from wood to sell to the general public. Salesmen would travel around Europe to market the popular wooden toys, taking advance orders for special occasions and often for custom made wooden toys. Almost life-like dolls and animals were becoming favorite playthings for children all over Europe.

Over the next century, toymakers became more elaborate and detailed with their wooden creations. Wooden miniatures like dollhouses and theaters became popular during the 19th century, as well as wooden toy soldiers. Many wooden toys, like the classic Jack in a box, were hand painted with bright, vivid colors. Wooden trains, along with their wooden tracks, were one of the best selling toys during this time period.

By the end of World War II, a number of new materials had been introduced to the manufacturing industry including still popular plastic. The production of wooden toys steadily declined as more and more toymakers opted for cheaper and more modern materials. Plastic toys were much easier for mass production and were more affordable to families with children.

Today, wooden toys are rarely seen on the shelves of traditional toy stores but the charm and appeal of these childhood classics has kept a number of wooden toy manufacturers in business. A variety of wooden toys can be purchased online, from miniature appliances to small novelty gifts and games.

Wooden toys are typically simple playthings that encourage a child to use their imaginations. Wooden puzzles encourage children to develop cognitively as well as develop fine motor skills. Wooden ride-on toys and pedal cars enhance physical skills and gross motor development. Whether it is a fire station or a farmhouse, miniature wooden play sets aid in social and emotional development. Wooden toys hold great educational value because of their simplicity.

Plastic toys are still generally less expensive than wooden toys and are considered safer by some because of the flammability of older wooden toys and possible injuries from thrown or falling wooden objects, but wooden toys do not contain toxic PVC like plastic toys do. Wooden toys are the most durable toys and can usually last through generations of play.

Today's wooden toys are just as innovative, if not more so, than modern, electronic toys. Cars, trucks, and wooden wind-ups make wonderful gifts and wooden pull along toys delight toddlers. Quiet games like chess and checkers, and even tic-tac-toe can be found made of wood, as well as physical games like ring toss. For toys that provide educational benefits and last for decades, choose the toys that have been tested by time, wooden toys.

Gary Clay is an expert on Traditional Wooden Toys and owner of stylish kids store Monkeyshine an internet retailer of Traditional Toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/traditional-toys-21] in the UK

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The Benefits of Traditional and Educational Wooden Toys Versus Electronic Learning

It's an old argument and one that will never be won by either side, but being a die-hard wooden toy fanatic I will never tire of promoting the wooden toys side of the argument. In fact, I'm such a die-hard that I started my own children's toy retail business five years ago, but this is more about my family and the decisions we've made regarding toys for our kids to help their education and development.

I am sure that there has been plenty of research into both types of toy and their respective benefits (in fact, I'm sure there has been more research done on the electronic side of the fence, in terms of the scientific side of things), but I am talking to you specifically from an onlooker of kids that play with toys, how they engage with them and what they seem to get out of them. I'm lucky enough to see first-hand young kids (from varied backgrounds) engaged with the fun and educational toys that we have in our shop, and conversely how kids react and play with electronic toys.

Although we were unlucky enough to not be able to afford our usual foreign holiday this summer, we were fortunate enough to have friends generous enough to let us stay in their gorgeous home in Cambridgeshire. They, like us, have two kids at fairly similar ages. However, unlike us their home is filled with electronic, noisy, flashing toys.

I guess you probably know where I'm going now...

Now, I'm not a toy snob (I have to admit that my near eight year old daughter has a DS) but watching my kids for the fortnight we were in Cambridge was confirmation of my thoughts on electronic toys. To sum it up, life was noisy! This wasn't the first time that this had occurred to me. Our kids were bashing buttons simply to get a reaction from the toy. They barely had to twitch a nerve to set some new light or noise off. As far as I could see this just cemented my argument about the benefits of electronic toys for young children, especially babies and toddlers -- they are left with no imagination to engage with the toys they are in front of. The toy does the entertainment for them. There is no peaceful contemplation of working through the puzzle a wooden toy has to offer.

Let me give you an example. In our shop we have a toy called the Glutting Giraffe. It's based on the old-fashioned click clack car toy -- kids adore it. They sit in front of it and play with it over and over and over. There is not one button, no flashing lights and no techno voice telling them what to do -- they sit, they concentrate, work out what they're supposed to do and then play, play, play! They basically interact with it, rather than the other way around. It fascinates them and parents are always surprised at how captivated their kids are.

For me, the whole raison d'etre of my work and toy research is to seek out the best in educational, wooden toys for babies and young children from around the world - looking to convert as many parents as possible to the joy of wooden toys. So let's encourage our kids to find the pleasure in discovering toys for themselves. Let there be a little bit of peace in this mad world of noise and mayhem.

Since starting Little Nut Tree Toys five years ago Jo Nicholson has continued to source the best wooden and educational toys from around the world.

Offering value for money is also important, especially during these hard times, so she has also been really keen to ensure the wooden toys offered by Little Nut Tree Toys are accessible to all. The company offers a wide range of price points that make wood a lifestyle choice that is available to all pockets.

http://www.littlenuttreetoys.co.uk/

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The Role of Wooden Toys in a Child's Life

Your child's development can fundamentally be effected by his/her early year's creative play. Wooden toys are in fact very beneficial in boosting up the creativity of the child since it doesn't offer many applications in comparison to a plastic or an electronic toy.

According to the experts, the children who involve themselves in creative play, tends to do much better in each and every aspect of their lives when they grow older. They extremely do well not only in regard to academic matters but also emotionally, physically and socially. These children also understand other people much better.

Play is quite vital for a child's learning as well as emotional development. It provides a wide range of benefits to the child. It offers joy and fun to the children, helps develop the personality of a child and makes them realize their talents and experience the satisfaction that's obtained from success. Play opens them to imagination and creativity and helps little ones develop reading, speech, problem solving, thinking and fine motor skills.

The wooden toys have a great role to play to encourage a child's sensory development like hearing, touch and sight. Brightly colored and multi sensory toys made of wood are ideal ones for babies. Wooden blocks help infants to distinguish between two different objects, thereby developing their sensory percept of sight. As they grow older, they try grasping objects that are eye-catching. Thus smooth-edged, easy to catch and colorful wood toys are the best ones for children to play with.

Toddlers and infants as part of their sensational development taste almost everything that is within their reach. This is the reason why smooth, non-toxic and durable wooden toys are best for children. Simple wood toys like wooden animal puzzles, wooden trains and wooden blocks serve a lot of functions. They relate to simple things which the child can recognize very easily and as a result encourage creative play. You can see different stages of development because each baby uses the same wood toy in a different way.

While choosing the wooden playthings for your children, it is important for you to remember the definite play style which your child enjoys:

Logical Play-This kind of play includes wooden material toys where a child needs to use his/her logical explanation. Examples of such games are problem solving games and wooden puzzles.

Physical Play-This kind of play involves wooden playthings, which boost up the hand and eye co-ordination and help developing fine motor abilities.

Musical Play-It is basically based on rhythms and wooden music instruments are mainly used in such a kind of play.

Intrapersonal Play-This type of play is a solitary play where children use wooden material toys just to pass time and enjoy themselves. They play at their own pace.

Interpersonal Play-Interpersonal play with wooden playthings generally boosts up the communication between the playmates or the teammates.

Toys, which boost up creative play, are important for a child's emotional and social development. Simple as well as superior quality wooden toys are actually a life-long investment because children can use them for many years.

To get the best quality wooden toys for your little one, check out Smart Start Toys UK. They offer a wide range of wooden playthings that include toddler toys, wooden instruments, wooden puzzles and much more.

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Some Facts About Wooden Toys

Wooden toys are one of the easiest but most neglected sources of entertainment for the kids in modern times. Toys are one of the earliest invented objects by humans. In the initial stage, man started developing things out of stone. But as time progressed, he learnt the art of carving things out of wood, either by the help of stone or metal. This was the beginning of the story of wooden toys.

One of the most popular items among these toys is the wooden building blocks. Building blocks are constructive in nature and they help to instill a positive psychology in the kid's mind. There are other types of toys like puzzles and sorting games. All these help in the overall mental development of the kid, which is surely to help him in the future.

Toy trains made of wood have been a popular attraction among kids for many years. These trains, zooming around in the tracks, give the kid, a sense of thrill and excitement. He gets his initial sense of what speed means and the genes of a racer start developing in his cells.

In the world of today, the majority of the kids are hooked to either plastic toys or video games. It cannot be denied that both of these are very attractive and grab the young's attention in no time at all. But, it is a fact that these things are too much artificial to the core and the kids will miss the essence of nature while spending time with these things. Toys give the sense of nature and shape the child's mind accordingly.

Wooden toys are being made in various countries throughout the world. They provide a unique glimpse in the enchanting world of wooden toys.

One of the most famous types of wooden toys from India is the 'Channapatna Toys'. These toys have a long history, dating back to the reign of Tipu Sultan. One of the evidences of the popularity of these toys is the recognition they have received from World Trade Organization (WTO). Toy trains made of wood were being manufactured in the US in the early part of the 20th century.

One of the well-known companies in the 1930s which were making toy trains was the Skaneateles Handicrafters. In Europe, one of the majors in toy making is HABA. It is a German company, producing some of the best toys for the kids and their products can be found in display in any part of the world. These are some of the best wooden toys for the kid that the world has offered till now. There are many others in other companies making quality wooden materials for the kid.

Wooden toys have been around from time immemorial and still continue to be one of the major sources of attraction for the kids, despite the stiff competition from plastic toys and video games. For any info regarding wooden toys, please log onto smartstart-toys.co.uk.

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The Value Of Wooden Toys To Pre-School Children

Preschoolers are full of energy and curiosity and have a natural eagerness to learn. They have mastered many gross motor skills and are extremely active. By preschool age, most children have also acquired a strong grasp of language skills and place a great value on friendships. Because of their strong imaginations and wide range of interests, preschoolers usually most enjoy dramatic and creative play, as well as physical activities.

The best toys for preschoolers are sturdy and durable, and not likely to result in jagged or sharp edges if broken. Look for toys that are made of quality, nontoxic materials and are appropriate for your preschooler's age and skill level. Wooden toys are extremely durable, safe, and offer hours of educational, fun play time.

Toys that encourage physical play are great for preschoolers. The outdoors offer children a number of sensory learning opportunities so it is important to provide your preschooler with a selection of toys designed for outdoor use. Wooden toys like tricycles, wagons, and scooters are ideal for preschoolers' outdoor play. Miniature replicas of adult outdoor tools, like wheelbarrows and lawnmowers, are also a lot of fun at this age.

Most preschoolers have a lot of interest in constructive play, especially building projects with a finished product or specific goal. Wooden toys like blocks and jigsaw puzzles are perfect for preschoolers. Simple models and snap-together toys also provide preschoolers with hours of enjoyable play.

Preschoolers also need a good selection of toys that encourage dramatic play, or imaginative play. Miniature appliances, like wooden stoves and refrigerators, wooden doll accessories, like cradles and highchairs, and wooden play sets, like car garages and fire stations, are all quality toys for pretend play. Props to enhance play settings are also important. Play food, dress up clothes, and baby items like blankets and bottles can help your preschooler expand her imaginative play time.

Puppets offer all types of play benefits to preschoolers. Your child can address frightening situations through puppets or can use them as a healthy way to express her anger or frustration over a recent event. Puppet play also helps preschoolers to expand their vocabularies and develop social and emotional skills. Wooden puppet stages are available in several styles and sizes. Together with a variety of puppets, a puppet stage can provide hours of creative fun.

During the preschool years, most children begin to enjoy simple board and card games as well. Matching games and games with simple objectives like color recognition or counting are typically the most enjoyable games for preschoolers. Wooden toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/traditional-toys-21/wooden-toys-22] and games with simple scoring and only basic rules are great for teaching preschoolers to share and take turns, as well as develop fine motor skills and school readiness skills.

Scientific toys and working tools are also good choices for older preschoolers. Small hammers and screwdrivers allow children to practice building skills and develop more precise hand and eye coordination. Toy microscopes and telescopes invite young children to learn by exploring the world around them. Ring toss games and wooden toys for beanbag tossing are also fun games that help preschoolers develop hand and eye coordination, as well as fine and gross motor skills.

Gary Clay is an expert on

Wooden Toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/traditional-toys-21/wooden-toys-22] and owner of stylish kids store MonkeyShine a retailer of Traditional Wooden Toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/traditional-toys-21/wooden-toys-22] in the UK

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Traditional Wooden Toys And Childhood Development

Blocks are still one of the most popular traditional toys available today. Their simple design and flexible usage attract children of all ages, especially preschoolers. Children build and construct all sorts of things they experience in everyday life with blocks, opening all sorts of meaningful opportunities for learning important school readiness and life skills.

Most traditional toys, like blocks, were originally made of wood. Today, wooden blocks are still available, but there are several other styles of blocks to choose from. Chunky plastic blocks or squishy fabric blocks are great toddler toys because they are safe and durable for little hands and mouths. Wooden blocks are favorites of preschoolers, as well as large cardboard blocks and plastic blocks that snap together. Older children can now continue to enjoy the thrill of playing with these traditional toys with modern block construction sets designed for kids of various ages.

One of the most obvious learning benefits of playing with blocks is in language development. Most children talk as they build and experiment with these traditional toys. Many preschoolers incorporate blocks into their pretend play, using them to build and represent a variety of props, from play telephones to roadways. Playing pretend is one of the most language rich activities a child participates in.

Dramatic play with traditional toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/traditional-toys-21] like blocks enhances important language skills, including essential reading and writing skills like event sequencing. This type of play also develops social skills a child needs throughout life. As preschoolers begin to join in group play settings, they learn to take turns, to share, and to resolve conflicts with others.

Children who play with blocks together have the opportunity to develop even more social skills. Attempting to reach a goal as a group while building with these traditional toys encourages children to work together as a team and can also enhance leadership skills. Block play supports creative expression and allows children to develop constructive ways to voice their opinions.

Social, emotional, and language development are not the only benefits of playing with blocks. These traditional toys also encourage the development of skills in both math and science. Blocks are one of the best toys that allow young children to experience and work through the steps of scientific discovery first hand. Through experimentation, observation, and more testing, children learn the effects of gravity on an object, as well as things like balance and structure.

Traditional toy blocks come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. These types of blocks are great for exploring geometry and encourage children to develop sorting skills. Children can experiment with building with an assortment of shapes, developing essential problem solving skills as they learn that flat, square or rectangular blocks make better bases for their structures while cylindrical shaped blocks work well for walls or columns.

With all the educational and learning benefits offered through block play, it is no wonder these traditional toys have remained long time favorites. Blocks allow children to learn spontaneously through their play time. While structured and planned block play will ensure educational development, a child's natural exploration during play provides the same benefits with many traditional toys, especially blocks.

Gary Clay is an expert on Wooden Toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/traditional-toys-21/wooden-toys-22] and owner of stylish kids store Monkeyshine a retailer of Traditional Toys [http://www.monkeyshine.co.uk/traditional-toys-21] in the UK

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4 Helpful Tips For Organizing Autistic Kid's Toys, Schedules and Schoolwork

It's important for all children to learn how to be organized and this is especially true for autistic children. Kids who develop good organizational skills are significantly more likely to excel in school and life. Learning organizational skills helps develop their focus, concentration and motor skills.

Organization can be more challenging with children on the autism spectrum because they are easily distracted, require visual aids and usually have limited motor skills.

Autistic children tend to be visual learners, which means they generally learn and perform better when provided with visual instructions and prompts. These are some tips on how you can help your child be organized, develop skills and make smooth transitions between activities using visual instructions and prompts.

These tips vary depending on your child's age and abilities. You can use this as a reference guide and adjust as needed.

#1 - Create a bin system for your child's supplies and toys. Separate the types of toys and supplies into individual bins. Take photographs of each type of toy or supply contained within and tape the photograph to the front of each corresponding bin.

For example: Tape a photograph of your child's bin filled with building blocks and tape it to the front of the bin. Do the same with markers, plush toys, crayons, and so on. Even if the bins are clear (transparent), it will be easier for your child to be organized if s/he has a visual cue as to where the toys or supplies belong. Bins with easy to remove lids or no lids tend to work well.

#2 - Display childrens' toys, supplies and clothing. It is easier for autistic children to stay organized and function if they can see all of the their belongings. Drawers do not usually work well for children on the autism spectrum. Hang as many of their clothes as possible or fold them and place them on shelves, preferably cubbies. Place jeans in one cubby, sweatshirts in another and so on. Socks, underwear and pajamas are best placed in transparent bins with photographs taped to the front. If you don't have cubbies, you may tape photographs on the front of each drawer. If possible do not combine items into one drawer.

#3 - Set up daily routines and stick to them as much as possible. Creating regular daily routines can make transitioning from one activity to another less upsetting. Children on the autism spectrum often thrive when they have daily routines and usually react poorly to changes in routines. Once a solid routine is created small changes can be introduced slowly and can help your child develop coping strategies to deal with transitions. It is best to introduce changes in routines in very small steps. Gradually, your child will be able to use strategies like social stories and self talk to work through the anxiety they experience when making transitions.

An example of an organizing routine is to give your child a 10-minute heads-up before dinner each evening and then have them set an egg timer for 10 minutes. Teach them that when the timer goes off, they are to pick up all of their toys and place them in the appropriate bins.

This establishes a routine, lets them know what to expect, gives them a 10-minute lead-time and then provides them a distinct audio clue when it's time to pick up and get organized. It is important to have them set the egg timer, not you. It gets them more involved in the process so they will be more likely to follow through with the routine.

An addition to this routine could be that when the egg timer goes off and it's time to pick up and get organized, you play a specific song that your child then recognizes as the "pick-up and get organized" song. This can make it fun, playful, soothing and also can help keep them on task and get the work done faster.

#4 Create a visual schedule for your child. Picture schedules work best for autistic kids. Set up the picture schedule so that when your child is finished with the task/activity they can move that picture to the all done side. Essentially you are creating an interactive picture schedule that your child can "control". Their picture schedule could also be organized by first, next, last. It will give them the order of the tasks and they can move the picture to the "completed" side.

Using visual aids and keeping it simple are the most important keys for autistic children. Of course all of these tips are only to be used as guidelines and ideas. Each child on the autistic spectrum reacts a little differently, has different needs and is functioning at varying levels. Consider modifying and adjusting these ideas as you see fit based on your child's needs, abilities and age.

Heidi DeCoux is a Professional Organizer, Public Speaker, and Author of the Fast-Filing Method audio program available at http://www.ClearSimpleLiving.com She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Heidi is dedicated to helping people live their best lives. She offers a FREE monthly e-newsletter with tips and solutions on how to make your life easier, calmer and more organized. To sign up, visit her website at http://www.HeidiDeCoux.com and click on e-Solutions.

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