Waldorf toys offer a charming, imaginative option in todays world of electronic, brainless toys. Waldorf education and principles of child development have been gaining more attention and with good reason. These principles encourage the growth and development of the whole child - physically, mentally, emotionally, and they also recognize the importance of spiritual principles in the development of humanity.
When you think of "Waldorf" toys, dolls may come to mind. Simple cloth dolls with warm, simple faces are the Waldorf toy that has gotten the most notice among families with children. Many other wooden toys also get labeled as Waldorf.
These toys are good, and many are made by craftsmen that spend hours of time beautifully shaping wood or working with wool and cloth to create toys. They have a life and love to them that you can feel when you pick up the toy.
It's important to point out, however, that a "Waldorf" toy goes far beyond these carefully crafted works of art.
Waldorf pedagogy (theory of child development and learning) says that children need lots of time spent in open-ended, imaginative play. Children need to be free to create their own play scenes and spaces. They need to be free to use their imagination to "make believe" whatever they want.
Beautiful "Waldorf toys" are lovely and by all means, you should have some. However, a carefully hand-crafted wooden farm animal is probably only ever going to be used as a wooden farm animal. A block of wood, on the other hand, can a chicken on a farm one day, a cookie on a plate tomorrow, and telephone the day after that.
Simple, open ended toys like blocks are important to the development of all children, and a Waldorf playroom is very conscious of this fact.
Other good things to have on hand are squares and rectangles of cloth. These are often silks called "play silks" and come in all colors of the rainbow. Squares of cotton cloth work just as well, however. These cloths can make capes, hoods, doll blankets, even grass and water in the fertile imagination of a child.
Natural materials are great. Rocks, stones, pine cones, and other treasures found in nature can work with a child's imagination to bring forth many adventures.
Do have open-ended, inviting things for your child to play with. The simpler your child's toys are overall the more vividly he or she will imagine and the more comfortable he or she will be with creating their own make-believe world with the materials at hand.
You can, of course, provide other, more formed toys. Toys dishes, wooden boats, metal toy trucks and tractors, and baby dolls are all good things to have on hand. Dolls should be simple and made of natural materials if possible. A plastic baby doll with a harshly molded face doesn't mold in a child's arms as well as a cloth, stuffed doll will. The face is forever trapped into an expression - a simple cloth face with basic features allows a child's imagination to determine the mood of the doll. That said, if all you can get is a basic baby doll from the local toy store - do so. Any baby doll is better than other dolls such as "Barbies and Bratz." Children should play with baby dolls.
Put open-ended, simple toys in your child's play space. Your child wants to imitate adults during their playtime. It is completely normal, natural, and desired for children to want to spend their playtime "cooking, cleaning, keeping house" and doing other things they see adults doing (many children like to "talk on the phone" or "play office"). Allow your child the toys and opportunity to facilitate this healthy play - and watch their imagination and intelligence blossom as they do.
Kristen enjoys writing articles and sites about things related to her life. Check out her newest site, which is all about the Braun Powermax MX2050 and includes blender recipes.
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