Articles
Traditional Toys versus Technology
Last modified on 2009-02-27 19:32:10 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Toy manufacturers and retailers now have huge marketing and advertising budgets heavily touting the benefits of todays electronic toys and games and the perceived educational stimulii provided by their hi-tech gadgetry. The expansion of the electronic learning toy market has boosted sales for the 0-3 year old age group by 9 per cent over the last 12 months, to a staggering £660m in retail sales. With one of the highest growth rates within the electronics industry, is it any wonder that more and more far eastern electronics companies are now entering the toy market.
With increasing regularity, parents are being deluged by the marketing "spin" of electronic toy manufacturers such as Vtech and Leapad. The Toy Retailers Association "dream toy list for Christmas" featured Vtechs "V Smile Infant Development System" targetted at youngsters between nine months and 3 years, an activity centre which plugs into the TV and is supposed to teach shapes, numbers and colours, as well as "baby sign language". Vtech said that consumer feedback was very positive about the new V Smile range, which is designed to give "parents and children a magical learning experience together" adding "we appreciate that learning with a parent is an important component in a childs development". Now I am not singling out Vtech for criticism, but merely stating the manner in which such toys are portrayed and marketed, so is there any real benefit or are we as parents being "sucked in" by the hype?
According to new research parents investing in toys marketed as boosting learning for their children, such as mini-laptops and other electronic games and toys, should save their money and help their children to learn themselves. A recent government funded study aimed at examining the role of technology in the development of 3-4 year olds, concluded that hi-tech devices and "learning toys" aimed at children as young as 9 months - are no more effective than traditional ways of teaching basic literacy and numeracy skills. Citing toy laptops and mobile phones in particular, the study also found that these were of greater value in aiding imaginative play such as pretending to make phone calls, rather than producing any specific benefit in teaching any academic skills. After tracking families for 15 months, researchers at the Stirling University also noted that children gained an understanding of the social interaction of technology simply by watching their parents using computers, mobile phones and digital cameras etc, far outweighing the perceived benefits of using computers for learning exercises and games at pre-school and nursery.
Professor of Education at Stirling University Lydia Plowman, said that those parents interviewed experienced "a lot of anxiety" about the role of new technology, and felt pressured by toy manufacturers to buy so-called educational toys such as Leappads and games consoles. She said: "I don't think there is any problem with children having these toys at home, but in terms of basic literacy and number skills, I doubt they are more efficient than more traditional approaches" adding "parents who buy these toys often fail to replace the batteries when they run out once their child has lost interest."
The study examined 24 families of from varying class and socio-economic groups in detail and analysed the written responses of 346 families. They found that the vast majority of parents were keen to prepare their children for both school and the world of work, but were unclear and confused by those electronic toys advertised as supporting both play and learning. Professor Plowman, who announced her research at a conference entitled "Happy Families?" held by the Family and Parenting Institute, concluded of these toys that "whilst not being particularly beneficial they are not harmful".
It would appear that the jury is still out!
Wooden Toys - Still the best choice!
Last modified on 2009-02-27 19:27:07 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Investing in the future
We all know how hard it is to resist giving in to your children’s demands for the latest toy advertised on TV, but there are alternatives out there, to those who wish to seek them. I am of course referring to the more traditional type of toys. Wooden toys are a great way to entertain and educate your children and in many cases provide them with a much more tactile and aesthetically pleasing toy which they can treasure for many years, maybe even passing on it on to their own children. As parents and grandparents we are all under pressure from our children to buy the latest greatest flashy fad toy. But before you do consider the sustainability and longevity of a beautifully crafted wooden Dolls house or robust wooden train set.
Wooden toys have been around for as long as we care to mention some of the earliest toys in history were no doubt made from wood. But there are justifiable reasons why they are just as popular today as they were back then. All children (and adults!) love to play with toys made of wood. Relying more on imagination and creativity, the appeal of a well crafted wooden toy lasts much longer than the plastic variety. I'm often being told, and have seen through my own children, that interest in those big fancy toys starts to wain after a few days. The "next big thing" soon becomes the dust collector in the toy box or cupboard. But many more will testify that they will play with toys like building blocks and wooden construction sets for years. The real reason, I think is because when children play with wooden toys, they really are playing, rather than simply being entertained or distracted. Wooden toys also work well with others, using a little imagination, they’re easy to combine with other, even modern toys.
With aesthetically pleasing designs, and often using of bright colors and bold shapes, traditional toys engage your child’s senses immediately. Wooden toys may be seen as "too old" for babies and younger children, but they stimulate their sense of sight, touch, sound and maybe even taste. While wooden toys for older children encourage problem-solving and provide a challenge. This is part of what makes wooden toys so valuable and truly educational. They are a great way for young children to develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Moreover wooden toys help kids to develop and foster their own artistic and creative abilities.
As parents we all worry about the safety of our children, we often think of Lead Soldiers and the Lead based paints of the post war years. Aware of these dangers, todays childrens wooden toys are safe and environmentally friendly. When your children chew on their toys , as all do, todays wooden toys with their natural, non-toxic paint or dye will cause them no harm. It is often overlooked that plastic toys are loaded with chemicals and PVC is now known to give off toxic gases throughout its lifespan. Additionally many wooden toys tend to use far less wasteful packaging and without the need for batteries, which can be harmful and end up in landfill.
But for me, and for many of the older generation, the crowning glory of any wooden toy is its longevity aesthetic appeal. The simple joy that owning a well crafted wooden toy can bring. Happy in the knowledge that it is a real treasure and lovely items to have around the house. Wooden toys will often last for years, if not generations, just take a visit to your local antique shop or auction room. In years to come can you see your children passing down that broken plastic robot with all the bells and whistles, that no longer work?
Rocking horses, Wooden Building Blocks, Bows and Arrows!
Last modified on 2009-02-27 19:31:50 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Remember the old days?
Do you still have nostalgic memories of those classic wooden toys? The older generation of Parents and Grandparents are behind a new resurgence in classic toys and traditional wooden toys. It seems that those looking to recapture some of the magic of playing with a doll's house, rocking horse or building blocks, are reliving their childhoods through their children and grandchildren.
At John Lewis department store sales of wooden toys are up 24 percent on the previous year. In the run up to christmas a a wooden train set costing £20 was sold every 6 minutes. While Hamleys toy store best sellers included a tub of wooden building blocks at £14.99 and a traditional rocking horse costing nearly £1,500!
Gwyneth Dear spokeswoman from the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries says "younger children love the tactility of wooden toys. They are sustainable, durable and can be passed down through the generations".
Even Tesco now stocks wooden train sets, a spokesman for the chain said "they are proving to be very popular".
Sadly, plastic toys are still more popular than traditional wooden toys. In 2007 Britain imported 357 tons of rubber, plastic and textile toys from China in comparison to only 1.3 tons of wooden toys. That said, those wooden toys will long outlast their plastic counterparts, and in these "eco-friendly" times wood is far more sustainable and completely biodegradable!
Our source at The Entertainer chain of toy shops, Gary Grant said: "They are never going to become a mass-market best seller. They are just too niche. Grandparents love to splash out on wooden toys, but that doesn't mean the kids want it." Thats not to say that those buying these lovely wooden toys aren't making a prudent investment by creating the heirlooms of the future of course.
Finance director Andy King of John Crane, a manufacturer that specialises in wooden toys, says "This market will continue to do well - there are sufficient numbers of people who earn enough and want to buy something just like they had as a child."
So go on, what are you waiting for? Take the plunge and indulge yourself in that bygone age and invest in some "proper wooden toys" for your young ones.
Wooden toys in Emotional Development
Last modified on 2009-02-27 19:35:05 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
What is role play?
Role occurs when young children create stories and act them out, often in a fantasy world or environment of their own. This kind of play is really important for developing valuable social and interpersonal skills for later life, and toddlers especially love it. What may, on the surface appear to be a simple game of shopping, with a wooden toy shop of course, actually involves a variety of complex skills including:
Planning - a complex decision making process, for a toddler at least, such as which game to play for a start. In this case shopping, the roles of those taking part - shopper, baker, butcher, shop assistant etc. Not to mention the equipment needed to play the game, such as the shop, the car, the shopping trolley, the shopping list and the items to put in the shop. Put in these terms we can see the level of thought involved for one so young.
Negotiating - How many times have you overheard your little ones "I'm the shop assistant and you can be the person doing the shopping and trying to buy what you need. OK?"
From a very young age children communicate through words and actions, practising their newly acquired talking skills through fantasy and "pretend play" and often chatter to themselves while acting out some scenario or other.
Emotion - Picture the disappointment when they can't find what they want in the shop and the panic as they mimic you running late for the school run!
Imagination - These type of games tend to become more complex as the child develops, instead of simply being a shop assistant, they may become a princess' lady in waiting helping to create an elaborate ball gown for some royal occasion, for example.
Memory - With the repetition of favourite experiences during play such as going on holiday, visiting a favourite relative or family friends or having a birthday party etc.
What can we do to help our children to develop these skills?
1. Creating a dressing up box and fill it with old clothes, scarves, jewellery, bags and hats that can be used for role play.
2. Encourage your children and talk to them about their pretend play, engage them but without interrupting the flow.
3. Join in have fun and encourage! But let your child lead as this will help them to develop their own sense of independence. Why not have a tea party, dress a doll or play hairdressers.. you are only limited by YOUR
OWN imagination!
Great wooden toys for pretend play:
There are some fantastic educational wooden toys and traditional wooden toys on the market that are great for encouraging role play Here are just a few examples;
- wooden garage
kitchen equipment like wooden cookers and toasters
cash register
diy toolbox
gardeners kit
vanity case
dustpan, brush and broom
pretend food that velcros together so it can be cut and sliced
A short history of the Rocking Horse
Last modified on 2009-02-27 19:33:14 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Rocking horses are one of the greatest treasures a child can have, much more than just a beautiful wooden toy, they are a lovingly hand crafted piece of history! Dating back to the 17th century, many private collectors and museums are now preserving these magnificent creatures for our future generations. The V & A museum of childhood currently displays a rounded base wooden "rocker" dating back to 1610, which it is believed, was once owned by King Charles I, made for him when he was a child to strengthen his legs and aid his recovery from rickets.
Despite the prominence and rise of rocking horses, which first appeared during the Georgian and Victorian periods, there is some evidence that crude wooden horses with wheels were once made for the children of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. Though the proof of this is sketchy at best, it is not unreasonable to assume that a time which produced temples and pyramids, would be more than capable of producing a simply fashioned childrens wheeled toy.
The forerunner to todays rocking horses were of course hobby horses, sometimes also referred to as "broomstick horses" which were popular with children as far back as medieval times. Nothing more than a horse head fashioned from a flat piece of wood and attached to the end of a broom stick, these traditional childrens toys would be "ridden" by their galant riders, no doubt into some battle or fighting off the invading marauders from a distant land. Hobby horses can still be found and bought today, though their popularity has naturally wained in favour of the realism that a rocking horse provides.
The 16th century holds what can be considered the earliest ancestor of the modern rocking horse. With a large round timber or log as its body and four roundwooden legs, the barrel horse was far more "horse like" and can be considered the true forerunner to todays horses as we know them. With its barrel body, sturdy frame and formed neck and head, children were now able to mount and ride these wooden beasts like a real horse.
It was during the 17th century that the earliest "bow" type rocking horses appeared. With their rounded circular base and carved features, these toy wooden rockers were beginning to resemble there real counterparts, it was not until the 18th century however, that craftsmen began to create our beautiful sculpted fillies and mares! In 1880, a milestone in the history of the rocking horse, the Marqua company of Cincinatti made a significant breakthrough in the construction and rideability of the humble rocking horse, the patented "swinger base".
The swinger or "glider" mechanism of the rocker held many advantages over the earlier bow type rocking horses, which would move and slide when ridden. The swinger needed much less space to use, was quieter, safer and provided a smooth and much more realistic action for its rider. Over time these horses became the firm favourite of the landed gentry and well to-do, children of royalty and the wealthy would have beautifully carved and hand crafted wooden rocking horses specially made for them. These horses became ultra realistic works of art, with tails and manes made from real horse hair, glass eyes and "proper" saddles, these children enjoyed the real thrill of riding.
Naturally enough, for these children of nobility and the like, many learned their basic riding skills which they would use for real horses later in life. These early masterpieces still survive today fetching thousands of pounds at auction and forming the centre piece of a many a collectors "stable"! However these rocking horses remained the exclusive property of the upper classes, with the masses unable to afford such luxury, and making do with home made barrel horses and hobby horses fashioned from an old broom or a plank of wood.
The industrial revolution was the turning point in the history of our beloved creatures. With the advent of mass production, and perhaps more importantly the jobs and wealth that the factories created, the middle classes now had some disposable income, creating an explosion in the popularity of these grand mahoganies and dappled greys. This was the heyday of our beloved rocking horse, but all was about to change. In 1914 the world went to war, all available man power and machinery was diverted to the war effort, and with the coming of the great depression, there was no money available to families for such frivolous luxury. The popularity of the rocking horse never fully recovered and the modernist eras of the '60s and '70s were no place for these "old fashioned" toys.
Thankfully it is this generation of children, now parents and grand parents, who are the driving force behind a renaissance in the rocking horse world. Perhaps there is a longing and a fondness for the simpler times that these beautiful creatures represent, or maybe a sadness that the rocking horse almost became extinct. Whatever the reason, we should all be thankful that craftsmen and restorers are breathing new life into the humble rocking horse, and inspiring our young ones, who will, with any luck, keep the breed alive.
Toy safety and Markings
Last modified on 2009-02-27 19:34:32 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
CE Quality mark in toy manufacture
The safety of your childs toys is always foremost in the minds of responsible parents. We have all seen the horror stories on TV of some imported toy doll whose limbs easily become detached posing a choking hazard, in the process exposing a sharp spike or some other nasty. While these stories are true and horrific in some cases, they are by no means the norm and on the whole the vast majority of toys sold on the high street or by reputable online toy shops are perfectly safe.
So what can you do to ensure that your childs toys are not going to harm them or pose any threat or danger?
With the advent of the European union there has been a huge amount of "standardisation" in both the legal framework and the quality standards to which toy manufacturers and retailers must comply. One of the biggest advances has been the adoption of the "CE" mark which now has almost global acceptance.
EN71
The EN71 toy safety standard test has been in effect within the European Union (EU) since 1st January 1990. Toys are tested and those that meet the minimum standard must carry the CE mark. Interestingly, the responsibility for imported toys may not be with the original manufacturer, if they are produced outside of the EU, in such cases the onus of responsibility for safety falls on the EU importer or distributor of the goods. In addition to safety testing, all plastic toys bearing the CE mark are free of "phthallates", a chemical found in flexible plastics and rubber which it is thought may be harmful to health. Alongside the CE mark, manufacturers must specify whether there are small parts, which may present a choking hazard, by displaying a graphic which shows the age of those children for which the toy is not suitable. Finally the manufacturers (or importers) name, address and other details must appear on the packaging, so that any potential issues can be traced back to their original source.
In summary, 99.9% of all toys available through the usual retail channels in the UK are safe, and those complying with the minimum safety standard will always show the CE safety compliance mark. If you discover an unsafe toy, return it to the company you purchased it from and request that they take up the issue with the toys manufacturer. Ask that they inform you of any outcome such as a product recall or change in manufacturing. If your purchase was made from another source eg Ebay or car boot sale etc then we suggest that you contact your local TSO (Trading standards Office).
Further reading and a printable leaflet can be found on the BERR Government website here.