At the Wooden Toys Shop we are dedicated to finding the highest quality, best value and most importantly the most fun, wooden and traditional toys. Here you will find details of stimulating baby toys, fabulous toys that encourage imaginative playtime for pre-school children and a wide range of activity toys and baby walkers for toddlers. As well as all the toys you will find lots of articles and information on the importance of providing stimulating playtime that helps aid your child’s development.
Children differ enormously in their rate of growth and development, so toys should keep pace with children’s changing needs and ability levels. As a parent, be sensitive to the interests, abilities and limitations of your children in deciding when they are ready for their first puzzle, book, bike or computer game. Here are some guidelines on the types of toys best suited for different stages of development.
Infants
A baby’s first toys are important in teaching about size, shape, colour and texture. In one study, the availability of toys in infancy was strongly related to the child’s IQ at the age of three ! During the first year, an infant will respond to bright colours and gentle sounds. Musical toys and mobiles are ideal at this age. Babies find it difficult to co-ordinate their hand and eye at first so they learn about the shape and feel of objects with their mouths. As they gain control over their hand movements an activity mat is great for exploring textures and shapes.
Toddlers
Half the waking hours of a typical 17-month old are devoted to play, so a variety of toys is essential. They will enjoy toys that move, like mobiles and rattles. Children begin to enjoy pretend play so toys that stimulate imagination, such as play sets, toy vehicles, soft toys and puppets, are also popular. Blocks will challenge their imagination and dexterity.
An active toddler will need toys for physical play; toys they can sit on or push and pull. Toys that respond to the child’s movements will hold attention, important for reading. Children play for a longer period of time when there is a greater variety of toys available.
3-5 Years
Pretend play is the child’s way of trying out new skills and growing interests. Puppets are a great way to develop language. As children gain confidence and social skills they enjoy play with other children. Role playing and fantasy games help their social and emotional development. Children like realistic toys that resemble people and everyday objects, such as dolls, action figures, tool sets and household items. They also like construction sets, painting, musical toys and cassette players.
Active play on swings, slides, climbing frames and toy vehicles encourages physical co-ordination and will help them to progress onto tricycles and bicycles. As they develop logic and are able to concentrate longer they are ready for games with rules like lotto, matching games and dominoes. Memory and imagination can be exercised with electronic toys, board games, and word games.
6 - 10 years
Social skills are learned and practiced in board games, table-top games, and traditional games like marbles. Children experiment with different roles with fashion dolls and action figures. Crafts and costumes stimulate imagination and creativity.
This is a truely wonderful completely natural and highly original wooden toy. Its as at home on the mantlepiece or on your desk at work as it is in a child’s room and is sure to get fasinated attention wherever it sits.
These are without question our favourite items in the whole shop. Also designed by Swiss designer Matthias Utinger these stunning marble trees fascinate and enchant children and adults alike.
Completely made from wood the sounding leaves are coloured using natural wood dyes and oils to produce a wonderful rainbow effect. You place the supplied marble at the top of the tree and watch and listen as it falls upon each leaf of the tree, producing a subtly deeper (and perfectly tuned) note each time.
I have yet to see a customer that didn’t beam a huge smile the first time they try the Marble Tree.
It’s important not to be fooled by cheap copies of this wonderful toy. There are others for sale on the Internet which are painted not dyed, have less leaves and don’t sound anywhere as good. Also don’t forget that they are plagiarised copies of this wonderful original design.
This friendly wooden caterpillar is one of our best sellers in our shop. With a large hoop attached to the end, baby can grab a hold and shake which is very stretchy and makes a click-clacking sound. Also great if baby fancies a chew.
Most wooden toys come from sustainable sources such as rubber wood or from sustainable forests. They won’t require batteries and should you choose to throw them away (but why would you ever) they are almost entirely 100% recyclable. If you look hard enough you can also find genuine fair trade wooden toys too. They last longer, can be fixed and almost never end up in landfill, unlike their man made equivalents.
9. Wooden Toys look and feel great.
When you pick up a naturally made toy you are holding something very special in your hand. The feel of a wooden toy is so much more tactile than plastic. Also they will all feel subtly different, the type of wood, the grain and their age will all contribute to something that simply feels special to play with. They also look amazing. We sell many wooden toys that our customers tell us spend as much time on display as they do being played with. How often would you say that of mainstream toys made from man made materials.
8. Wooden Toys don’t harbour bacteria
Unfinished natural wooden toys wont harbour bacteria on the surface but will draw bacteria into the wood. They don’t use petroleum in the manufacturing process and many use vegetable produced dyes rather than paints that could contain harmful chemicals.
7. Wooden Toys are great value for money
Contrary to what people often think wooden toys are often much cheaper than the plastic and wooden equivalents and even if they are marginally more expensive they still represent much better value for money. Think about this. How many people would throw away a wooden toy? Certainly not any of our customer that we have spoken to. They get handed on to friends, family or grand children or indeed are gratefully received by charity shops or toddler groups. Many people still have the old wooden toys from when they were children to hand down to their, yet unborn children. Now that’s true value for money!
6. Natural Toys with no chemical used in production - 100% natural
Now for some wooden toys this is 100% true (like our wonderful marble tree). They will be made, untreated or with natural dyes, contain no additional man made parts, fixings or accessories. They are simply 100% natural. With the best will in the world this is not always an achievable and some wooden toys will be painted (safely) and contain other fixings or parts that are manmade, but this will always be kept to a minimum. Conversely mainstream toys are made from plastics and metals that involve many harmful chemicals in their production processes.
5. Quality Toys with a lack of packaging
Now this is truly one of my pet hates and I’m sure I’ll cover it more detail at a later date. Suffice to say however that everything we sell comes in the minimum packaging required and only ever takes a few minutes (or seconds) to get out and start playing. I have recent memories of popular character toys taking well over 30 minutes to get out of the packaging and start playing. The huge amount of plastic, those awful plastic ties and all the sticky tape, moulded plastic and associated cardboard drives me to distraction. As an aside, I love the way they tell you if you need to return it must be in its original packaging! Practical, not!
4. Wooden Toys are Sturdy and Strong and they CAN be fixed
How many times have you received a plastic, character based toy from one of the better know stores only for it to be dropped, smash and then be faced with the emotional clear up operation of your little one. Even if they aren’t just badly made or fitting when they’re broke they’re broke ! Wooden Toys by comparison are usually (if they are from the best brands and not super cheap illegal imports) very very strong and give you and your child a confidence to really play with them without fear of breaking them. If the worst does happen however all that is normally required is a spot of glue and your fixed again. Now that’s real value for money too!
3. Wooden Toys are fantastic to hand down through generations
As we already mentioned under number 7, value for money, wooden toys are great to be handed down through the generations. Its something about the natural, living nature of each toy that means its almost impossible to throw away. Even simple wooden spinning tops , skittles, marble runs and wooden blocks get tucked away in draws and years later emerge to given be to grand children and so the cycle repeats. Increasingly we are seeing people buying wooden arks, diggers or lorries that they fully expect the child to covert until they have children of their own. This idea has been commonplace on the continent for many years and is slowly catching on in the UK too.
2. Each Toy is Unique and Special Gift
When you give a natural wooden toy as a gift you are showing how much you really care for and have thought about that person when choosing that gift. Certainly when people come to us for a new baby gift or a 1st birthday present they have made a special effort to visit us and take the time to choose a special gift. When they choose a wooden toy they know they are giving something unique and a one off, not something that has been injection moulded and made by robots and computers or that you picked up with the weekly shop at Tescos or Walmart!
1. Buy from specialist retailers with great service and knowledge
Perhaps the best reason to buy specialist toys for your children is that you get to visit specialist, independent retailers who possess not only the skills and knowledge to advise you on choosing a great gift but take great pride in providing great customer service and make the parting with your cash just that little more enjoyable. I know that in our shop we certainly try very very hard to always provide great customer service (I’m sure we don’t always get it spot on – Sorry!) and the feedback we get is that people very much appreciate our efforts. So support your local independent toy shop and I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Choosing and using toys wisely is an essential part of helping your child get the most out of toys and play.Information is available in more detail from the National Toy Council, which is a forum setup by the British Toy and Hobby Association - BTHA to help parents and carers in the selection of safe toys. This information gives guidelines on ensuring all play is safe but also fun. This information is predominantly aimed at the UK market but the principles of safe play could apply just about anywhere.
Making sure that the toys you buy conform to safety standards that will not present a risk to your child is not difficult. Most toys on the British market today are carefully made and safe to play with. There are a number of organisations working to ensure safety standards are maintained, from the European Commission and British Government to trading standards officers, safety experts and the manufacturers themselves.
Choosing Safe Toys
Always go to a reputable shop, ideally one that is a member of the Toy Retailers Association. You are more likely to get useful help and advice if you go to a specialist toy shop, the toy department of a large store or the toy selection of a major chain. Mail Order catalogues also provide a useful reference.
Check the packaging. There are three things to look out for:
The Lion Mark. This is a symbol of safety and quality backed up by a code of practice developed by the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) and used only by members. Toys bearing the Lion Mark have been made to the highest standards currently in force in Britain and the EU (BS5665/BS EN 71).
The CE mark is a mark of conformity assisting the free movement of goods in the European Community and demonstrates that the goods you are purchasing meet the minimum standards, which include BS EN71 for sale in the UK. You should not buy toys within Europe that do not carry the CE mark. They may very well not be safe.
Small Parts. Little children can easily choke on small objects. The under 3’s are especially at risk because they put everything in their mouths to explore the shape and texture. It is impossible to watch your child all of the time. Even if you think that your child has understood your warning, a small toy can often prove tempting. A safety message, “not suitable for children under 36 months because of small parts” therefore must be taken literally. You will see the choking hazard image on an increasing number of toys and toy boxes. It is part of the label on toys which are safe and suitable for children over the ages of 3 years but unsafe for younger children. This means : Warning do not give to children less than 3 years old or allow them to play with it. Obviously you will know your own child and even if they are over 3 years old but you have concerns about a particular toy then play it safe and wait a few months to give them the toy. Finally remember the youngest member of the family. If you give a toy to a 5 year old that contains small parts please remember their 12 month old sibling crawling along the floor, hoovering up everything in sight.
Age Advice. Messages such as “recommended for children aged 3-4” or “play age 5-7” are discretionary guidelines. Age guidelines can help you decide if the toy will be fun and stimulating for your child. Remember what he or she enjoys at the moment and ensure that they have room to grow into the toy. If they can easily complete a 10 piece puzzle now try one with 25 pieces to ensure they are challenged and they get maximum play value and longevity from your purchase.
Check the Toy. If possible ask to see the toy out of the box and check that it is sturdy and well made. It is especially important to check over toys for babies and toddlers to check there are no small parts that come loose or seams that come apart.
Special Tips for Special Toys. Toys in cots. Once they can get on their hands and knees, babies can strangle on cot toys by falling on their neck across them. Around the age of 5 months and in plenty of time, take string toys out of the cot. Remove activity centres as soon as your baby can pull to stand to remove the risk of your baby climbing out.
I hope you found this information useful as with all things relating to safety a large dose of common sense works wonders but most importantly, enjoy playtime and have fun with your children.
If you are looking for a wide selection of wooden toys and other great value children toys please visit Beyond the Rainbow to discover a wonderland of traditional and unusual wooden toys encouraging varied and inclusive playtime for both carer and child alike.
Play is one of the many ways that children learn. Children who have access to a wide range of well selected toys and an opportunity to experience varied playtime are more likely to be challenged and stimulated. Studies have found that they reach higher levels of intellectual development, socialisation and emotional development regardless of their sex, race or social class.
Parents and carers should be looking to encourage play with toys that stimulate mental development and are appropriate for the child’s abilities. Toys should also be responsive to the child’s movements and provide feedback for the child (either physically, visually or auditory) when manipulated. Whether playing alone or with others, quietly or with enthusiasm, play is the way children explore their world, learn new sensations and create imaginary friends and places.
Learning New Skills
When a child reaches for a toy they immediately begin to develop their early hand and eye coordination, strength, balance and agility. Toys such as activity centres, block letters, shape sorters and games will help your child develop many new skills. Toys and games that are used with playmates encourage sharing, cooperation and communication. Remember that very young children especially, find the idea of sharing difficult until they have understood the concept of ownership. Wooden blocks and construction toys will assist in developing spatial play, whilst jigsaws, dominoes, puzzles and other board games are great for logical play. Physical activities will vary depending on age but using balls and skittles and push and pull along toys are excellent for developing strength and coordination. Discussion, singing and story telling can accompany books and many other types of word and picture games. Parents and carers should encourage the use of children’s’ dolls (male and female), action and character figures, costumes for dressing up and hand and finger puppets for imaginative play.
Research has shown that through play children learn how to plan, communicate and solve problems. Play encourages them to develop language and social skills and to use imagination and creativity to develop relationships and playact out situations.
Children who are encouraged and supported to play are happier, better adjusted, more cooperative and more popular with their peers than those who do not have the time set aside to play and explore the world. Children will have a tendency to play longer when a wide selection of toys is available. It is not always the most expensive or imaginative toys that provide the greatest stimulation and enjoyment. It is often better to have a selection of different toys than one very expensive one.
Play Pointers To enable children to get maximum benefit from their playtime they should feel safe, secure and comfortable in their surroundings, with supportive carers present and a wide assortment of toys to encourage varied playtime.
You should try to choose toys that are fun for your child to play with. To be fun they should match the child’s maturity and challenge his or her skills. Try to have a selection of toys that offer a wide variety of features and activities (providing feedback for the child), bright primary colours and black and white contrasting colouring, different textures and a selection of sounds which will ensure continued stimulation and interest for the child.
From an early age children should be encouraged to be involved in the selection of their toys. Any good toy shop should allow you to try out the toys with your child and enable you to gauge your child’s reaction to the product. Toy shops should also offer advice on suitable products for you to try based on experience and recommendations and advice on safety aspects as well.
Playtime should be all about fun for your child and for you so encourage playtime whenever you both feel it is appropriate. Do not force children to play or push them to play games that may be too difficult for them or if they are just not in the mood! Also remember that children also need to know how to play on their own, especially to develop imaginative play. Always allow them some playtime alone to create their own games and learn to enjoy their own company. Do not feel guilty about leaving your child to play alone (supervised of course) as you will see the benefit of this as your child grows up.
Hammer it, bang it, screw it, turn it, fix it, build it….done! Everything you need to get the job done is included in this beautifully wooden carry along toolbox complete with tools. No assembly required, all fixings provided.
Size 185×290x180mm
Ethically produced and made using replenishable rubber wood
Comprising of 6 rooms on 3 storeys, this picturesque wooden dolls’ house is spacious enough for any sized family of dolls. The front fully opens, including the roof and can be extended by adding a basement unit. This wonderful Georgian style house just needs a little imagination to bring this miniature world to life. Assembly required, all fixings provided.
inable forests. They won’t require batteries and should you choose to throw them away (but why would you ever) they are almost entirely 100% recyclable. If you look hard enough you can also find 
or with natural dyes, contain no additional man made parts, fixings or accessories. They are simply 100% natural. With the best will in the world this is not always an achievable and some wooden toys will be painted (safely) and contain other fixings or parts that are manmade, but this will always be kept to a minimum. Conversely mainstream toys are made from plastics and metals that involve many harmful chemicals in their production processes.
independent retailers who possess not only the skills and knowledge to advise you on choosing a great gift but take great pride in providing great customer service and make the parting with your cash just that little more enjoyable. I know that in 
play.
toys and an opportunity to experience varied playtime are more likely to be challenged and stimulated. Studies have found that they reach higher levels of intellectual development, socialisation and emotional development regardless of their sex, race or social class.
and interest for the child.
if they want.
Wooden Toy Box from PinToy
