Wooden Toy and Simplicity

What is it about wooden toys that makes them such an attractive option to me? Like natural fibers (cotton diapers, wool booties, and tiny knitted sweaters), wooden toys have "staying power, lasting through a family of children". They're also generally a safer choice for babies, and their enthusiastic puppies, both of whom like to chew, because "there are no toxins to leech out, no toxic paint, or sealant residues" in a well-made wooden toy, whereas "it is known that some of our children's plastic toys contain toxic chemicals..that may cause permanent damage".*



For the most part, we are trying to avoid giving Yarrow too many plastics. We've found an abundance of wooden toys for her to enjoy, as well as some cozy cotton toys, like her Teething Frog, and her musical Squirrel. There are a few plastics around, like her "keys" (a chain of plastic links), but we try to limit them. The point is not to deny Yarrow toys to enjoy, but to avoid falling into excess, which so often results in too many things of questionable value. We don't want to bury her in wood and cotton toys either, ideally, we would like her to have nice, clean toys to love, and the ability to enjoy them.



*Greene, Dr. Alan. Raising Baby Green