A Short History Of Wooden Toys

Toys are important as they help children to learn explore the world around them. Toys and play are used to help learn cause and effect and to practice the skills that they will need as adults.

The first toys were made out of natural materials such as wood, stone and grass. Archaeologists have discovered wooden pull toys from Egypt from as far back as 4000 years ago. Ancient toys were mainly made by the family of the children who used them, or by the children themselves. Children in ancient Greece played with wooden spinning tops, hoops and rocking horses. Girls are recorded as offering their toys to the gods as a rite of passage into adulthood.

The children of ancient Rome played with carved wooden horses and chariots, wooden dolls and hoops. Wooden puppets have entertained and remained popular since the Middle Ages. They were used in street shows by ventriloquists. The most famous wooden puppet comes from the story of Pinnocchio. In the sixteenth century children still liked to play with their wooden dolls. The dolls commonly available were known as Bartholomew babies as they were sold at St Batholomew's fair, London.

In 1760, the first (wooden) puzzle was created by John Spilsbury, a mapmaker, who glued one of his maps to a thin wooden board and cut it into pieces, initially as an idea to teach geography. Before the twentieth century children didn't have many toys and the ones they did have were very precious to them. Poorer children had no choice but to make their toys. The Industrial Revolution allowed toys to be manufactured in bulk and because of this they also became cheaper.

New materials were available to toy manufacturers and plastic toys flooded the market.

Wooden toys endure though because they are made from natural materials. Skilled workmanship on handmade toys make each piece unique. Even mass produced wooden toys have a natural beauty, smell and texture that makes them special, and the grain of the wood adds to their beauty. Wood is also a naturally germ-free material, therefore safe for teething babies to put in their mouths. Todays houses are full of wood, from oak flooring to cedar cladding but theres still something for the children too because wooden toys are as popular today as they ever were. If you want an eco friendly toy that will help your child discover new things, try a wooden toy.

About the Author:
Wood is fantastic for toys but also for elsewhere in the home. For wide oak flooring and timber cladding for the home (including cedar cladding), try Vastern Timber.

Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com

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