Why Choose Natural Toys for Baby?

There is something special about simple, natural toys that have been enjoyed for generations, and choosing appropriate toys that are also safe for your baby is an important consideration for new parents. For the first three years of the life of your little one, the growth and development of your baby is rapid. An infant is growing and learning physically, mentally, and emotionally every single day. With every stimulus she is learning about her body, her family, and her world around her.

Understanding how a baby learns is important when selecting an appropriate natural toy. One of an infant’s earliest learning exercise is to learn how to grasp and manipulate objects. Part of this learning process is tactile, and a baby will learn by using both it’s hands and it’s mouth. As just about everything she touches will be put in her mouth, the safety of these objects of the utmost importance. As parents it is our responsibility to keep our little ones safe, protecting them from harm as well as toxic elements in the environment. An infant’s immune system is delicate and is only beginning to take on the incredible task of protecting their body from bacteria, poisons and other toxic materials. An organic cotton toy or all-natural wooden toy is a safe item for your baby to teethe, suck and chew on.

Why organic cotton baby toys?

Regular cotton is heavily sprayed with pesticides – a poison that is applied during the growing process. Sometimes 8-10 applications of this toxin are necessary each season, to protect the crops. Not only are these pesticides harsh on our environment, but they will also leave a residue on the finished product that inevitably ends up in our baby’s delicate body. Toys that are not created with natural materials are often dyed with toxic dyes and finished or transported with formaldehyde. Only with all-natural toys or organic cotton baby toys can you help prevent these toxic materials from being present in your little one’s world.

Wooden baby toys offer a natural, classic teething medium for a baby that is plastic-free. Choosing plastic-free baby toys is a growing trend in Canada, and rightly so. Europe and certain US cites have banned phthalates from PVC, however this is not the case with many imported baby toys found in stores today. Phthalate is a softening agent added to PVC baby toys (plastic baby toys), which can be harmful to infants and children. It’s also been found to emit harmful gasses, known as off-gassing. All of the baby toys found at Parenting By Nature are phthalate and PVC-free, to ensure the safety of the children who play with them. Choosing plastic-free toys such as teething toys made from natural materials, or wooden baby rattles help to reduce the exposure to toxic elements in our baby’s worlds.

Many parents ask us about “stimulation” from noise, motion, and lights found in many battery-operated toys today, which claim to help improve brainpower and activity. Natural wooden toys can do all this, without the negatives effects of OVER-stimulation, which we are seeing more and more in today’s generation of children. Natural wooden toys, such as HABA natural rattles, promote sensory development with satisfying, gentle sounds, eye-catching colours, and a natural and warm feel. Early motor skills and independent play is encourage with the natural interactive motion of wooden toys – a feature that does not require an endless supply of batteries or the wearing of nearby listeners ears. When an infant is engaged in play with classic toys, their senses and imagination are stimulated as much, or as little, as they require. Natural toys become treasured toys that engage a child’s mind and spark their imaginations.

Haba Wooden Toys promote sensory development with gentle natural sounds, eye-catching colours using food-grade paints, and natural interactive motion.

As our babies grow into children, they become more susceptible to advertising, peer pressure and the constant stimulation television provides. Their imaginations suffer, and the toy to be had becomes the most media-driven toy on the market. During infancy you have the greatest influence on what your little one plays with, and keeping these toys simple and as natural as can be will develop the use of their imagination, stimulate open-ended, creative play, as well as encourage interaction with their natural world.

Being both a mother and business-owner I have made it my mission to educate and advocate against our “disposable” way of living and urge parents to consider some classic, all natural toy alternatives for our most precious beings. A quality baby toy can be shared and passed down for generations to come, and will never loose its original appeal. Look for natural baby toys that are educationally appropriate, environmentally responsible, designed to last a lifetime or more, and above all, are safe for our children, families and earth. You’ll find this and more at Parenting By Nature.

Read more about the Safety of our Natural Baby Toys or browse our Natural Baby Toy Department.

Sincerely,

Tamara Champion, President
Parenting By Nature