Wooden toys have been making a comeback in recent years and are taking up more and more space in children's toy boxes. No need to tell you that we at Petit Menhir are convinced! But what are the real advantages of wooden toys over plastic ones? From aesthetics to durability and timelessness, as well as a soothing play atmosphere and educational benefits, we tell you everything in this article.

Wooden toys are aesthetically pleasing

Let's face it, most wooden toys are much more visually appealing than plastic ones. With their superior appearance, wooden toys can even become real decorative accessories and find a prominent place in the parents' living room rather than in the children's room.

Here is what Jean-Christophe had to say about the Petit Menhir wooden educational game: "A game for children and adults! I transformed mine into a colourful decoration, which got a lot of attention. I'm thinking of buying another box for my office". We are delighted to see that we are not the only ones who consider the Petit Menhir wooden building set to be a decorative object of its own!

Wooden toys develop the senses

Wooden toys do not contain electronic elements that tell children what to do or strict rules, nor are they designed for one specific activity. Instead, wooden games are generally based on the principle of free play and will encourage children to create their own rules. As children manipulate wooden pieces of different shapes and colors, they instinctively develop their reasoning skills and constantly invent new rules.

For example, children can choose to arrange the wooden pieces by colour or size, as we heard from several early childhood teachers. We have also been particularly impressed by the imagination of some children who imagine the Petit Menhir wooden pieces as food when playing grocery games. Imagination really has no limits!

Among the many senses or faculties that wooden toys help to develop, we can also mention the following:

• Reasoning skills
• Problem solving
• Hand-eye coordination
• Fine motor skills
• Imagination skills

Wooden toys are strong and durable

Wooden toys and games are generally much stronger than plastic toys, and are more resistant to breakage and handling by children. Wooden toys therefore have a much longer life span than plastic toys, and can even be passed on from generation to generation.

However, be careful to check the quality of the wood used for your children's toys and, above all, favor solid wood over chipboard, which can be dangerous for children (in terms of volatility, for example).

This aspect is very important to us, and we would like to point out that all Petit Menhir wooden pieces are made from natural beechwood from forests with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) label. In addition, our wooden building blocks comply with current European standards and regulations, including Directive 2009/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 on the safety of toys.

Wooden toys are safe

Most wooden toys do not break easily, unlike those made from petroleum products such as plastic. This means that children will not be exposed to sharp edges or parts that have come loose and can be swallowed.

The other materials used, such as paint for example, are also non-toxic and this means that children can handle them safely, even for little ones who have the reflex to put them in their mouths. The Petit Menhir handling parts are coated with water-based paint that is guaranteed to be non-toxic and safe for children.

Wooden toys promote a calm play atmosphere

Wooden toys are perfect for providing your children with quiet play time, away from screens and electronic noise and away from the noise of clashing plastic parts.

The soft and calm aspect of the wooden game Petit Menhir was confirmed by Marie-Claire, a graphic therapist in Toulon, when she told us that "It is one of the games that often comes back because children like it because of the imaginary world that can be unfolded around it, and because of its soothing and joyful colors, its light and soft wood that does not cause shocks or loud noises like the plastic pieces of some construction games... This is an asset because in the practice some children have sensory hypersensitivities.". Read our article on Marie-Claire's activity here!

With the wooden games, parents can find the calm they so badly need during the day, especially lately since teleworking is more and more present in the household. Parents can let their children enjoy themselves in peace and quiet and be lulled by their laughter rather than constantly being disturbed by the artificial noise caused by plastic toys and electronic games!

So, are you as convinced as we are of the many advantages of wooden toys and games?