Skip to content

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Wooden Toys VS Plastic Toys (2021)

  • by
Wooden Toys vs Plastic Toys

Are you shopping for Wooden and Plastic Toys but you do not know which type you should choose, especially in the safety department? This post will compare both types to help you choose which type is best for you. Let’s begin.

Advantages of Wooden Toys

Hard Wearing / Durability

The fact that Traditional and Sustainable Wooden toys are less likely to be mass produced as compared to Plastic Toys, more proper care is usually taken by the Skilled Craftsmen to ensure that the finished product is of a high standard (without defects). For this reason, you’ll often find that wooden toys last longer than their plastic equivalents. You can also consider the extra benefit of enjoying the cash savings by passing these wooden toys to your next child.

Environmentally Friendly

When you buy toys that’s made completely out of wood, you know that toxic ingredients weren’t part of the ingredients that’s being used to create them. Not only is this better for the environment (they do not require batteries or software and if they do break it is safe for landfills and will break down without hazard toxins), but it’s also better for the health of your child if they tend to suck on their toys.

Boost Imagination

Although electronic kids toys have their benefits, child experts have stated that more traditional toys, such as wooden baby toys, have an essential role to play in a child’s development. Not only do they help to encourage imagination where the toys are designed to be more simple, they also help to increase attention spans without the use of fancy electronics.

Easy To Maintain

Wooden toys are usually quite simple in its physical nature, with a few flat surfaces that can easily be wiped down as and when you need to. Although plastic can be wiped but cheap plastic will often lose its appearance or shape with long duration of playing.

Relatively Cheaper Over Time

Although you may find some plastic toys to be cheap, they often don’t last long. Wooden toys are relatively cheap compared to more complicated alternatives, and the product you’ll receive is good value because they’re hard wearing – even with the handling that some babies will put them through – meaning that their value is increased over the long lifetime of the product.

Educational

Even the simplest wooden baby toys can be more educational than those toys that claimed to be the best in this area. For example, wooden blocks, or slot-in puzzle shapes, can actually help to develop hand eye coordination, problem solving and more. Your child really doesn’t need complicated electronics to learn these vital skills.

Natural

There’s something to be said about giving your baby something natural. Not only is it healthier and more environmentally friendly (as mentioned above), but it has a connection to something in the natural world – a tree. Your little one will feel this as they touch and smell the wooden baby toys.

[Click Here To Shop For Wooden Toys On Walmart, Wooden Toys On TheToyShop, Wooden Toys On FatBrainToys]

Self-Correcting Number Puzzles - Wooden Toys

Self-Correcting Number Puzzles

Fat Brain Toys, $15.95 (Correct as of 23 August 2021)

  • High-quality wood materials and construction – Lasting durability
  • Set of 20 two-piece puzzles for matching numbers with amounts
  • Encourages fine motor skills, number skills, counting skills
What Time Is It? Glow-In-The-Dark Clock Puzzle (Wooden Toys)

What Time Is It? Glow-In-The-Dark Clock Puzzle

Fat Brain Toys, $12.95 (Correct as of 23 August 2021)

  • Wooden clock that teaches shapes, colors, numbers, time – Numbers glow in the dark
  • High quality wood for lasting durability, exceptional learning experience

Disadvantages of Wooden Toys

Cost More Upfront

The increased cost of production (e.g. wood from sustainable sources, safe adhesives, paintings) often means a higher retail price for Wooden Toys as compared to Plastic Toys. Parents tend to buy a lot at the initial stage to pamper the child, so the upfront cost can be high.

Contains Small Parts / Injury

Wooden toys tends to be harder than plastic toys which might make it easier for children to hurt themselves or others if they are not careful. Chewing wooden toys can also lead to splinters in a child’s mouth or swallowing of small pieces of wood. However, if you purchase wisely, these should not be any concerns because almost all wooden toys have been designed with safety in mind.

Mold

Wooden toys may start to grow mold after exposure to long durations of moisture and inadequate ventilation. They can be removed with a mixture of water and vinegar. Additionally, make sure that all wooden toys are dry before and after playing. You can also teach your older kid on how to clean their toys.

Fading Colors / Scratches

Wooden Toys are often coated with some kind of safe paint or oil to make them look better. As a result, over time, the wooden toy will lose its true color and will probably have a couple of scratch marks. This does not mean that the toy is no longer safe to play but rather your child may find more interest in another toy. But, as a parent, you may take this chance to get some safe paints and engage your child in re-painting the toys together using their imagination.

Advantages of Plastic Toys

Relatively Cheaper

One of the good things about Plastic Toys is that they are often less expensive than wooden toys, making them a great option for those unable to afford different types of toys.

Easier To Maintain

Plastic toys are also washable therefore it is easier for you to disinfect and keep clean if you have children who like to direct toys to their mouth. They are also less likely to break so you don’t have to worry about your child breaking them accidentally.

Realistic, Functional and Detailed

Plastic toys can be made to resemble real-life objects in every detail (e.g. cars, trains, action figures). Imagine a small toy that fits in the palm of your hand that not only lights up, but changes colors, emits sounds, and beeps. Plastic toys are a fun experience for children.

Safer Materials

In a world of complicated toxicity, it is almost becoming impossible to navigate the sea of chemicals out there. But we can take a small amount of solace in the fact that at least our plastic toys are becoming safer. Most plastic toys have also become PVC- and BPA-Free in the recent years due to improved safety standards thus making them safe for kids.

[Click Here To Shop For Plastic Toys On Walmart, Plastic Toys On FatBrainToys]

My First Green Toys - Tugboat (Plastic Toys)

My First Green Toys – Tugboat

Fat Brain Toys, $14.95 (Correct as of 23 August 2021)

  • Made of 100% recycled milk jugs – Saves energy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions
  • No BPA, phthalates, or PVC – Meets FDA food contact standards
  • Toy tugboat with handle and spout for pouring water
  • Encourages gross motor skills, cause-effect learning, imaginative play
Fisher-Price Baby's First Blocks with Storage Bucket (Plastic Toys)

Fisher-Price Baby’s First Blocks with Storage Bucket

Walmart, $7.88 (Correct as of 23 August 2021)

  • 10 colorful plastic blocks to sort, stack and drop
  • Introduces baby to colors and shapes

Disadvantages of Plastic Toys

Sharp Parts / Injuries

Poorly-made Plastic toys can be extremely dangerous to children during playtime if they snap, as plastics can be sharp. In addition, the small pieces in these toys can be swallowed by children and may cause internal injuries.

Slower Development

Sometimes, playing with plastic toys that light up, talk or play music can entertain your child while you are busy. But these types of toys may not help in their development. Children need to be curious and interact with real things. Children develop their brains by interacting with and exploring objects around them.

Not Environmentally Friendly

Most plastic toys still do not degrade easily and are not recyclable as well. In long run, these are bad for the environment. Consider helping the environment by finding a toy that is made of biodegradable plastics or looking after your toy well.

Chances Of Mildly Toxic

You may not be 100% sure that the plastic toys that you have just bought (especially those from unreliable sources) or are given are really PVC- and BPA-Free.

There’s No Right And Wrong In Choosing Either Type Of Toys

At the end of the day, there’s actually no right or wrong in choosing a wooden or a plastic toy for your child. The best choice that you can make for your child is to select toys that you can afford and that are the safest for your child at his or her appropriate age. As your children get older, more choices also become available. Just be careful and always read what the toys are made of regardless if it’s made of wood or plastic.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.