A cup, a penny, a heart-shaped cake and a peppermint candy stick.
When my three children were small, we spent months reading through every single one Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series. One winter, it looked as though there would be no Christmas for Mary and Laura Ingalls. A storm was brewing, and to the children, there just did not seem to be anyway that Santa would be able to make it that year. To their great surprise and delight, the Ingalls’ good friend Mr. Edwards arrived and brought treasures.
These were simple gifts, to be sure, but they were welcome with such thankfulness and delight. As I look back over the many years of raising children, the gifts that had the most continue play throughout the year were the simple classic gifts.
My children had their share of plastic toys, but there is a growing concern that many of the plastic toys that small children play with are toxic. The European Union has banned the use of PVC (thermoplastic resins) in children’s toys due to health concerns. Although the United States banned the use of Phthalates (a chemical that makes plastics more flexible), toys here are still made with PVC plastics.
Electronic toys fill the holiday catalogs, but Dr. Victoria L. Dunckley M.D., author of Reset Your Child’s Brain, believes that children are “wired and tired,” and that children need a “fast”
There are alternatives to plastic and electronics. For generations, children have enjoyed toys that
- The Gift of Music: The first musical instrument an infant receives is often a rattle. As the child shakes the small beads, he is introduced the rhythm for the first time. Tambourines and bells offer a different sound to the shaking. As a child’s ability to coordinate his hands increases, a percussion instrument such as a glockenspiel or xylophone can introduce the child to tones, colors and even the alphabet when the notes are marked on the keys.
- The Gift of Building: Lincoln Logs will be celebrating their 100 year anniversary next year. These notched miniature logs were invented by the son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright and provide construction possibilities for young builders. Regular wood blocks come in various shapes and colors. Pattern blocks include rhombus and trapezoid shapes providing extra math learning opportunities. Children who like to put things together often find that the tracks and trains of a Brio set provides hours of endless creativity.
- The Gift of Imagination: A brightly colored silk scarf can become a super hero cape when a child is playing pretend. When extra characters are needed for the day’s activities, a cloth doll, sock money or teddy bear provide companionship. Puppet shows are fun and can include the whole family. Some children enjoy cutting out paper dolls. Dover Catalog provides historic paper dolls which add an element of education to the play.
- The Gift of Moving: A wood wagon or metal Red flyer wagon can become a spaceship, race car or Clipper ship depending on the imaginary needs of the day. For those with excess energy to burn, jumping rope can provide exercise and coordination practice. Small toys that are fun to watch include spinning wooden tops and a Slinky.
- The Gift of Art: One of our family’s favorite gifts was a large set of Prisma colored pencils. They were used to illustrate homemade books, make posters to decorate the walls and create handmade birthday cards for friends and relatives. For a rich, tactile experience, we drew pictures with pastel and oil chalks. Tubes of watercolor paints were a special treat and allowed us to create a different style of art.
Classic toys are good for your families’ health and good for the environment. They allow a child to imagine and create something new every day.
When you give a classic toy, you are giving the gift of unlimited possibilities.
By Debra Newby
December 1, 2016