Wooden Toys from IKEA

 

Before Tate's arrival, Henry and I took a trip to IKEA to purchase some fabric to make a new bed for Hoss. His old one finally bit the dust after five years.

 

I struggle to walk through stores like IKEA and Target without finding things that I suddenly "need," even though they weren't on my original list. That's why I try to avoid shopping as much as possible!

 

However, I love the two toys we bought and wanted to share them with you.

 

First, I bought Henry a train set. There were four different boxes with various pieces (for about $10 each), so we bought all four. Together, they create a varied and comprehensive set. It includes pieces to make bridges, straight pieces, curved pieces, tunnels, and forked pieces. I love that the toy gets constructed in new ways every time and that the variations are seemingly endless! Sometimes we make small loops of a track and other times we twist it all around the living room. I also love the "control of error" that is inherent in the toy. In other words, it's very easy for Henry to tell when he's made a mistake and when he's corrected the mistake. For example, most of the pieces only have tracks on one side. If he sets it up the wrong way, the train won't lock into the track and he knows to flip it over. Also, there are very specific ways that the pieces connect to each other, so he knows to try a different piece it they aren't lining up.

 

Also, the train cars are magnetic, so some ends repel each other, while the opposite ends attract. Henry has to use problem-solving to figure out how to get the trains to connect.

 

Further, it's a toy that requires care and attention. Henry has to manually push the train around the track and it will sometimes slip off. He has to pay attention to when that happens and then fix it.

 

Further, I love that it's a "big" toy that breaks down into small pieces that fit within a basket on the shelf. It helps our house feel organized rather than cluttered and chaotic. Plus, I find the wood material and the colors simply beautiful.

 

It's definitely a big hit around our house! Not only does he enjoy it, he also learns a ton from playing with it. He learns patience and delayed gratification as he constructs the tracks. He learns persistence and problem-solving when he encounters glitches that need to be solved. He internalizes pride and self-confidence when he successfully sets up and plays with this toy.

 

According to Montessori theory, children essentially construct their personalities in the first six years of life. It feels good to provide Henry with experiences that will have a positive impact on his development!

 

The other toy we purchased was for Tate. For something like $8, we got a simple wooden bead toy. It will look beautiful on the shelf of his nursery (when we finally move and get it set up for him), and it will provide good incentive for him to learn to pull up and sit up.

 

If you're interested, here's a link to all of IKEA's current wooden toys...

Share |