Design for Play explores children’s puzzles and development through play.

Puzzle play encourages children to learn to match shapes and recognize size. This wood puzzle has sturdy rounded pieces and the different wood textures stimulate tactile perception, making it a quality developmental toy.

Development through Play

Puzzles support development of problem solving abilities. Putting together a children’s puzzle requires flexible thinking and determination. Wooden Puzzle play encourages development of fine motor skills. The benefits of puzzle play are astounding!

  1. Cognitive skills: Puzzles improve a child’s problem solving and reasoning skills. It helps them to see whole-part relationships, increases their visual spacial awareness and depending on the subject matter can teach them a variety of topics like the Alphabet, Numbers, Color recognition, shape recognition, categories like pets or transportation vehicles, and more.
  2. Fine motor skills: Puzzles are fun way to improve fine motor skills. From the time a baby can start eating solid food parents give their children cheerios to help a child with their pincher grasp. Fine motor manipulation is key for writing but children start learning this skill long before they can hold a crayon or a pencil. Various types of puzzles like peg puzzles and chunky can help teach little ones to pick up and grasp pieces and they aid in the development of the pincher grasp.
  3. Hand-eye coordination: As a child places each piece in the puzzle they are manipulating it so see if it fits. Their hand eye coordination is enhanced through this trial and error process.
  4. Social skills: Puzzles can be done alone but are also a great tool for fostering cooperative play. As kids ask for a piece to be passed to them, or discuss where a piece should go they are sharing the task and learning to cooperate. It can also help a child learn how to handle frustration when a piece does not fit.

Every Design for Play wood toy is crafted with no paints, stains or dyes. The natural wood creates the stunning colors and visual contrasts. When you are looking for children’s puzzles, choose wooden puzzles.  Design for Play is a Portand OR wood toy supplier.

For more information please visit our site at http://designforplay.com

 

Design for Play wood toys provide development through play

Design for Play’s wooden toy car set is the perfect choice if you are looking for handmade wooden toys to encourage pretend play.

This is the perfect set for little ones fascinated with vehicles, and aren’t they all? The set has five cars and five trucks including an ambulance, a taxi, dump truck, crane and more. Road accessories include street signs, ramp and traffic gate.

All Design for Play toys are crafted with no paints, stains or dyes. The natural wood creates the stunning colors and visual contrasts.  This toy stimulates creative thinking as children develop all sorts of scenarios with their cars and trucks on the move.

Design for Play, Portland, OR wood toys provides quality developmental toys. The best choice for natural baby toys and toddler toys.

For more information please visit our site at http://www.designforplay.com

 

Design for Play wood toys conform to highest standards of toy safety

Design for Play supplies non-toxic toys for children. We are a Seattle, WA wood toy supplier.

Since December is such a popular month for gift-buying, it only makes sense that it has been named the official Safe Toys and Gifts Month. With Hanukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa all jammed into this month, consumers will spend millions upon millions of dollars for their loved ones. Often times, people get so caught up in gift buying that they don’t stop to consider if the gifts they’re purchasing are safe for children. For the full article click here.

To ensure that the gifts you purchase are safe for children, the National Safe Kids Campaign has released the following guidelines:

  • When selecting toys, consider the child’s age, interests and skill level. Look for quality design and construction, and follow age and safety recommendations on labels.
  • Consider purchasing a small parts tester to determine whether small toys may present a choking hazard to children under age 3. Small parts testers can be purchased at toy or baby specialty stores.
  • Toys are frequently recalled for safety reasons. Check the National Safe Kids Campaign website http://www.safekids.org/ for updates and information on recent toy recalls.
  • Avoid toys with sharp points or edges, toys that produce loud noises, and projectiles (such as darts)
  • Avoid toys with strings, straps or cords longer than 7 inches that may pose a risk for strangulation for young children.

Design for Play conforms to the highest standards of toy safety.  Choose from our many wood toys including wooden rattles, wooden carschildrens wooden puzzles and heirloom blocks.

For more information please visit our site at http://www.designforplay.com/

 

Design for Play wood toys inspire imagination!

breakfast-chefDesign for Play, Seattle wood toys loves this wooden kitchen play set and they aren’t the only ones!

Children love this toy. They are too little to make you breakfast, but with this play set, they’ll never know! Eggs, toast and coffee for two will keep your little chef busy. The toast has magnets implanted, so the slices join together and can be “cut” apart. This set is a gorgeous way to encourage pretend play. All Design for Play toys are crafted with no paints, stains or dyes. The natural wood creates the stunning colors and visual contrasts.

Development through Play

Pretend play with everyday objects supports children’s independence and social development. They love to mimic everyday adult activities like this set encourages.

Design for Play educational preschool toys are safe toys you can trust.

For more information please visit our site at http://www.designforplay.com/

 

Design for Play Quality Children’s Wooden Blocks

heirloom-blocksDesign for Play, Seattle, WA wood toys features handcrafted children’s wooden blocks.

Design for Play Heirloom Blocks feature 68 gorgeous natural wood blocks are great for hours of creative building. Convenient wood storage box keeps the two layers of blocks in order when it’s time to put away. These are truly heirloom quality with rounded edges for safety. All Design for Play toys are crafted with no paints, stains or dyes. The natural wood creates the stunning colors and visual contrasts.

Block play is as unlimited as your child’s imagination. Design for Play Deluxe Unit blocks support childhood development throughout several stages. These blocks provide hours of entertainment and make an excellent gift. This set of 86 blocks is so beautiful, you won’t want to put them away. The two wood trays of blocks stack together when you do want to put them out of sight.

deluxe-unit-blocks

Baby Blocks are ideal first blocks for little builders. With rounded edges and gorgeous wood grain, they are both safe and attractive. Contained in its own box, this set is compact enough for simple storage.

baby-blocksDevelopment through Play

Blocks are a versatile toy for all ages. Unlimited play possibilities support creative thinking. The Heirloom Block design uses multiple types of wood inspiring creative pattern development. Unit blocks promote early understanding of math and problem solving techniques. The four types of wood inspire creative pattern development. Fine motor skills develop through block building. Baby blocks improve eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills for little ones.
Design for Play wooden toys are developmental toddler toys.

For more information please visit our site at http://www.designforplay.com/

 

NYPIRG warns against toxic toys

Design for Play is committed to providing safe toys. You can rest easy knowing our wood blocks, children’s wooden puzzles and wooden kitchen toys are 100% non-toxic toys for the child in your life.

Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on New York’s store shelves, according to Just Green and the New York Public Interest Research Group, which announced findings of a new report last week at the University at Albany.

The announcement coincided with the release of NYPIRG’s 24th annual report titled “Trouble in Toyland” and new research by the Ecology Center.

Despite public outrage and new consumer protections to restrict lead and phthalates in children’s products, the Ecology Center’s latest research of popular children’s toys and apparel still found lead, cadmium, mercury, bromine, chlorine, arsenic and other harmful substances on store shelves.

“It’s good news that lead levels are dropping, but alarming to see other toxic chemicals being used,” said Bobbi Chase Wilding, organizing director of Clean New York. “The problem of toxic chemicals in products is more widespread than just lead. Since 1976, only 200 chemicals out of the 80,000 on the market have been fully tested for health and safety. Clearly, our current laws are failing us. We’re calling on policymakers at all levels of government to reform our outdated laws.”

The 2009 report and the interactive Web site focus on three categories of toy hazards: choking hazards, excessively loud toys and toys with toxic chemicals.

NYPIRG and Just Green said some progress has been made on toy safety in the past year, thanks to a new law overhauling the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

In fact, according to the most recent data from the CPSC, toy-related injuries sent more than 82,000 children under the age of 5 to emergency rooms in 2008. Nineteen children died from toy-related injuries that year.

The findings of this year’s “Trouble in Toyland,” report and in the research by the Ecology Center, includes the following:

Despite a ban on small parts in toys for children under 3, there are still toys available that pose serious choking hazards. Between 1990 and 2008, at least 196 children died after choking. Three died in 2008.

Some toys tested exceeded the 85 decibel sound level, which is the volume threshold established under American Society for Testing and Materials standards. Almost 15 percent of children aged 6 to 17 show signs of hearing loss.

Earlier this year, toys with phthalate concentrations greater than 0.1 percent were banned. Still, this year’s research found children’s products that contained concentrations of phthalates greater than the banned amount.

This year’s research found lead-laced toys on store shelves. Lead has negative health effects on nearly every organ and system in the human body. For the full article click here.

Design for Play, Chicago wood toys, sells only safe, non-toxic toys. When you are shopping for wooden gifts and wooden toys this holiday season choose Design for Play traditional wood toys.

For more information please visit our site at http://www.designforplay.com/

 

Safe, Non-Toxic Wood Toys for the Holidays

fishbowl-puzzleAt Design for Play, Seattle wood toys, we are parents too – so safety is always top priority. All of our wooden toys are made entirely of unpainted, unstained, smooth, non-toxic wood with a linseed oil finish. We stand by our commitment to providing safe non-toxic toys.

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)  –For parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, ‘tis the season to go toy shopping. With the economy keeping many families on tight budgets, consumers are looking for the perfect toys and games that offer the children in their lives the most safe and fun play value.

“The right toy – one that is age appropriate, properly designed and manufactured, and matches the interests of the child – will provide hours of fun and safe play,” explains Joan Lawrence, vice president of safety at the Toy Industry Association and a mother of three young children herself. She advises all shoppers to keep safety top of mind when selecting toys this holiday season and throughout the year.

Reports from the federal government’s U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and consumer groups such as the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and Consumers Union agree that toys on the shelf this holiday season are safer than they have ever been.

However, the Toy Industry Association (TIA) ­ the not-for-profit trade association representing more than 500 companies whose products comprise approximately 85% of domestic toy sales ­ is concerned that aspects of reports issued recently by certain NGOs contain errors (e.g. PIRG’s 2009 “Trouble in Toyland” report incorrectly identified the manufacturer of one of the 16 products identified) and misrepresentations of facts that can needlessly frighten parents (e.g., allegations that toys with sound cause hearing loss in children and test reports that differ significantly from those produced by other labs).

“Protecting the safety of children is a shared responsibility,” said Lawrence. “The U.S. toy industry adheres to safety standards and regulations that are among the most stringent in the world. Parents and caregivers play a key role in the ‘toy safety partnership’ by selecting the appropriate toy for their child (i.e., checking the recommended age level on a toy package and matching that to the age – and interests – of the child), supervising play, and keeping younger children away from older children’s toys.”

Design for Play traditional wooden toys provide hours of quality entertainment for your child. All of our wood toys are developmental toddler toys and educational preschool toys. When you are shopping for wooden gifts this holiday season you can trust Design for Play wood toys.

For more information please visit our site at http://www.designforplay.com/

 

Design for Play is committed to providing eco-friendly toys.

Design for Play offers the safe wood toys you are searching for. All Design for Play wooden toys are BPA-free toys that are safe for your little ones.

All Design for Play toys are CE Certified, which means they conform to the highest international standards of toy safety as required by the European Union. Design for Play applauds and conforms to the July 2008 US legislation which established higher standards for toy safety in the USA.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents to avoid the following features in toys:

Avoid Design for Play toys Safe
Painted toys The rich colors in our toys come from the natural wood. We use no paint and no stains. Toys are treated with all natural linseed oil for a safe finish.
Toys with toxic materials No PVC plastic. No vinyl. No lead paint. No phthalates.
Sharp edges Smooth edges on all toys.
Small toys Toys are not small and have secure parts.
Breakable toys Toys are made from durable solid wood and risk of breaking is minimal.
Toys with cords that pose a danger of strangulation No long cords or cords with beads.
Toys with strong magnets Some Design for Play toys come with weak magnets that hold parts together. The magnets are embedded in the wood within toys that are too large to be swallowed. The magnets in our toys have been tested in an independent lab and do not contain lead.
Toys with small parts or loosely secured parts Toys are cleverly built of all wood with secure moving parts.
Other dangerous features No nails, pins, wires, or pinching parts. No electric toys.

At Design for Play, we value safe toys and ethical production.

Be careful! Many wood toys being sold in the USA are coated with harmful finishes and glazes which are not considered safe. Since 2007, more than 100 toy lines were recalled due to lead safety standard violations, adding up to millions of toys throughout the USA. These have included toys made in China and the USA.

Our toys are a solution to the problem of unsafe toys. Each Design for Play toy is hand crafted in China from safe woods and linseed oil. Our toys have no paint, no stains and no toxins.

While many of the toys recalled in 2007 were from China, our toys are the safest available in the USA. We do not use chemicals, pesticides, or any type of unnatural materials in our workshop production. Our toys are wood and linseed oil. That’s it!

National Geographic’s “Green Guide” recommends buying all natural solid wood toys like the ones we provide. “In terms of children’s health, an unfinished solid wood toy is completely harmless! Natural oil finishes such as linseed and walnut oil are safest.”

Design for Play, New York wood toys, are the eco-friendly toys you are looking for this holiday season. Design for Play is committed to providing safe toys and is proud to offer children’s wooden puzzles, wooden blocks, wood kitchen playsets and wood cars that will stimulate your child’s imagination and creativity!

For more information please visit our site at http://www.designforplay.com/

 

Why Wooden Toys Are Better Than Plastic Toys For Children

puppy-and-pony

Design for Play is proud to supply high-quality toys including children’s wooden puzzles, wooden kitchen play sets, jigsaw puzzles, wooden rattles and wooden rolling toys.

When it comes to your children, nothing’s too good for them, although some things are certainly too good to be true. These days, literally well over 99 percent of the toys offered for sale to your children are made of plastic and metal. Natural wood toys are nearly non-existent. That’s sad really. They’re an important part of our heritage and culture, and chances are they’re safer than plastic toys as well.

How many times have we been told that a plastic or painted toy is safe, only to see it recalled or find out it has lead in the paint or plastic body or is unsafe for any number of other reasons? This holds especially true for very small children and babies. These little ones will be putting whatever they play with in their mouths, and plastics, painted toys and metals probably aren’t high on the list of things you want in your baby’s mouth.

If we are considering the environment and the ultimate destination for many toys (which is landfill) then wood is clearly the better material. If we are thinking about robustness and the resilience of the material to the treatment that toys receive at the hands of their owners then both materials can perform well, depending upon the toy.

When it comes to plastic toys and wooden toys, there is more of a chance that plastic toys will be purchased. However, consumers don’t seem to consider buying a wooden toy for their kid instead. In a few ways, it would be more worth the while to get.

Let’s think of a few differences between the two. Plastic toys: they can break easily and the edges could harm the little children. Wooden toys, on the other hand, are more durable. If you were to stand on a toy truck made of plastic, there is a great chance that it will break, possibly leaving sharp edges that could cut your child; and be fit only for the rubbish.

Wooden toys on the other hand encourage your kids to use their creativity, when either they make the toys themselves or play with them. Simple activities such as making cookies at their own toy kitchen, or riding a wooden Arabian horse and so on, boost a child’s creativity and visualization.

You probably wonder why parents opt to offer their children the common wooden type of toys instead of the cheaper plastic toys commonly produced in China. Many consider that having plastic toys is more practical than wooden toys because of the cost factor. Although plastic toys are cheaper compared to wooden toys, long term consideration proves that the latter is better than the former.

Wood is a natural made material which can be subjected to recycling. This means that aside from providing entertainment for your child, you can also pro actively help in preventing further degradation of the environment. Moreover, children appear to be more attached to playing with wooden toys.

Play is an essential part of a child’s learning and emotional development. Wooden toys are a sensible choice for the very young. Children’s wooden toys include toys such as miniature farm animals sets for infants and doll houses for young girls and boys. Many wooden toys are also educational toys for young school children, such as puzzles, building blocks, and more.

Wooden toys are also more durable than their plastic or metal counterparts. Thus with proper care, it is possible to make these toys last a child’s entire childhood and maybe even hand them down to their children.

Have you ever seen a child in a room full of the latest toys and found the child to be playing with old fashioned children’s wooden toys that were a big hit when you were young? What is it about this sight that is so comforting? Is it because the child’s wooden toy makes us feel nostalgic or is there something else at play here? In our world of plastic throw-away goods it is comforting to see lasting goods lasting. It is especially comforting to see goods which are felt to be worthy enough to be passed on from generation to generation. The latest gadget on the latest toy has not made traditional children’s wooden toys any less desirable to children, or even to adults for that matter.

Children’s wooden toys are toys which are made using a natural product as opposed to a product like plastic which is a product that we are trying to recycle but nevertheless remains a product which costs less to produce new than to recycle. If a child’s wooden toy is made from a sustainable forest that’s even better as it is actually helping out our troubled environment. This is only one of the reasons we feel better towards wood than towards plastic. There are also many emotional reasons why wooden toys feel better.

To touch and explore is often considered as one of the most important aspects of most educational programs that help a child develop different capabilities. Letting your kids play with wooden toys would unmistakably encourage them to learn by touching and exploring. Moreover, you could even purchase wooden toys and games specially meant to educate the kids. To read the full article, click here.

Design for Play, Chicago, IL wood toys, provides developmental and educational toddler toys for your little one. Our traditional wooden toys provide hours and years of quality entertainment and are the educational preschool toys you are searching for.

For more information visit our site at www.designforplay.com

 

Design for Play shares “Trouble In Toyland: The 23rd Annual Survey of Toy Safety”

Design for Play is serious about their commitment to selling non-toxic toys. When you are shopping for wood toys and wooden gifts this holiday season choose safe toys from Design for Play.

The recall of 45 million toys and other children’s products in 2007 and continued recalls in 2008 reminded Americans that no government agency tests toys before they are put on the shelves. Specifically, the wave of recalls focused attention on the fact that the agency charged with protecting Americans from unsafe products—the Consumer Product Safety Commission—is a little agency with a very big job to do. Congress responded by passing the first major overhaul of the CPSC since it was established during the Nixon administration, when it passed the landmark Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August 2008. In addition to expanding the agency’s budget, Congress gave the CPSC more tools to hold corporate wrongdoers accountable and speed recalls, moved toward banning toxic lead and phthalates except in trace amounts and greatly improved import surveillance.

While the new law strengthens the CPSC and contains tough new protections against toxic chemicals like lead and phthalates, these protections have not yet gone into effect. As parents and other toy givers venture into crowded malls this holiday season, they should remain vigilant about often hidden hazards posed by toys on store shelves.

The 2008 “Trouble in Toyland” report is the 23rd annual Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) survey of toy safety. This report provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards. We visited numerous toy stores and other retailers to find potentially dangerous toys and identify trends in toy safety. This year, we focused specifically on toys that contain lead and phthalates in our research. Read the full article here.

All Design for Play wood blocks, wooden rolling toys and childrens wooden puzzles are BPA-free, non-toxic toys. Seattle, WA wood toys from Design for Play.

For more information visit our site at www.designforplay.com