amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

~Meeshi~ · 08-25-2002, 02:03 PM

I was wondering if you could let us in on the reasoning behind this??

We love wooden and cloth toys, but we also have some plastic ones as well....

I would really love to hear your thoughts on the matter...

Thanks!!

bunnymom22405 · 08-25-2002, 02:17 PM

I think perhaps some of the mamas are concerned about the phthylates (sp?) in the plastic leaching out?

Other mamas may just want to be "plastic free" for the principle of it

I prefer to look at the toy itself - is it a toy that encourages imaginative play? If so, then it's probably in our toy box regardless.

I do have to share how upset I was the other night at Victoria's birthday party. Her godmother (who nursed 3 little ones) actually gave her, among other nice things, a set of plastic baby bottles & told her she could use them to feed her babydolls. Sigh... she KNOWS I don't like bottles (even though I had to use them with my first two kids when they were being supplemented). I have gone out of my way to try to encourage play that does not include disposable diapers, baby bottles, pacifiers, etc. & instead have child size slings, no cribs (so babydolls can co-sleep - LOL), cloth diapers, etc.. Thanks for letting me get that out!!

~Meeshi~ · 08-25-2002, 02:31 PM

We've got wooden shape sorting barns and playsilks right next to plastic stacking cups and a rubber ducky... I'd love to have the extra cash to buy more *natural* type toys, but a lot of our stuff is second hand (read: recycled! *lol*)...

But, I don't like bleeping, flashing toys much at all. The only battery operated thing in the toypile is Nico's power-drill!

I had never heard of anything leaking out of plastic toys though. That's kind of scary, huh?? Anyone have more info on this??

arasmama · 08-25-2002, 02:50 PM

We don't have plastic toys. Well, we do have some shovels outside and a set of legos that we keep on the back porch. I don't like the off gassing or toxins in plastics. We try to keep our home as plastic free as possible, not just toys. I don't want my kids chewing on them when they are babies, so we definitely don't have any plastic baby toys. They don't really play with the legos, those are on their way to goodwill. I also just don't like the look or feel of them. I think I would be called a wooden toy snob.

The best way to offset the cost of natural toys is to not have tons of toys. My kids have plenty to play with but I think they have much less than the average kid. They don't have a bedroom or playroom, so all their toys are in the living area (we have a living room/sewing area/dining room/kitchen combo, the whole downstairs is one room) so it sure looks like they have lots of stuff.

kimberlee · 08-25-2002, 03:20 PM

We try to be platic toy free, but it isn't easy

Other people buy them for my kids. I also have some toys from when Marina was younger and I wasn't as educated. Unfortunantly My boys love their fischer price garage thing...so I can't get rid of it.

I don't like plastic because of the toxins and I just don't like the idea of plastic that much.

I agree that the way to keep the price down is to just not have as many toys.

mimmy · 08-25-2002, 03:30 PM

Little children are just learning about the world - they are so impressionable. They are little sponges and take in everything - physically and spiritually. I would rather have them holding/experiencing natural things than artificial things. A plastic brick has no "life force" (or whatever you'd like to call it) - a tree does. Try it yourself - get a groovy rock and a lego and hold one in each hand. Which would you rather hold?

And, many (not all) wood toys are so beautiful - I like the things that ds plays with to be aesthetically pleasing. That said, we do have some plastic toys, although I give away most of the plastic toys that relatives buy the kids. Conversly, I think that some wooden toys are no better than their plastic counterparts - and some plastic toys can be okay.

I feel that what is most important is the environment that you create for your children. A healthy play environment can take many forms and is unique to the needs and beliefs of the family.

JennyC · 08-25-2002, 03:53 PM

Well, there are lots of reasons - what Allison said is true for us too. I *try* to keep as plastic-free home as I can. It ain't easy, but I try. We saw a documentary about chemicals in everyday life on PBS and in it, they showed people whose finger bones had been disolved from the tips inward from making poly-vinyl-chloride - PVC. What are most plastic toys made from? PVC plastic. When hard, it is supposedly inert, but I don't want to chew on it and I don't want my kids chewing on it either.
As far as the expense, most of Eli's wood toys are second hand. I bought some off e-bay (got very lucky and got a lot for like $9) and most of the rest came from Goodwill. And then, he just has fewer toys, but he's not lacking anything either. Last year, I just told everyone, "Please no plastic toys." and even encouraged some relatives NOT to bring pesents at birthday and holidays because, like we always tell Eli, "People are gifts in and of themselves." Of course then he'd say, "Did you bring me a present or are you it?" LOL Oh well...we try.
Now, people have forgotten my request and he got a few plastic things for his birthday. But, plastic breaks so easily, I'm sure they won't last long. Eli even says, "Can I have my real helicopter instead of this yucky plastic one?" And we've taught him that his wooden toys will last and not break very easily, but cheaper plastic ones will break and have to be thrown away.
Some people think we're depriving Eli from the bright-flashing-lights and loud clanging noises that come along with lots of plastic toys, but oh well...that's just how it goes.
We do have plastic toys outside - sandbox is plastic (couldn't decide which was worse - treated lumber or plastic) and his shovels are plastic.
HTH some!

Oh and I really like the Waldorf notion of only giving children things made of natural substances as toys as well.

J3 · 08-25-2002, 04:13 PM

I won't repeat what's already been said but here is a thread you might find helpful about alternatives for tub and beach. http://www.amitymama.com/vb/showthre...&highlight=tub

mikaylasmama · 08-25-2002, 05:02 PM

definitely no infant plastic toys beacause babies chew on them and i'm terrified of stuff leaching out of them. I also don't like that plastic off gases. We try to avoid plastic in general at our house too so if there is an alternative we use it instead. Our family and friends know that we will not accept plastic toys. I make a lot of our toys so it isn't so expensive to have all natural toys.

08-25-2002, 05:21 PM

I am trying to do away with all plastic toys in the house. It's really difficult to get rid of ALL plastic, (Im typing on a plastic keyboard right now) and my sewing machines are plastic cased, etc.. but for toys, the more research I do the more I realize how important this is. I guess my reasons are because asthetically, I prefer the look of wood. And creatively, I think it's more inspiring to have a bunch of blocks than some lights and bells plastic contraption. I did'nt always feel this way, Ive been progressing. I actually had a FP Whirling Twirling Garden

and my third reason is that I don't like the idea of the non-renewable resources that are wasted to produce plastic toys (or plastic anything).

As for getting good prices on wood toys, there are many ways. Stores like TJMaxx or Marshalls have great deals on brands like Plan Toys. But I also follow the quality not quantity mindset. I think a few really good natural toys are a lot better than a lot of cheap plastic. There was a place online, ABC Distributing I think, that had some good deals on wooden toys. I'll see if I can dig out the link. They had some really adorable stuff and for less than 100$ you could get enuogh to replace all the plastic. I havent bought from them since we are definately at maximum capacity here. Anyway, just tossing my 2cents out

freedomlover · 08-25-2002, 06:47 PM

some Brio train stuff leftover from my older kids, some wood puzzles various size balls, a pop pop pop push toy (some plastic in it.....got it because he was in love with another child's one he saw) and a lot of books.

Mostly he makes his own toys out of various things he finds around the house and so this is why we are rather plastic toy free.........just happened that way.

marchroses · 08-25-2002, 07:07 PM

about phylalates sp?? on www.toymobile.com. I think she has a link to it under her company info page .... I know I have seen other wood toy companies provide links as well but since Sue is a friend hers is on the top of my mind...

Jenn

Adria · 08-26-2002, 01:18 AM

http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/...sp?Main_ID=138

arasmama · 08-26-2002, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gabrielbaby
I am trying to do away with all plastic toys in the house. It's really difficult to get rid of ALL plastic, (Im typing on a plastic keyboard right now) and my sewing machines are plastic cased, etc..

Yes! This is why I try to eliminate any plastics that I can. There is no way to avoid them altogether (well, I guess you could but you would have to get rid of most of your home) so I try to avoid any I can. We don't NEED plastic toys, so plastic toys aren't welcome here. We don't NEED plastic storage containers, so they aren't welcome here either, etc. If I can find a glass or metal alternative, I use that.

My other issue with plastic is that it is so stinking bad for the environment. The manufacturing of it pollutes, 99% of it is not recyclable and it doesn't decompose. I try to eliminate as much as possible.

Wendydagny · 08-26-2002, 12:50 PM

Out of curiosity, what do all the anti-plastic mamas have their toddlers drink from (besides breasts

)? I couldn't imagine giving even my three-year old a glass to drink from, so what alternatives are there?