Montessori education is based on the idea that children should be encouraged to explore and learn through sensory experiences. This is why wooden toys are preferred over plastic toys. Wood has more texture than plastic, offering a greater sensory experience for young children. It also has beautiful veins to observe instead of just plain colors, and it offers a pleasant scent that plastic does not.
Wooden toys also allow for imaginative play and are safer than plastic toys, as they don't contain chemicals that can be found in plastic. Montessori also argued that teachers and parents should offer an orderly selection of some toys, rather than a trash can full of objects from nature. This is because it is more practical and allows children to focus on one skill at a time.However, there is no reason why children under two years old need the letters of the alphabet or numbers placed randomly on their toys. It would be better for the environment to buy second-hand plastic Montessori toys, and dispose of them responsibly (or recycle) at the end of use.
Plastic replicas of animals or vehicles can achieve more details than wooden toys and, therefore, be more realistic.At the end of the day, it is important to choose toys that fit your child's needs. If some of the toys or products are your child's favorites (or their favorites) just because they aren't technically Montessori doesn't mean they can't have a Montessori-inspired place in their home. A game kitchen serves to encourage imagination and role play, so you can't expect a toy kitchen to teach children that one day, when they grow up, they could become professional cooks because they can push the buttons in their toy kitchen.In conclusion, wooden toys are preferred for Montessori education as they allow imaginative play and encourage exploration. They're also safer than plastic toys, as they don't contain chemicals that can be found in plastic.
Wooden toys offer children a greater sensory experience than plastic, as wood has more texture and offers beautiful veins to observe instead of just plain colors. Finally, wood tends to offer a pleasant scent, while plastic does not.
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