‘Who makes your toys?”
It’s not just that some toys are being made under difficult conditions it is also about the processes that are being undertaken and the materials which are being used. Nothing is safer for your child and kinder to the environment than toys made from natural and organic materials.
]]>You've most likely heard about the UK based charity, Fashion Revolution which is shedding light on the fashion industry’s creators and the often deplorable conditions under which they work. They are doing this by asking consumers to consider ‘Who make’s your clothes?”.
“We want to unite people and organisations to work together towards radically changing the way our clothes are sourced, produced and consumed, so that our clothing is made in a safe, clean and fair way,” their website reads.
Well at Pashom we want to extend this movement by asking consumers ‘Who makes your toys?” It’s not just that some toys are being made under difficult conditions it is also about the processes that are being undertaken and the materials which are being used. Nothing is safer for your child and kinder to the environment than toys made from natural and organic materials.
Young children are heavily oriented to the senses and enjoy the texture, smell and richness of toys made from wool, cotton and wood. If they are exposed to toys made from natural materials early, they will develop a healthy standard by which to judge synthetics. Toys made from metals, plastics and PVC’s are made from a multitude of toxic chemicals including lead, mercury and phthalates and can emit substances called dioxins which can be poisonous to your children.
As synthetic toys feel smooth and look shiny they very appealing to little babies who will put them straight in their mouths. Many cheap mass produced plastic and wooden toys made in countries like China are painted with bright paints which contain lead and chip easily when played with, exposing your children to dangerous heavy metals and toxins.
The best solution to avoid exposing your child to conventional and chemical infused baby toys is to opt for handmade toys made from natural and organic fibres such as toys made from felted wool and organic cotton.
Not only are these eco-toys good for your children, but they are also good for the environment as they are 100% natural and biodegradable. Considering that trillions of toys each year are made from toxic chemicals called plastics which break easily and cannot be repaired, that’s an enormous amount of plastic going into landfill that will never break down. It’s simply not an option for us to continue with this trend and we need to go back to more traditional eco toys which are more simple, educational and inspire more creative and imaginative play whilst developing children’s sensory data.
Toys that are handmade from natural materials can also be repaired easily so this ensures your child can enjoy their favourite toys for longer and they do not become landfill.
So take a little time, do some research. Find out where your toys are made and how they are being made. If we all get on board, slowly we can change the world together.
Choosing to shop consciously for handmade, natural toys means you are contributing to the movement of the conscious consumer but also ensuring that we are leaving a better world for our children.
Kind to children...kind to people...and kind to the planet!
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At Pashom, we understand that now is a very trying time for everyone as we all do our best to do the right thing and stay home as much as possible. If you are looking for beautifully designed, eco-friendly and sustainable toys that are safe for your children and our planet, our range of beautiful play sets are a great option. Our toys are made entirely by hand from 100% NZ wool by our wonderful team of women artisans in Nepal. Your purchase of Pashom toys not only supports an Australian business, it also supports a workshop of 50 women artisans in Nepal, and as a member of the Fair Trade Association you can rest assured that you are supporting a genuine, sustainable, humanity focused company. |
Watch your child enjoy hours of play with this gorgeous, handmade Navajo Indian inspired play set. Set includes indian girl doll, a teepee, cactus, log fire, cute bear and sweet box to hold all the beautiful items.
Teach your child about the the mystical world of unicorns with our handmade princess and unicorn play set. Set includes princess doll, tree, unicorn, tower and castle to hold all the beautiful items. |
All parents will agree that the most precious thing in our lives are our children and we would do anything to ensure their wellbeing, safety and development, but are we consciously taking this into consideration when choosing the toys we allow our children to play with?
Nowadays children are exposed to technologically advanced toys with a high focus on academic development from a very young age. This has the potential to inhibit creative and imaginative play which is proving to be detrimental to their brain development and can lead to health, behavioural and learning difficulties and their ability to relate and problem solve in the real world. There is also a trend towards mass produced, inexpensive plastic toys that are poorly designed and break easily and are potentially toxic for our children and the environment. It’s vitally important that parents are aware of these dangers and choose toys that are appropriate for their mental and physical development and are safe for their children and the environment.
Over the past 100 years our society has become overly focused on achievement and success and the sense of competition starts very young. As parents we wish to give our children every possible advantage in life and don’t want them to get left behind so we feel the pressure to develop their academic learning at the baby/ toddler stage. Unfortunately this inhibits their brains ability to develop imaginative and creative ways in which to play, and for young children it is through developing imagination that they learn to gain knowledge.
Shop Sweet Koala dolls from Pashom https://pashom.com.au/shop/sweet-koala- dolls/
Many electronic and computerised toys tend to ask all the questions and tell the child what they need to know and the child learns to memorise the answers rather than find their own solutions. Toys that encourage open ended play in which children have to make up their own stories and express their inner world through imaginative and creative play are far more likely to cultivate their intellectual, emotional and social skills.
Early exposure to technology and hand held devices has also been proven to cause a number of physical and psychological health problems for children including ADD, cognitive delays, impaired learning and decreased ability to self regulate. It can also contribute to developmental delays, childhood obesity, mental illness, aggression
and addiction, not to mention the effect that radiation emissions from devices are having on their developing brains.
Shop Handmade Farmyard play set https://pashom.com.au/ shop/farmyard-play-set/
For all of these reasons it is highly advisable for children between the ages of 0-2 to have very little exposure to hand held devices and toys created for academic development. Toys should be play based, and encourage learning through imagination and storytelling.
Even the smartest kids love to play, and although they might be good at educational games, they can also be enormously stimulated with toys that are just plain fun!
Remember, the most important person in your child’s life is YOU…and no toy can ever replace that.
Fiona Chadwick
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