wooden toys – a multifaceted experience
by maria hantzara – pediatrician
i have always been carried away by wooden toys
the reason why is that when playing with them all the human senses are satisfied to the highest extent without feeling overwhelmed
which is extremely important, especially for little children
so how could all the senses be satisfied through solving a wooden puzzle?
vision is satisfied through the beautiful colours and shapes
the combinations of colours and shapes constitute an aesthetically pleasant image for children’s and adults’ vision
touch is activated by feeling those soft and warm pieces of wood in one’s palms
every single piece is scraped and smoothed to the tiniest bump by hand, providing this way no more or less, but the ideal smoothness to the grain
and of course, wood is warm! definitely, warmer than plastic! therefore, there is the perceptible warmth of the pieces
smell is stimulated by the delicate smell of wood which is not covered or altered thanks to the ecological non-toxic dyes
this way, little children who are still in the process of discovering their oral cavities, can play with those puzzle pieces in a completely hazard-free way
and what about hearing?
if someone recorded the sound produced during the process of solving a puzzle, they would hear a soft sound, perhaps a little annoying if they listened to it altogether
but when isolated and broken down to individual sounds, every single one has a relaxing volume and frequency
as far as mental exercise is concerned… mark my words when you try to solve a puzzle: concentration and a relaxed and clear mind are required
don’t forget that overcoming the obstacles one poses to themselves as for example, rushing and avoiding difficult targets is of the essence
author: maria hantzara – pediatrician
mariaxantzara.gr