Wooden train sets keep your child’s development on track
“Choo choo!” The train glides down the tracks of Amish Country Ohio like it always has. After crossing a bridge, it descends, then obediently doubles up with the track. A small group of farmers watches as the train whizzes past them. Then suddenly a cow standing by the tracks leaps into the air and lands squarely on one of the train cars. A little later, a tree next to the tracks does the same. Then suddenly the train comes to an abrupt stop. The passengers, including a fireman, a horse, and a traffic signalman, disembark from the train. The boy then places his hand back on the train and guides it back along the winding tracks.
From spinning tops to trains
Many of us grew up playing with wooden toys, like wooden trains. But have you ever wondered about the history of such toys?
Historians are not sure of the year in which wooden toys were first created. However, archaeologists have unearthed evidence proving that children in ancient Greece and Egypt played with wooden toys. For example, toy tops made of various materials, including wood, have been discovered.
Then, between the 1700s and 1800s, several innovations were made in the wooden toy industry. In the 18th century there was a boom in wooden toys. That included creating wooden letter blocks, small carved animals, and even wooden sleds. Then, during the next century, wooden toy cars were produced for the first time. These included trams and fire trucks. Also, the world’s largest producer of wooden toys was producing over 3.5 million wooden cars, trucks, and trains in the 1880s!
Another boom in wooden toys took place in the United States during the early part of the 20th century. In particular, wooden construction toys became very popular in places like the Amish Country Inn Berlin Ohio. These included the creation of a new type of toy that included various shapes (i.e. sticks, spokes, reels, and rods) that were used to make objects ranging from animals to vehicles to buildings. Then, in 1916, the son of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright launched a new breed of wooden construction toys. These pieces consisted of joining logs that were used to build cabins and other structures.
more than a toy
Today, if you are planning to choose a wooden train set for your child, the age of the child is an important factor to consider. If a train set is too difficult to put together, your little one will easily get bored and play with another toy. On the other hand, if the trainset is too simple, the same result will occur. So try to find a train set that will challenge your child, but not too much.
The wooden train set that you select can be an excellent tool in the development of your child. Riding and playing with the set can enhance several facets of their development. These activities can help improve a child’s fine motor skills, which involve small muscle groups. Toys can also be beneficial in developing a child’s concentration and creativity. For example, many of the parts in wooden train sets are movable, allowing children to create their own town and even some wild settings that would be impossible in real life. Also, riding and playing with the train can improve a child’s communication and socialization skills. Although a child can enjoy wooden train sets, they are always more fun if a parent or friend is present.
Today, children all over the world, including those in Amish Country Ohio, can enjoy wooden train sets. These toys remain popular despite the fact that they do not require power supplies or controllers. However, wooden train sets are still effective in fostering children’s physical, mental, and social development; and providing hours of fun. All aboard!
