Are obnoxious colourful plastic toys really that bad?

@listenordont I have been practicing montessori from day 1, 16 months now, have quite a few of the books and I used to be a lot "stricter" montessori. I have to say - it depends.
  1. Plastics were not readily available in Maria's time, we have no accurate way of knowing what she thought of them. The reason that she went for simple wood toys was they were cheap and readily available while being closest to nontoy items. There were a hell of a lot less "toys" then, most of it was things mimicking adult jobs, mini spatulas etc.
  2. I would argue that having full plastic toys can be bad from the point of view of proprioception. Ie, learning the amount of force needed to write on a page without breaking the pencil, or how much force to use when touching a dog. "Heavy work" or playing with heavier items that require muscle use is hugely beneficial in small children - see Balanced & Barefoot. Wooden toys have a good sensory feedback of heaviness and appropriate weight.
  3. Child temperament. Some children are easily overwhelmed. No matter the child, limiting the amount of toys and rotating them is hugely effective, but some children are massively affected by bright shiny things that light up and make noise, others ignore them.
  4. Plastics is not the issue as much as light up noisy toys AND - all light up noisy toys are not created equal or the devil. I have several, but only 1-2 are on offer at one time. For example - we were gifted a mini keyboard with 6 keys, any key you pressed made the entire thing light up and play an entire song. My child did not like this, she was baffled.
    On the other hand, we got a mini keyboard where each press was one key (it did also play some preset songs). But this she enjoyed a lot more, because it was easier for her to make the connection "I pressed a button, something happened that I did".
  5. A lot of the largest offenders for light up noisy plastic toys in the early days are "baby holders" like jumperoos, etc. Now first off, I did use one sparingly so I could shower. But anything that artificially restricts your babies movements for long periods of time is not beneficial, the best place for physical development is on the floor. Parents often do need at least 10minutes of a baby holder during the day, I would suggest just avoiding one that results in a meltdown when they are picked up from it.
  6. Back to types. Some montessori groups demonize all plastic toys, and again, the material does not matter. The realism does. If you have a plastic truck that makes realistic noises and can be interacted with on a one press, one reaction way, that's brilliant. It's educational. On the other hand, I loathe noisy toys like "toot toot drivers". The songs are long, she loses interest, but the true obnoxious nature of them is that when you are done playing, the toy waits 5 minutes and tries to call you back - twice.
    I don't like those kinds that call out after you leave, the baby already walked away and is now engaging in something else. BUT babies have poor impulse control and are easily manipulated into coming back to that toy if it repeatedly calls out.
  7. Very weird personal pet peeve but toy handbags that say "I'm your best friend". Like ok, you're a bag, don't get ahead of your station dear!
In summary, they aren't evil, and the right kinds are even good and educational. I would observe your child's reaction to both playing with them, and after the play is done to see how whelming they are. Stick to realism wherever possible, include a good mix of natural material toys with real weight, and rotate them regularly.
 
@leematthew1234 What a great, thoughtful answer!! I like how it bridges the gap between both POVs and calls attention to NOT the material, but what the toy's meant to do.

I, too, hate the toys that call LO back after he's done w/them, so I make sure to turn them off every time, haha.
 
@listenordont I heard a great quote on the Learning with Less podcast the other day: “The more the toy does, the less the child does.” Just a way to sum up of what others have said about how analog toys encourage more open-ended and imaginative play/exploration.

One of the knocks on plastic toys from the Montessori perspective is about the tactile experience. Maria Montessori suggested that toys (aka materials) should feel cold, warm, rough, smooth, hard, soft etc. to fully engage the child’s senses. Also everything a child uses to eat with (dish, spoon, glass etc.) should be made of the same material as it is for adults (ceramic, metal, glass). These materials have more heft to them and we want children to have things that will break! This helps them learn cause and effect and controlling their movements.

Plastic food... just let them work and play with real food! It’s such a richer experience to work with real things and young children don’t really understand the symbolism of a plastic apple. Yes there may be some more prep work for the adult, but young children are capable of so much when given the opportunity to work with real things.
 
@sunshine21 I’m always interested in the idea of the same materials for plates/glasses/cutlery etc. I get where Maria Montessori was coming from about learning cause and effect from breaking them.

But now we know so much more about neuroscience, from what I have read, a child simply wouldn’t be developmentally ready to learn not to throw/drop the glass (even if they are learning/have learnt the cause/effect) for a long time after weaning starts.

Are we genuinely supposed to have a couple of years of (occasionally) smashed crockery?!

If anyone knows of any studies that have been done, testing older philosophies like Montessori, against what we now know about brain development that’s what I’d love to read!
 
@kc8vji I’ll be honest, although I like a lot of Montessori philosophy, I’m not down with breakable tableware from a young age. At the end of the day, I’m not willing to endlessly buy new glasses or new plates for my 18mo to experiment with. It’s wasteful, it’s expensive, and it’s potentially dangerous (I’m not here for him stepping on, or worse, putting in his mouth a sliver of broken glass from the floor). He has metal cutlery, and we are teaching him that plates and cups stay on the table, so I’m hoping he can graduate to proper crockery and glassware once he’s a bit older, but for now, I’m very happy with our plastic setup!
 
@kc8vji That would be an interesting study. Angeline Lillard has published a book summarizing a lot of research in human learning and development and how it connects to Dr. Montessori’s ideas - The Science Behind the Genius. But I don’t think anyone has studied this specific element. There so many aspects of her work that are worth further study, it would be wonderful if more researchers started looking into Montessori education.
 
@listenordont You can set up a small tray with 1 fruit or vegetable to wash or cut (with safety knife) each day. Kiddos can spread toppings on toast or crackers, select snack items to go on their plates, help cut veggies for a family meal, help pour ingredients for a baking project, etc..
 
@listenordont We do mostly all wooden toys here for several reasons.

Many electronic toys are linked to hearing damage. (Different places test the decibels they put out. Here’s one - https://audiologyisland.com/blog/18-toys-that-damage-kids-hearing/)

I was concerned about chemicals - especially since a lot of US companies will give you a generic “we meet US standards” when you ask about what is or what isn’t within them. We do ABS plastic toys, so Legos are fine. (There’s lots of sources, but here’s a more strictly science one: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210222124552.htm )

Open ended toys can teach skills like creativity, problem solving, etc. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071123204938.htm )

That said - I’m not sure if the latter is true in the same manner for non neurotypical children, and I’d love to see that explored.
 
@listenordont Yes, loud noises and toxic materials are really that bad.

Plastics don't have the greatest reputation as being safe. Also, toys shouldn't emulate food; choking is enough of a hazard without children associating them with food. I HATE the playdough food kits. It's insane to me. Even if it's ENTIRELY non-toxic (is this proven?) which parents want their kid eating playdough spaghetti and burgers?? As for the lights and sounds, yes, I think there's plenty of research that shows that electronics (whether full-blown like iPad or even minor, like buttons and lights) aren't great for development.

[Following are my own opinions.]

I think there's an "excitation threshold" that will hold a child's engagement with a toy. Lights and sounds can easily push that threshold higher. I would rather my children be okay building things out of structural toys (I don't really care for plastic as a material, e.g., phthalates, etc, and I HATE THE F*ING SOUND THEY MAKE) that don't give any feedback other than being present.

It removes this whole: "GET A DOPAMINE HIT FOR PRESSING THIS BUTTON LIKE AN ANIMAL!" and allows them the space to decide how they feel and think about the thing, rather than just getting the dopamine hit and moving on.
 
@listenordont Plastic toys are horrible for the environment, and we all want to keep the environment clean for our babies!! We can’t avoid them altogether but do try to minimize or take all plastic toys as hand me downs only.
 
@listenordont I like your question but I don't have any research to back up my instincts or those of previous generations of parents across the globe who share my preferences.

We have a Lovevery subscription and LO (10M) enjoys those toys a lot. But he also really likes his noisy, plastic toys! As an example, he'll play w/his wooden balls and "object permanence" box one minute, and the next he'll be pushing buttons or rolling thingies to produce songs and noises. He sleeps 👌🏻 and and is developing (no, thriving!) perfectly.

I, too, enjoyed both my quiet and noisy toys growing up. My husband and his brothers also had toys but they spent most of their time outside, riding their bikes all over their hometown.

My point? We're not opposed to certain toys if I think they'll put a smile on LO's face or if I see he can't get enough of them, and if he also grows up hanging out outside a lot of the time, that'd be wonderful. I greatly believe you can make the best out of every opportunity, and you don't need to strictly stick to one philosophy or forego a certain kind of toy only b/c they don't follow a movement or an aesthetic.

My other point: Maaaannny parents all over the world and for anywhere from decades to millennia have used all kinds of things as toys (from home tools to noisy plastic stuff to quieter [or louder] wooden objects, etc.) and the adults they raised turned into fine individuals and global citizens. The way you raise your children, imo, shouldn't depend on what (kinds of toys) you buy, but rather on your interactions with them. I loved my Barbies and play kitchen growing up, but I loved my parents being there most of all. My husband is the most wonderful man and dad, and he has the fondest memories of his dad being there (not some toys).

Ninety-nine percent of children will become great adults and chances are yours will as well, so don't get fixated on "batteries are evil" or "wood is supreme," or even "plastic toys are obnoxious" or "plastic tops everything else." As long as the toy's safe and is being used safely and respectfully*, then do your best and forget the rest.

*Montessori-speaking, the author of the popular Montessori Toddler recommends babies be taught to open drawers to find objects (like a lower one w/just their stuff) at around 10MO--a time when other parents are baby proofing every drawer, etc. precisely so crawling and walking kids don't get into any Unsafe objects. Furthermore, there are these cool "busy boards" that teach little kids about zippers, pulls, locks, etc., again, while other parents are relying on these items to keep things out of sight. My last closing point is this.. You can teach with anything: a good parent who spends time with their child will find a way to turn many moments and things into didactic opportunities, w/o a care in the world as to whether something makes noise, is plastic, or costs a lot of money.
 
@listenordont There are many different downfalls of plastic toys. Plastic toys are often made in another country where regulations aren't as strict, that way they can be sold at a lower price. Since children put everything in their mouths this poses a problem, they can be exposed to different chemicals and companies aren't required to disclose this.

Plastic toys usually don't last as long, and that contributes to waste in a number of ways. Wooden toys can be used throughout generations and even passed on to other families.

I've recently read studies that toys that make sound and light up have similar effects on a child as TV. So the negative impacts could be very similar. The recommended age to introduce small sessions of TV (about 15 mins) are after 2 years of age, so think about the impact of busy toys introduced at infancy.

Plastic toys aren't always open ended, wooden materials like ones you generally see in a Montessori style environment encourage the child to use their imagination. There is so much more to the Montessori method than just the materials though.

To answer your last questions, yes babies can be easily overestimated and following into toddler years, toys that aren't loud and light up can't hold their interest. This can shorten their attention spans, which means less imaginative play and that is so crucial to their development. Young babies benefit most from small interactions in their natural environment, they're learning all about the world and don't need distractions so early on.

Things like pretend food are generally not found in a Montessori classroom, many families choose to steer clear from this as well. They involve the child in cooking rather than pretending, if they do opt for food toys wood and felt are still great alternatives.

Noisy activity centers aren't "evil" but circling back to how it can negatively impact development and attention span I'd steer clear of it. There are many alternatives to something like this that have more potential to encourage growth. I feel like many parents often assume the child needs something busy to keep their attention, and often underestimate a child's ability.
 
@ibarnabas What about a foot operated keyboard? She lies on her little activity mat and kicks the four keys to make "music". The music is tuned to real intervals, albeit a weird key (B).
 
@billyheir I don't see much harm in that, when it comes down to it it's up to you what you think could be beneficial to your child. If I were to introduce a key board it would be closely rated to the real thing so they can sit in front of it with their hands and understand which key makes what note. You could probably just play some music while little one rolls around, or offer more complex music toys such as a ball drop xylophone.
 
@ibarnabas Thanks. She seems to enjoy it. Sometimes I play a simple 12 bar blues on a panduri for her to improv over lol. She plays about as well as that piano cat. I have a glockenspiel back home, maybe I can give her a go on that.
 
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