The Nature Play Toys We Can’t Get Enough Of
Nature play is a wonderful way for kids to partake in open-ended play while forming an important connection to the outside world. In this article, we look at the brand Let Them Play and how their handmade wooden toys help tots reach important developmental milestones.
One of the best ways to help your child strengthen their fine motor skills while simultaneously encouraging imaginative thinking and problem-solving is through open-ended play.
Essentially any type of play that doesn’t have set rules or an outcome, open-ended play enables children to imagine, plan, execute, mess-up, start over…. (rinse & repeat!)
While there are numerous types of open-ended toys to choose from, we are incredibly excited about the new nature-inspired range from Let Them Play. When kids connect with the outside world, they develop a sense of self as well as empathy for animals and respect for the environment. By providing toys such as wooden threading kits and nature scenes, you’ll help facilitate the incredibly important connection between your child and the earth.
In this article, we’ll go over:
- The benefits of nature play
- The best nature-inspired toys for kids
- Chemicals to avoid in kids products
Scroll down to learn more!
The Benefits of Nature Play
Getting to be immersed in nature is a wonderful way for children to learn about life cycles, weather patterns, animal species, plant species, food and more. However, it’s not always easy to get to go on an adventure walk in between school pick up and dinner. That’s where nature play comes in!
By getting nature play toys or simply gathering items from your yard, like leaves, twigs, feathers and rocks – kids can still have a tactile nature experience – from home.
Here are just a few benefits of nature play:
- A great way to hone fine motor skills
- Helps children build confidence and sense of self
- Encourages empathy for animals and respect for the environment
- Expands a child’s vocabulary
- Demonstrates life cycles
- Provides a sensory experience
Most of all, it’s an eco-friendly way to play!
Nature Toys For Fine Motor Skills
The development of fine motor skills is crucial for reaching important developmental milestones such as:
- Buttoning a jacket
- Zipping pants
- Tying shoes
- Having correct pencil grip
- Turning a door knob
- Threading a needle
The below kits from Let Them Play have everything your not needs to lace interesting patterns, design woodland fairy homes and more!
Let The Play Starter Set
$39.50
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Let Them Play Sticks + Blocks Building Set
$45
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Let Them Play Rainbow Disc Stack & Thread Kit
$25
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Let Them Play Natural Threading Kit
$25
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Let Them Play Build-A-Tree Kit
$35
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Nature Toys For Little Makers
Raising a little crafter? Then you’re going to want to know about the Let Them Play Dough Kit and Dough Parlour’s non-toxic SCENTED dough. When paired together, these two sets provide the ultimate sensory experience! While play dough is fun for little artists or designers, it can also be incredibly calming for anxious kids.
We also recently discovered these super cool rock shaped crayons from Just Rocks in a Box. Even when kids are over coloring, they’ll love using them in an imaginative story scene or classifying them into different bowls.
Let Them Play Play Dough Kit
$24.50
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Dough Parlour Collector Set
$79
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Just Rocks In A Box – 64 Crayons
$30
Nature Toys That Set The Scene
Speaking of story scenes…. Let Them Play knows exactly what kids need to create a small world for their imagination to run wild in.
With five sets available and two different types of tree people, your tot will love crafting their own story.
#TotTip
A great way to encourage your child’s ability to sequence and expand their vocabulary is by getting them to set up a scene and then asking them to tell you about it! Ask them all sorts of things like, “How do you cross the river?” and, “What happens if it snows” and, ‘Are there any wild animals lurking in there?”
Let Them Play Story Scene – Bundle
$145
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Let Them Play Story Scene – Outdoor Bundle
$115
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Let Them Play Story Scene – Mushroom Set
$79.50
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Let Them Play Story Scene – Play Board Bundle
$49.50
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Let Them Play Story Scene – Rainbow Set
$49.50
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Let Them Play The Tree People – Natural
$24.50
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Let Them Play The Tree People – Rainbow
$24.50
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Chemicals to avoid in kids products
One of the issues with kids toys is that they tend to end up in a lot of little mouths… this is totally normal and how kids explore their world, BUT: this is why you must be aware of WHAT the toys you give your child are made of.
At The Tot, we never use or recommended anything that hasn’t passed The Tot Safety Test. This means we’ve reviewed third-party testing, examined ingredients lists and asked in-depth questions about a product’s composition. When it comes to toys for kids, we always avoid the following chemicals because they have been suspected to cause a variety of health concerns such as cancer, endocrine disruption, allergic reactions, brain damage and behavioral issues.
- Bisphenols (BPA + BPS)
- PVC
- Harmful Phthalates
- Added formaldehyde
- Pesticides + Herbicides
- Carcinogenic and allergy-inducing dyes
- Heavy metals
Click here for the full list of ingredients we avoid and why.
Continue exploring
- Looking for a safe way for your tot to be creative? Check out: The Tot’s Guide To Non-Toxic Art Supplies For Babies & Toddlers
- What We’re Reading: Does My Child Need To See A Speech Pathologist?