Encouraging the Imagination and Creative Play with Hape Toys

As parents we want the best for our children and we want to encourage our children to learn, be creative and in doing so flourish in their development. And the best way for our children to do that is to play. Now I must admit when it comes to picking the best toys to help and encourage my daughter, it can sometimes be a little tricky. We have all been down the toy aisle overwhelmed by choices. My daughter tends to make a bee line for the flashiest, noisiest, most colourful toys, and in her pursuit tends to overlook some of the classic wooden toys. Personally I prefer getting children wooden toys as I know that it's going to be something that will be able to withstand little people and can even be passed down from generation to generation. 

Wooden toys are timeless classic and have never really gone out of style. Now I can't say that wooden toys have climbed their way up into the list of most wanted toys, but they have been enjoyed by many children over generations. There are so many reasons why wooden toys are the better choice, not only for your children but also the environment too. They’re more durable, biodegradable and may even be made with sustainable wood. My husband and I have always got our daughter wooden toys because of these reasons. While some wooden toys come in the shape of vehicles, food, or common household items, they still encourage children to use their imaginations to unleash some learning into play. A couple of years ago we got our daughter a cute pink and white wooden kitchen for her second birthday, and I have to say it ones of those toys that she loves to play with. Over time we have been adding new toys to her kitchen set up so she can really explore their uses and come up with creative ways to use them. 

With a little help from Hape Toys we were able to encourage creative play and allow our daughter's imagination unravel, and she really loved cooking up a storm. Now you can't possibly cook up a storm without some healthy food basics, can you? This Healthy Basics set includes eggs in their own container, cheese, yoghurt, blueberry jam, orange and apple juice so little ones can make a healthy meal for all of their friends and family. Hape is one of the world's largest producer of wooden toys made from sustainable materials that are both creatively designed and eco-friendly. So you can understand why they are so popular when it comes to looking for wooden toys. 

As well as these Healthy Basics we were also kindly send over a Wooden Mix & Bake Blender, you can't have a tea party without baking some imaginary cakes made from scratch, can you? With this blender, children can make believe baking, using their own packets of sugar and flour, mixing bowl and rotating blender. A little baker in in the making with this blender. In this cute little set from Hape you will get 1 bowl, 1 packet of sugar, 1 packet of flour. You simply turn the knob on the blender and the beaters turn and the top flips up so you can remove the bowl. Perfect for making lots of tasty cakes. 

With my daughter I have always found that a little imaginary play has done amazing things for her communication and social skills. For one pretend play helps children naturally develop and use their cognitive abilities and skills. Through using their imagination they develop creativity and learn to think for themselves. It's very important for a child to have a space where they can feel free to express themselves and live out their imagination. I'm sure I am not the only parent that likes to sit back and listening to their child's imagination unravel. 

When you're down those toys aisles that are overflowing with the flashiest, noisiest and most colourful toys they can be quite tempting, but don't shy away from those wooden toys that are in basic packaging. They can be just as good. There's room for some plastic but there is room for wooden too, these are more likely to be better for your child's development and their imagination. Toys made from quality wood or natural materials are both healthier and allow children to think more creatively during playtime. 

We were kindly gifted a bundle from Hape Toys for the purpose of this review.  But as always my words and images are my own.