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Waldorf Toys

Waldorf is an educational philosophy that originated in the 1920’s, based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, and the Waldorf philosophies are incorporated into many homes as a lifestyle regardless of their educational choices.

Waldorf toys are always made from natural materials like wood, silk, wool and cotton. While Waldorf is concerned with the environment, it is much more concerned with the impact that material choice will have on the child.

Waldorf philosophy places a strong emphasis on the sensory experience of early childhood, since children learn about the world through all of their senses. The sensory experience of hugging a hard plastic doll is very different from hugging a wool and cotton doll, whose softness is soothing for a small child.

Waldorf toys are beautiful, because children should be nurtured with things that are not only beautiful to touch but also beautiful to look at. Plato said, “the most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.”

Waldorf philosophy also places a strong importance on leaving playthings open-ended. A battery operated toy that makes the same sound when the button is pressed leaves nothing for the child’s imagination to do. When a child has an open-ended toy like a playsilk, it can become a river, or a tent, or a doll blanket, or a superhero’s cape.

Waldorf toys also emphasize the child’s natural desire to imitate the world around them. Dolls and play kitchens and dress up silks allow children to reenact the rhythms of the home.