“Whoo, whoo!” The train glides down the tracks of Amish Country Ohio as it always has. After crossing a bridge, it descends and then obediently bends with the track. A small group of farmers watch the train pass by. Then all of a sudden, a cow standing by the tracks jumps into the air and lands squarely in one of the train cars. A little later, a tree next to the tracks does the same. Then all of a sudden the train stops abruptly. The passengers, which include a firefighter, a horse, and a traffic sign, disembark from the train. Then the boy places his hand back on the train and guides it back along the winding tracks.
From the tops to the trains
Many of us grew up playing with wooden toys, like wooden trains. But have you ever wondered about the history of these types of toys?
Historians are unsure of the year the wooden toys were created. However, archaeologists have unearthed evidence showing that children in ancient Greece and Egypt played with wooden toys. For example, toy caps made of various materials, including wood, have been discovered.
Then from the 18th to the 19th century, various innovations were made in the wooden toy industry. The eighteenth century saw a boom in wooden toys. That included creating wooden alphabet blocks, small carved animals, and even wooden sleds. Then, during the next century, wooden toy cars were produced for the first time. These included streetcars and fire trucks. In addition, the world’s largest producer of wooden toys produced more than 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 the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright launched a new kind 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 plan to choose a wooden train for your child, the age of the child is an important factor to consider. If a train is too difficult to put together, your little one will easily get bored and play with another toy. On the other hand, if the set of trains is too simple, the same result will be produced. So try to find a train that challenges your child, but not too much.
The wooden train you select can be an excellent tool for your child’s development. Assembling and playing with the set can enhance various facets of its development. These activities can help improve your child’s fine motor skills, which involve small groups of muscles. Toys can also be beneficial in developing a child’s concentration and creativity. For example, many of the wooden train parts are movable, allowing children to create their own city and even some wild scenarios that would be impossible in real life. In addition, riding and playing with the train can improve a child’s communication and socialization skills. Although a child may enjoy wooden trains, they are always more fun when a parent or friend is present.
Today, children around the world, including those in Amish Country Ohio, can enjoy wooden trains. These toys have remained popular despite the fact that they do not require power supplies or controllers. However, wooden trains are still effective in promoting children’s physical, mental and social development; and providing hours of fun. All aboard!
No Comment