When you don’t want your child to play with their food, give them another set of food to play with. These toys can be made with either plastic or wood. You no longer see toys go for cardboard as a material to make their items out of because they tend to break and wear down more quickly. Wooden toys are durable and last a long time but may be dangerous if you have a child that enjoys throwing things. Plastic food toys are great for a lighter option but may not be as fun because they look and feel different.
There are a lot of learning opportunities for your child when they start playing with food toys. For younger children, they can begin identifying foods based on how they look. You can also teach them different colors and shapes from simpler toys that they interact with. Once they get older, they may start mimicking the way you cook and serve food in the house. They may also mimic the ways they have observed food being served in restaurants and fast food joints. This helps them develop their social skills by practicing the words they have heard. You can also engage them in a dialogue about different food groups if you get a large enough set.
Melissa & Doug Food Groups
Best Overall
If you want to represent all the different food groups your child can eat, the Melissa & Doug Food Groups toy set will let your kids be exposed to every kind of food group there is to eat. Each piece of food is made of solid wood, so there is little chance of the pieces breaking under all kinds of play. The four wooden crates make it easy to bring around and store when not in use.
Mommy Please Play Food
Best Variety
For the largest variety in the foods your child wants to play with, the Mommy Please Play Food gives your child 125 pieces to choose from and play with. The food is made of BPA free plastics that cuts out the need for easy-to-break cardboard cartons and boxes. This has every single food group, and your child will mix and match meals for themselves while they play.
iPlay, iLearn Wooden Food
Best Wooden
Sometimes, it can be difficult to find toys that are good to use for younger children. The iPlay, iLearn Wooden Food gives you sixteen colorful fruits and vegetables that will help your child learn all about healthy food groups. Children as young as eighteen months can enjoy playing with these wooden food toys safely. It also encourages them to develop their speech and social skills when playing.
Food toys help your child unlock more scenarios and fantasies that they can experience when playing with themselves or others. These food toys will immediately populate your child’s playset and give them more fun things to interact with.
