Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We follow the Montessori method here at home and we prefer wood over plastic. Wood has life in it. Plastic doesn't. Not to mention being open ended while plastic is not most of the times. They're more beautiful and last longer than plastic too. They don't offend our eyes and don't overwhelm our senses like plastic does.

Do real people actually say things like this?

Hey bitch, I don't talk like this. I WRITE like this when people actually ASK why we choose wood. If people don't I don't say anything. When we get a plastic gift I save and we re gift. I don't actually say anything unless asked.

What's so inappropriate about giving my opinion when the op actually asked for it?

I'm the OP. You need to calm down. You gave your opinion, then the pp gave his/hers. That's how it works around here.

no she didn't give an opinion. she mocked me.

They are great toddler/preschool toys. Good price point for gifts. I used to stack up on the pizza, cutting and birthday cake sets if they went on sale.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We follow the Montessori method here at home and we prefer wood over plastic. Wood has life in it. Plastic doesn't. Not to mention being open ended while plastic is not most of the times. They're more beautiful and last longer than plastic too. They don't offend our eyes and don't overwhelm our senses like plastic does.

Do real people actually say things like this?

Hey bitch, I don't talk like this. I WRITE like this when people actually ASK why we choose wood. If people don't I don't say anything. When we get a plastic gift I save and we re gift. I don't actually say anything unless asked.

What's so inappropriate about giving my opinion when the op actually asked for it?

I'm the OP. You need to calm down. You gave your opinion, then the pp gave his/hers. That's how it works around here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We follow the Montessori method here at home and we prefer wood over plastic. Wood has life in it. Plastic doesn't. Not to mention being open ended while plastic is not most of the times. They're more beautiful and last longer than plastic too. They don't offend our eyes and don't overwhelm our senses like plastic does.

Do real people actually say things like this?

Ha. Seriously. I would love to hear this person's take on Syria.

You, PP, are the first person to make me snort my wine out while reading DCUM.
Thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We follow the Montessori method here at home and we prefer wood over plastic. Wood has life in it. Plastic doesn't. Not to mention being open ended while plastic is not most of the times. They're more beautiful and last longer than plastic too. They don't offend our eyes and don't overwhelm our senses like plastic does.

Do real people actually say things like this?

Hey bitch, I don't talk like this. I WRITE like this when people actually ASK why we choose wood. If people don't I don't say anything. When we get a plastic gift I save and we re gift. I don't actually say anything unless asked.

What's so inappropriate about giving my opinion when the op actually asked for it?

I'm not a fan of wooden toys but my children have loved the simple cake and the pizza kit for many years. They have been given a lot of M&D toys as gifts and these were the only two they really played with.

My toddler grandchild loves the magnetic dolls and the wooden farm toys and magnets. I like that they have some kind of old fashioned (IMO) toys without lights and batteries and plastic, lol.

So, with a 6 mo old, I thought the same. I am actually now on board with M&D. This because they create a lot of toys that help with specific motor skills and with imagination. When your kid is 2, you will see what I'm talking about. Feel free to ignore them for now, but there will be a time when you're looking to help your kid develop something and M&D know what's going on.

I like M&D stuff. One of the things I like is that their age ranges tend to be pretty on target. I can generally rely on knowing that if they think a toy is age appropriate it's likely to work as a gift for others or for my own kids.

I find the prices reasonable, the toys colorful and fun, and I don't have tons of time to spend researching every toy - so it's easy to find a couple of brands that work and stick to that. Kind of like clothing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We follow the Montessori method here at home and we prefer wood over plastic. Wood has life in it. Plastic doesn't. Not to mention being open ended while plastic is not most of the times. They're more beautiful and last longer than plastic too. They don't offend our eyes and don't overwhelm our senses like plastic does.

Do real people actually say things like this?

Ha. Seriously. I would love to hear this person's take on Syria.

Anonymous wrote:We follow the Montessori method here at home and we prefer wood over plastic. Wood has life in it. Plastic doesn't. Not to mention being open ended while plastic is not most of the times. They're more beautiful and last longer than plastic too. They don't offend our eyes and don't overwhelm our senses like plastic does.

Do real people actually say things like this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're wooden, simple, fairly inexpensive, most don't make noise, seem to encourage more imaginative play versus pushing buttons and the toys do everything, aren't based on commercial characters, pretty sturdy compared to most of the plastic toys out there.

They're mostly made in China, though, so there's that.

Yea, they used to be made in the US before they became really popular. Disappointing...

OP here. Thanks for the insight. So what US-made toys would you recommend? And what is wrong with being made in China? How is it different than US?

I asked my original question because a bunch of people on my neighborhood listserv are always trying to sell or give these toys away, and it seems like they think it's such a great brand.

Why do they have to be US made? Some of my favorite brands are Haba and Hape, both German.

I like Melissa and Doug toys though, I feel like they are very child friendly - most of what we have from that brand are things that my child really likes. They don't only make wood toys - they have plastic, too.

Better standards re safety in the EU. But the association of China with junk might be a bit outdated,