When I came across this wooden smart phone teething toy on Etsy, it seemed like just the thing to spark a little controversy. So I thought I'd put it to you, readers: is a beautiful wooden teether shaped as a cell phone a good idea or not?
The creator of this toy has certainly put some good design in place; it's laser cut from Canadian maple and looks beautiful. The owners recount how they designed the product after a child chewed on — and subsequently ruined — a new Blackberry. Their solution was this wooden teether.
Do you think faux electronics are a good idea for young kids? While they may be safe, do we need to introduce the concept of electronics so young? Or is it inevitable?
Sound off in the comments with your thoughts!
More Info: 3 Princesses Engraving on Etsy
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(Image: Etsy shop 3 Princesses Engraving)
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It doesn't matter! If it is wood and okay for kids to use to teethe/chew, the actual "toy" doesn't matter, in my opinion. But they did do beautiful work on it...!
Totally agree with TARAMW!
I don't think it's a bad thing- goodness, it might have a bit of longevity. Teething as a toddler, and as a play phone when they're a smidge older. "Hello? Is that you Santa? Oh, yes... I'd love to come to your Christmas party this year."
Dunno about you, but we don't even have a land-line anymore. I don't think the wee children of the future are going to recognize what we understand to be telephones, so you may as well let them play with the rectangle.
it's no different than the toy phones we all played with as kids. our babies have two, one of each version offered at sonyastoygarden.com and they love them.
Better a wood teether than my calculator (or my actual phone!) that my daughter likes to pretend she is texting on...
I'm a luddite and my young kids are fully competent in the use of rotary phones, record players, and analog clocks. Yet I have no problem with this. It's a wooden teether - and a cute one at that.
Absolutely adorable!
Very cute and nice work!
I think keeping today's babies and kids away from technology is putting them at a disadvantage, their world is not like the one we were born into, with the role of ipads and laptops in education now it's like suggesting kids shouldn't be allowed to use a pencil.
That said, having replaced 2x MacBook power cords and an iPhone with a massive dead spot on its screen all from seconds of baby drool I wouldn't buy her something that looked like a phone for teething, much like I don't buy books that it's ok to draw on, I think the concept of "you can trash this item, but not this other one that seems the same to you" is fraught with disaster.
I actually almost bought the Nintendo controller they make for a Christmas gift last year. I love it! Super cute, wood and silly. Why not?!
It's no different than a plastic play phone. Are those controversial? I don't think either have any bearing on whether or not a child will expect/want a cell phone of their own or whether a parent is willing to give their child a real phone of their own.
<http://cocosdojo.blogspot.com/>
one of our favourite homemade presents my girls made eachother were felt iphones! I sewed two pieces of black felt with a piece of plastic in the middle. Then white rectangle on the front. They then drew favourite apps on to the felt. Cupcake maker was the star of the felt iphone for our 4 year old. Cute little gifts... so I say why not!