As educators, we all know the importance of role play for children – it builds their confidence, creativity, communication, physical development and problem-solving all vital parts of a child’s cognitive and social development.
Axis Toys specialises in toys that encourage all aspects of role play for children, whether they are playing inside or out – but also puts great importance on the sustainability of each toy to add an extra dimension to role play and its benefits. Put simply, by using diverse and sustainable resources; more is incorporated into their learning outcomes.
How? Learning about and practicing sustainability, empowers children to construct knowledge and appreciation for the environment and in turn its relationship to the world.
Furthermore, using sustainable products to create new learning through play and discussion topics also allows children to grasp the awareness of their impact on the environment and ways to minimise this. It is an early lesson and a vitally important one.
Sustainable role play comes in many forms and goes beyond using recycled materials. Teaching children about the way products can be manufactured with energysaving techniques as well as sustainable raw materials, such as bioplastic, FSC and sustainable timbers, cardboard, and paper is great for their imagination and knowledge, allowing them to build this conversation into their play, both verbally and non-verbally.
Some examples of sustainable products from Axis Toys that add to role play!
The Plasto Green Range
Axis Toys’ Plasto ‘I’M GREEN’ range – which includes toys such as buckets and spades, tipper trucks and kitchen play sets – is perfect for outdoor role play in sand pits or as part of mud kitchens.
The range is durable, waterproof, dishwasher proof, no sharp edges and doesn’t fade, plus it is ECO FRIENDLY! The toys are made from sugar cane which is 100 per cent renewable and contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint: The end result – a whole new and better way for plastic.
If children talk about this as part of their play, their role play takes on a whole new dimension, adding to their empathy, vocabulary and conceptual development. This all takes place while they learn to share and play with their peers as part of their traditional role play.
When introducing Plasto toys to children, we encourage all early educators to discuss how Plasto differs from generic plastic toys and how this makes their world and the planet a better one.
Teaching children about sustainability and making it an intentional practice empowers children to construct knowledge and appreciation of the environment and its relationship to the world. Not only do sustainability products create new discussion topics, they also assist children to understand the impact on the environment and ways we can all minimise it.
In-wood Range
In-wood is another Axis Toys brand with proud eco-credentials. Designed and created right here in Australia and using sustainable aged Australian hardwood, each piece is finished with food-safe mineral oils and is packaged in recyclable or recycled packaging with seed paper to give back to the Earth.
The range offers products created with a mindful approach to play, providing resources that assist with self-expression, communication, understanding and emotional wellbeing as well as problem-solving. For instance, the Mindful Spindle is perfect for little hands to develop dexterity and watch things move and roll around whilst evoking a sense of love, family and community connection. There are words that identify their emotions on the spindle, such as “love” and “joy”, that they can change according to how they are feeling at the time. I am love – We are joy – I am free – We are family.
In-wood’s latest product designed by Aboriginal artist Garry Purchase is the Australian Flora and Fauna Balancing Game, a beautifully crafted day and night curved base, with nine double-sided flora and fauna pieces to allow for endless balancing challenges and sensory play. A percentage of proceeds goes back to WIRES, which is a great topic to discuss.
Axis Toys is Australian owned, bringing resources to the Australian market with a strong focus on quality, education, diversity and sustainability. The company ethos is about safe and sustainable educational toys with more than 75 per cent of its brands using sustainable materials in their production or end product.
Axis Toys is committed to a greener earth and to improving the sustainable choice offering in the children’s market.
