By 2050, the plastic in our landfills will reach 12 billion metric tons. This plastic inevitably ends up in our environment; either by leaching chemicals into our soil or our oceans. As a society we have moved away from the ‘make do and mend’ era and into a more consumerist extreme; ‘use once and throw away’.
90% of the toys that are manufactured each year are made from plastic because it is cheap to produce and lightweight. Even toys that aren’t made primarily from plastic are packaged in a multitude of single use plastic packaging, which once used for its initial purpose (housing the product) usually cannot be recycled or re-purposed for anything else. Since manufacturers have moved away from responsibly and ethically creating new toys, the responsibility has fallen onto the consumer. But what can we do if we don’t want our little ones to miss out?
Buy an experience! Experiences can offer so much more that a plastic present: they allow us to build intellect, will, imagination, memory and perception. They create lasting memories of positive experiences and strengthen the bond between you and your little one. In addition they improve your little one’s physical capability as they can develop their fine and gross motor skills through climbing, sliding, crawling and singing (your vocal chords are a muscle too!).
An experience like the Gift of Play here at Gymboree Play & Music could help fast track their development by stimulating them through play. In our classes you will also be building your little one’s social life (and yours!) as they make new friends and bond with their classmates week after week. By learning through play and building lasting memories together you will be strengthening your bond with each other and fostering their learning in a safe and fun environment. With our unlimited open gyms, you can practice outside of classes as well; watching them grow and progress week by week.
Finally, if you are a grandparent looking for an environment that’s fun, safe and educational and somewhere you can bond with your grand-children, then The Gift of Play is perfect for you too!
Buy your little one the Gift of Play with a Gymboree Play & Music gift voucher!
Written by Aslihan Gulen, Play & Music Teacher at Gymboree Play & Music St Albans.
