Mouthing Toys

[Inspired by Reggio]

While not stopping them from chewing I do control what they can chew on.

Agreed ... I empathize that this is how wee children learn too but there is just too many things that should not be IN your mouth and never too young to learn the difference ... which is why I provide an 'alternative' to meet that sensory learning need while sending the message what is NOT acceptable to be mouthed.

For me my Melissa and Doug wooden food for example if I let the children mouth that it would look like crap in a week cause the painted surfaces would come off, the soft foam blocks would all have bite marks in them, felt board pieces and puppets that get all pilly and soggy if mouthed and eventually start to 'stink' and have to be washed more often, the edges and corners of BOOKS that they like to gnaw on and so forth ... I already spend a fortune on NEW toys and equipment annually I do not want to have to be 'replacing' my stuff annually on top of that to have it look nice in my playroom and be 'hygienic' cause when stuff gets bite marks in it ~ hard to keep clean and germs fester in those grooves and so forth

[BrightEyes]

For me my Melissa and Doug wooden food for example if I let the children mouth that it would look like crap in a week cause the painted surfaces would come off, the soft foam blocks would all have bite marks in them, felt board pieces and puppets that get all pilly and soggy if mouthed and eventually start to 'stink' and have to be washed more often, the edges and corners of BOOKS that they like to gnaw on and so forth ... I already spend a fortune on NEW toys and equipment annually I do not want to have to be 'replacing' my stuff annually on top of that to have it look nice in my playroom and be 'hygienic' cause when stuff gets bite marks in it ~ hard to keep clean and germs fester in those grooves and so forth

When I said I let them chew/mouth the toys as long as it's not something "unsafe", this is basically what I meant. If the paint will come off, the foam may rip off, felt may come apart or the glue/marker/paint would be unsafe for mouths in my mind, books coming apart in their mouths etc

If it's safe, easily washable toys hen I have no problem with them mouthing it. (plastic toys mostly which I have a LOT of..)