A pioneer in Finnish play culture
The story of the Cucumber Scooter is a prime example of the significance of Plasto’s products to Finnish play culture. The enduring popularity of Plasto toys lies in their ability to free children’s imagination.
At Plasto, this is called "play value." Children need toys with simple functionality that leaves room for imagination and personal interpretation. All Plasto toys are designed to encourage creative play, avoiding unnecessary features like sound effects, lights, or battery-operated mechanisms.
Creative play gives children a sense of accomplishment and joy in their abilities. It helps them focus and supports purposeful activity. It also serves as a necessary counterbalance to the allure of digital screens and other distractions of a busy modern life.
Today, I’m a truck driver
On a sandbox in Helsinki’s Jätkäsaari neighbourhood, friends Aleksi (5) and Pietari (4) are busy playing with Plasto’s trucks and bucket loaders. According to the boys, these are the best toys for the sandbox because they make it easy to transport and move sand. They also love the bright colours and large black wheels.
Pietari fills the bucket loader with sand, transferring it to Aleksi’s truck as their new sand city rapidly takes shape. Arguments over sharing toys rarely arise between the friends – or, if they do, they are quickly forgotten.
The boys’ current dream careers are firmly rooted in the construction or transportation industries. They aspire to become truck drivers, concrete workers, or perhaps excavator operators.
Everyday play fuels creativity
In a family’s daily life, play is much more than just entertainment. For Susanna, a resident of Lauttasaari, also in Helsinki, family life with her two- and four-year-old daughters often involves playful activities, from emptying the dishwasher to baking.
Susanna believes that play is essential for developing children’s creativity and helps them engage in everyday family tasks from an early age. Engaging children through play also provides them with positive experiences of achievement.
Plasto toys are familiar to Susanna from her own childhood, and she is thrilled that the same toys she played with are now enjoyed by her daughters. The best proof of a toy’s quality is its ability to withstand the roughest play across generations.
Outdoor activities and play are crucial in Susanna’s family routine. Making sand cakes is a favourite pastime for her daughters, so Plasto’s sand toys are a staple for the family’s park outings. Indoors, Plasto’s play dish sets are a go-to for her girls. Susanna emphasizes that toys should be versatile to support a variety of play scenarios.
The best toys stand the test of time
In Susanna’s apartment complex, a shared toy storage area primarily consists of Plasto toys. Susanna notes that they are the only ones that have remained in good condition after 15 years of daily use in the shared yard.
Children’s safety is the top priority – Plasto toys are designed to ensure that no dangerous parts come loose, even if a child puts them in their mouth. Susanna also values sustainability and domestic production. The Key Flag symbol on every Plasto package highlights the Finnish origin of the toys.
For Susanna, the durability and longevity of toys are crucial when choosing items that fit into her family’s daily life. High-quality toys effectively combat throwaway culture. Plasto toys are easy to recommend to friends, and Susanna often buys them as gifts for children in her extended family.
Returning to the roots of imaginative play
Back in Jätkäsaari, Aleksi and Pietari’s construction site is advancing quickly. Aleksi gives firm instructions: “We need to dig a deeper hole!” to which Pietari enthusiastically responds, “A new load of sand is coming super-fast!”
The boys’ playtime is full of collaboration, creative planning and problem-solving. In the sandbox, Aleksi and Pietari engage not only with sand but also with greater lessons, such as teamwork and the use of their imagination. Passive screen time is replaced by imaginative and fun activities, combined with fresh air and social interaction.
This is the true magic of Plasto toys; they are part of both precious family moments and grand adventures, bringing creative joy and energy to everyday life.