With Christmas approaching and all of our shopping done the only thing left to do at my house is weed out toys we no longer need or want. We do this each year and things fall into a number of groups as we sort:
- Broken/Lost pieces (trash)
- Outgrown and Unloved (pass along to others)
- Outgrown - Pack Away for Younger Children
- Keepers (currently being loved and played with)
In my marriage we have one person who loves to let things go to new homes and one who would rather keep everything. It’s hard to see the other person’s perspective, even after 11 years of marriage, but we keep trying. When you add the children’s opinions into the mix it can be overwhelming, to say the least. Again, we have a child or two who will happily let toys move to new homes and a few who cling to every toy – including ones they’ve not played with in months or a year. And stuffed animals? Don’t even get me started!
So here’s where you come in dear readers:
- I want you to leave a comment sharing what toys are keepers to you. For example, even when I have no children in the right age range for Little People sets I keep them tucked away in the attic. Little People are durable, classic toys that every one of my children has loved at some point in their lives. Be it the castle set my oldest son loved, the farm set my animal lover treasured, or the pirate ship my current 2 year old adores. We don’t give away Little People.
- I want to know what toys you think every family should have for a certain age, if they can.
- I want to know the toys you don’t think need to enter a home too – and why! (Barbie tops our list.)
- Do you have a limit on the number of toys a child can have? What about a limit on stuffed animals?
- I want to know how you choose toys for your family. Do you have any rules or guidelines? (We won’t buy dolls that are immodestly dressed, for example, and we like to invest in toys that will last through more than one child, as well as toys that invite a child to use their imagination.)
- Are there any toys on your mental wishlist – ones you w0uld love to invest in if the price were right?
Basically, I want to know all your thoughts on toys for your children, so get sharing!
16 comments:
We currently have five children(ages 9,7,4,2 and 5mo) so we have a little bit of everything in our house. Like you, we hang on to our Little People sets. We also hang on to Duplo blocks, Legos, matchbox cars, Cabbage Patch Kids, American Girl items and dolls, play kitchen w/food and bikes and scooters. We often pass along "Fad" type toys like Polly Pocket, My Little Pony, random baby dolls, etc...
My oldest daughter is sort of outgrowing toys. She still plays with her AG doll and Squinkies but that's about it. She is really into books so she has a huge bookshelf in her room that is full of books. Her toys and treasures are kept in two boxes under her bed. If it doesn't fit there then we pass it along or trash it.
My two middle daughters are huge Barbie lovers so they have a Barbie house and accessories. All of the accessories and dolls are stored in a dresser drawer. If they get too much stuff to fit in the drawer then we weed it out and toss some stuff. Their other toys are in under bed boxes under their beds.
My son has his own room and we have gone overboard with him in the toy department. I suppose because he is our only boy we tend to buy a lot for him because of the novelty of it all. He has his toys in Rubbermaid containers that we store in his closet and bring out on a rotating basis.
My youngest daughter is just now getting to the age when she is showing interest in toys. She is playing with the same baby toys that my older children had. The original Leap Frog Learning Table, shape sorters, stacking cups, etc... She will be our last so when she is finished with this stuff it will be passed on.
I feel your pain because when you have a large family you have to be very picky about what you allow into your home or you will be overrun before you know it.
We love our little people too! Along the same lines would be legos (and the like) and geotrax.
I also gather art supplies and hold onto them until they aren't any good. I'd like to get my kids an easel, maybe next year.
We don't have a limit on the number of toys, but stuffed animals have to fit into our corner net-basket-thing. we weed them out anytime it gets too full.
We allow Barbie, but we are selective on outfits. I'm not a fan of the loud monster truck toys and wrestlers, so those aren't allowed.
We prefer toys that can be shared and played together- cars, kitchen, dress-up, dolls/figurines, legos, play dough, etc.
Our big ticket wishlist item is a puppet theater and more puppets to go with it.
Tristan I love the questions. So here are my thoughts. Barbies are on top of our list to of not in this house along with the Bratz dolls. Next big thing is they are allowed two types of toys that they may ask for. For the 10year old it is American Girl doll stuff and Polly pockets. For the boy he has cars(matchbox size) and Farm related toys (tractors, animals, a barn). Those are kept in fabric bins and when the bin is full it gets cleaned out. Things that are broken or not wanted get thrown away or donated. There is nothing else allowed to stay in there rooms and birthday and Christmas toy presents must fit into those groups.
I do have a few items that I have hidden away that I bring out when winter has us stuck inside, we live in WI so they are long and cold, and those include Mr. Potato Head, the Fisher Price Loving Family Doll House and Pieces, Legos, lots of Legos and Playmobil. These are things that only come out once in a while and both kids enjoy playing.
As for stuffed animals my children love them and they are given out a lot at Children's when our son is sick so to help keep down the amount we have I have a mid size hamper, think plastic type with holes in the sides, and when it is full that is it either some leave or no more are brought home.
If a child wants something else it needs to be on our OK list and they need to get rid of a different type of toy. OK toys are toys that promote play that challenges them to think and create and are not electronic or set play items.
One toy that has caught my eye for our son are the Automoblox cars. I think that he would really enjoy them and they would have hours of play since you can build and rebuild different cars out of them.
Keepers - Lego, wooden train, blocks, play food/kitchen, puppets, and dressup clothes.
We actually weren't as pleased with Little People... I loved them as a child (and had a huge collection that I only ended up "losing" 10 years ago... but that was the OLD Little People.) Our kids just didn't seem to play that much with the couple of sets we had...
Things I don't really like - Barbie (but we have been given a few... they end up "disappearing" after a time), noisy annoying toys, etc.
Totally not allowed - BRATZ
We don't do Barbie either or Bratz or any of those type of things. Our favorites that will be kept are GeoTrax, American Girl Doll, Legos and Schleich figures (pioneers, and knights, and various animals).
I love this post(: And like you we weed everything out too...The more kids you have the more toys that come along at Christmas!
Keepers here: anything wooden, puzzles, anything educational that we like, trains and cars/trucks, and craft, toy kitchen and food, bikes and outdoor gear if possible, and games(if they have the pieces, leapsters and games
Dislikes/Disappearing Items: anything that makes music that doesnt have a off button, anything that is not modest in girl toys, bratz dolls, TV items like playstation(we dont allow our kids to use those), movies we dont agree with
Its actually funny that we have now 3 boys, and I cannot for the life of me come up with something to get our 2yo since he plays with everything our 4yo would...any ideas on gift?!
We only have 1 girl so all her things get tossed as she outgrows them or breaks them...if its something she treasured I would keep in a plastic tub for her to pass along one day or donate at some point if she wanted...We do allow Barbie but are very strict on clothing items and such, and we dont allow the Barbie movies!
Yay, I'm enjoying all the commments and ideas!
Kris - Toy ideas for a 2yo boy:
- Mega Bloks or Duplos.
- Indoor bowling set (Oliver got this one last year and still plays with it most days: http://www.amazon.com/Little-Tikes-TotSports-Bowling-Set/dp/B00005YYFN/ref=sr_1_10?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1322605995&sr=1-10 )
- Some matchbox cars with a small track to push cars on.
- A wooden train (we have a small one from Melissa and Doug - no track)
- Wooden Magnet Dolls from Melissa and Doug (there is a boy one)
- Wooden Slicing Food (ahem, another Melissa and Doug. They velcro together and so when the child slices with the wooden knife it is a very satisfying crunch)
- Little People (honestly, we have the last generation ones where the people did not bend, so I'm not sure what's out there now)
- Oliver is just starting to like Imaginext - they're similar to Little People but made for a bit older. We like the airplanes, knights, and dinosaurs.
I'm probably the worst person to comment because I am kind of anti-toys. Not that I don't love toys- but I hate cleaning them up! I don't like junk cluttering my house so I am very picky about what I bring into it.
I think every family should have a few staples- I have boys- so for us it's a train set, melissa & doug architectural building blocks, a set of lego's, and some cars (and yes we even have a set of little people).
Any other toys are things that are considered educational like pattern blocks, wiki alphabet, art products, magnetic letters, etc...
The only thing we really collect and go overboard on are books. I have asked grandparents to send books rather than toys. If they do get "junk" toys, they play with them for a while and then they are either donated to goodwill, given to a friend or they can sell them at a yard sale.
I am so glad I don't have to deal with barbie dolls!
Things I think every child should have if at all possible:
1. And outdoor space to play and explore, whether that's a big yard fully equipped with sandpile, swings, kid's own vegie garden etc or just regular trips to the forest / park / local playground.
2. Lego or construction set or something to build stuff with. I prefer less prescription and more creativity, so we try to get flexible/generic pieces in preference to special sets that only build one or two things.
3. Toys to use as story characters. That could be dolls, soft toys, puppets or a mixture. Again, we prefer generic ones that don't come with a scripted scenario.
4. Stuff to use for dressing up and role playing. If the budget permits, I'd have a range of dress up clothes and accessories, a play house or corner, and a few other items according to the kids' interests. My kids like to play with toy shopping cart, groceries, cash register and kitchen corner, but some kids might prefer other play scenarios.
5. Bikes. Plus a small range of items to encourage active play, such as cricket bat and ball, basketball hoop and ball, trampoline, whatever the family likes.
6. Musical instruments. Try to have real ones rather than plastic toddler versions if able to afford it. Also appropriate recorded music for the kids to listen to, plus books on CD if your kids like them.
7. Board games and card games appropriate to the kids' ages and interest.
8. Books. (Not exactly a toy, but too important to omit!)
Things we avoid:
1. Anything 'sexified' (Barbie, Bratz etc)
2. Anything that encourages gender or other stereotyping
3. Anything that ties in with a movie or television series
4. Anything that is for decoration only (eg super expensive heirloom dolls) or too flimsy to be played with
5. Tacky plastic stuff that won't last and is made in China or other countries where there's little concern for workers or the environment. We don't manage to eliminate this stuff completely, but we try lol
Legos and big wooden blocks seem to have the best longevity. All ages like them too. Littlest pet shop animals have hung around for a very long time and do not seem to be going out of fashion any time soon. The nerf dart guns are liked, but they chew on the darts. The nerf swords are huge with my boys, their dad, their uncle, and their cousins. Again, they chew on those.
We don't do barbies or any immodest dolls either. I think particularly naked grown up dolls lying on the floor bug me. But we do have a big doll house with furnishing for the littlest petshops.
We keep Legos, Duplos, cars, some Polly Pockets used with little houses from Loving Family. We have Barbies that have Sharpied swimsuits so they are never naked. We have a play kitchen, but are going less with fake food and more with pots, pans, etc. We just moved, so we re-evaluated all the toys. We may unpack the Potato Heads at some point, but that is still up for consideration.
I agree about the Little People - luckily, my parents did too, and my own kids now play with the Little Poeple houses and other stuff that was mine when I was a kid!
Other things we keep are: Lego, wooden block and train sets, Lincoln Logs, and a few other toys that stimulate the imagination. Anything else can go.
Each boy was given a rubbermade cube when we moved, they slimmed down to one nerf gun as well. Hindsite 20/20 I would have kept the tub of block, the tub of lincoln logs, and a tub of "baby" toys. It has been hard to have visiting little friends now that the boys are past the plastic toy phase. I think every child should have outdoor toys, magnifying glass, peanut butter jars for collections, and hold their "stuff" limit, to the size limit. i.e. a shelf in the closet, a rubbermade, a drawer. (Hi Tristan! New Laptop = commenting again!)
I have a few "rules" and ideals for our toys around here, though we try to have some moderation and leniency when the toys are gifts from grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc.. Not always fun to deal with, so I try to proceed with prayer on those things!
1) I want all the toys in our home to inspire OPEN ENDED play. To me, that means that the toys are not just a component that has to go with other things in order to "work right." For example, I stay away from most art kits and some play sets. I want the toys to be helpful to imaginative play and not stifling to creativity. For example, rather than buy an art kit that is designed to make or decorate certain objects, I give paper and quality art supplies.
2)I want the toys to give satisfaction for effort, rather than pushing a button, and having lights and sound blaring. A great way I heard this said was that the CHILD should have to be more creative than the adult who created the toy! This is a great measuring stick that I use when shopping for playthings.
3) I don't like toys with lots of pieces that get strewn all over the house. I'm going to be the odd woman out on this, but we don't do Legos or Lincoln Logs any more. We HAVE, in the past, but they are NEVER used for anything but floor coverings! :-p I'm not sure why-- they seem so "open-ended!" But all they are in our home are MESSES. They are not something I'm willing to deal with anymore.
4) I also like Little People, My Little Ponies (the OLD style ones that didn't look so anime)-- those things will last through the Millenium at our house!, Nerf dart guns, wooden swords and daggers, LOADS of dress-ups, sturdy pieces like the Schleich figures (expensive, but high-quality toys that take a beating and last!), tea sets & kitchen tools, and wooden dollhouses and castles. (I like many of Target's wooden toys.)
5) With eleven children in our home, we limit toys to a very few. And most of the toys are in our family room in toy containers (Thank you, IKEA!), where everyone can play with them. When my kids get bigger, and they want their new toys kept safe from the little ones, they keep them in a reserved place under their beds or in their closets. I FREQUENTLY toss or give away the things that actually survive well enough to not be destroyed. ;-p If they're not "loved," then I know they're not played with, and they go bye-bye. Broken toys and fast food toy-stuffs are tossed as soon as I can get away with it. :-D
6) HOMEMADE! I have had it with "cheap plastic crap," as my husband puts it. I get sick thinking about all the little children in China who work in factories to make junk that doesn't last. Last year, my 12 year old daughter and I made her 3 year old little sister a Waldorf Doll, and it has been LOVED! They're so soft and sweet, and there are reasonably-priced kits available. Other ideas for gifts are easy, fun things like homemade playdough and magic wands carved out of sticks. My mom, a VERY talented seamstress, always makes my kids fun things like cloaks, cakes, and twirling skirts. The kids practically live in them, and they can be used for all kinds of pretend adventures!
Oh, and we try to stay away from Barbies and general Disney-saturation. (Not wanting to feed that machine anymore! :-p)
Okay, I'll quit. But I think it's wonderful that so many moms are planning gifts with purpose and standards! It makes me smile. :-)
HUGS,
Rachel
By the way:
Have you seen this article? I LOVE it!!! :-D
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/01/the-5-best-toys-of-all-time/all/1
Hugs,
Rachel
My 5 boys have all loved geotrax. Playmobil and legos and stuffed animals have been popular too. There are so many fun toys- it's hard to pick and choose. They may not play with something in awhile and then pull it out and play with it for days. I may have to start rotating. Don't know- but I pretty much just buy toys now that go with a set we already have- we really don't need any more toys-- that's for sure!
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