I'm STILL Stuck on Toys

[eljube112]

we're purging toys currently. I'm absolutely taking the advice to pare down within a category! they don't need 75 matchbox cars :twitch:

they are doing great though. I sent them to the toy room and asked them to pick 5 toys they would be willing to give away. they both did it with no crying! and then we went up and talked about why they picked a toy and how we could give it to another child to enjoy.

DS2 (3yo) originally picked his LP pirate ship, but as we were talking, he changed his mind and picked something else instead.

[mrspopo]

Originally Posted by eljube112 we're purging toys currently. I'm absolutely taking the advice to pare down within a category! they don't need 75 matchbox cars :twitch: they are doing great though. I sent them to the toy room and asked them to pick 5 toys they would be willing to give away. they both did it with no crying! and then we went up and talked about why they picked a toy and how we could give it to another child to enjoy. DS2 (3yo) originally picked his LP pirate ship, but as we were talking, he changed his mind and picked something else instead.

Yay! That's awesome I love that you're getting them involved from such an early age and explaining how another child will enjoy it. Such a great foundation for them.

[TypeAMom]

Originally Posted by Aithyne For us it's Lincoln Logs. I suggested them. DS uses the longest one as a wand and never plays with them. Sigh.

Love this! Kids are so funny. My daughter grabbed 2 wooden blocks the other day and walked in the other room to sit on her step stool. She faced a wall and said she was watching tv. One block was the remote control and the other block was cheese she was eating.

The whole conversation about 'should' is really helpful. I have a much easier time paring down what I should or might use but really struggle with that when it comes to DD. I think this has motivated me to part with the Lincoln logs. The next thing will be cutting back within the categories.

[harmoni247]

Originally Posted by TypeAMom Love this! Kids are so funny. My daughter grabbed 2 wooden blocks the other day and walked in the other room to sit on her step stool. She faced a wall and said she was watching tv. One block was the remote control and the other block was cheese she was eating.

My son used to play with our guitar tuner and call it his video game. who needs a real one? He made it all up. He could go into detail about what was going on in the game and he had never played one before.

[lensesforeyes]

I find it hard to part with toys because I have five kids. While there are a couple toys the all like, there are quite a few that one child plays with daily that the others don't care about.

We have ikea trofast storage shelves/bind, four of the tallest ones, plus two small shelves for the big toys. That's after cutting down a lot, and while I will continuously purge things, I think that's pretty good. It's one trofast shelf per bigger child (baby is seven weeks), and about two bigger items per child. This does not include stuffed animals, but they each have 4-5 and they live in their bedroom (all other toys are in the playroom).

While I know we could pair down the sets a lot, I actually prefer to have a good amount of everything so there aren't fights. We probably have around 50 hot wheels, but they all get played with, as they are one of the things my kids play together with. Another is the obscene amount of trains/track we have. They can make an enormous track, and do 2-3 times a week. It is big enough for all four to play with together, so I love it.

As for keeping things because kids "should" have it, I agree that if its not played with, let it go so there is more room for toys that will be used.

I think my biggest problem is not wanting to part with out grown toys because I have more kids that will play with them. This is mostly an issue with baby/toddler toys. Kind of happy we are done having kids so I can easily part with them.

ETA: to add to the conversation of the silly way our kids play with toys-DD2 convinced her dad to bring the kid's soccer ball inside, and proceeded to wrap it in a blanket and call it her baby. Put it in the baby swing and repeatedly came running out saying her baby needed to be rocked.

[rawheid]

I just reread this and I'm so happy I did. There are a few things in our kids collections that i've been shoulding about. The remote control cars, the little people and the blocks. I'm struggling with them as YDS is only 18 mths. There are so many things that i've let the kids keep with each purge I know that i've caved in. So i'm hoping that i can look objectively now at the toys. I just want less, so that the kids play more

[Ocean4Me]

New here..something I need help with is Ds's stuffed animals!He plays those games at the grocery store(and wins!!)and has no less than..oh 30 stuffed animals...I don't know what to do..

[themamageek]

Originally Posted by Ocean4Me New here..something I need help with is Ds's stuffed animals!He plays those games at the grocery store(and wins!!)and has no less than..oh 30 stuffed animals...I don't know what to do..

My blog post on our experience with it. Maybe it'll help?

http://themamageek.net/noahs-plushie-purge/

[elizabeth.scalf]

Originally Posted by themamageek My blog post on our experience with it. Maybe it'll help? http://themamageek.net/noahs-plushie-purge/

Great blog post. I can't believe how many you started with but great job! I agree about going slow with the emotional attaachment, sometimes kids can get overwhelmed and brea k down at the prospect of losing so many stuffies. I've found that it's easiest to purge stuffies when the kids are actually playing with them. They load up their shopping cart, drag them all into another room, play with them on a couch or a bed or behind a table, then load them up and keep dragging them around. If one or two get left behind or roll under a couch and they don't care enough to come back for it, then into the purge pile with it!

Another rule that I have about toys is purging one that can be replaced with an more open-ended toy. A plastic airplace? Purge, because they can build one from Duplos. A Fisher Price laptop with buttons? Purge, because we can spend an afternoon drawing one on a cardboard box and pretend. A battery-operated mixer for their kitchen? Purge, because they can use a spoon and a bowl and pretend. A make-up and curler set? Purge, because they can use spoons from the kitchen and wooden popsicle sticks to 'apply' make up. Etc.

[themamageek]

Originally Posted by elizabeth.scalf Great blog post. I can't believe how many you started with but great job! I agree about going slow with the emotional attaachment, sometimes kids can get overwhelmed and brea k down at the prospect of losing so many stuffies. I've found that it's easiest to purge stuffies when the kids are actually playing with them. They load up their shopping cart, drag them all into another room, play with them on a couch or a bed or behind a table, then load them up and keep dragging them around. If one or two get left behind or roll under a couch and they don't care enough to come back for it, then into the purge pile with it! Another rule that I have about toys is purging one that can be replaced with an more open-ended toy. A plastic airplace? Purge, because they can build one from Duplos. A Fisher Price laptop with buttons? Purge, because we can spend an afternoon drawing one on a cardboard box and pretend. A battery-operated mixer for their kitchen? Purge, because they can use a spoon and a bowl and pretend. A make-up and curler set? Purge, because they can use spoons from the kitchen and wooden popsicle sticks to 'apply' make up. Etc.

Everyone LOVED buying him stuffed animals, especially "sets". That's finally better!