TOTW: Toys

[Csara]

Another suggested topic this week is.........toys, toys, toys... how much is too much (same thing with clothes)!?!

What is an appropriate amount of toys for a child to have? Do you find yourself always looking for new toys or the next best thing? Do you go to friends' houses and see a toy and say to yourself "my kid has to have that"? How much is too much? What are your child's favorite toys? Are they even REAL toys??

Feel free to add more questions to the discussion.

[Deana]

OMG, this is such a relevant subject at our house right now. Nicole has WAY too many toys - and she doesn't just have little toys, she has a lot of big ticket toys, given to her by her grandparents (dh's parents). This past Christmas was rediculous, almost weird, the amount of gifts they bought her. I bet they spent $500 on her. We still have a huge rubbermaid box in the attic filled with gifts she received for Christmas last year that we haven't brought out yet.

I do not know what is an appropriate amount of toys for a child to have, but I think everything tends to loose it's value and purpose when it is overloaded. We are on overload right now I am getting the sense that she doesn't value anything. I know she's only three but it's out of hand. We are going to box up some toys and give them to a women's shelter here in town.

I really don't see toys at friends house's etc that I feel like I have to buy her. I prefer to engage her in simple things like coloring, painting, playdough and playing outside (when it's not 5000 degrees outside, lol). Fortunately N loves to color and do stickers and stuff like that. She is also really into dress-up right now and playing with her babies, and her little people doll house.

[nicolef888]

We limit the toys our boys have. I go through their toys about once a year and give all the toys away that they have not played with in a while. We also make them earn a toy if they want it and they need to do things such as pee in the potty and not have accidents, help clean up, etc, etc. When they do these things, they get a marble which we put in a glass jar and when they reach a certain number of marbles, they get the new toy.

We encourage our extended family not to give our boys material gifts but rather give them money for their college fund. By the time they are ready to go to college it will be very costly and I feel better knowing that their gift will contribute in a way that they can use for the rest of their lives ie. a good education vs. a toy that lasts a year or sits in the back of the closet.

Clothes on the other hand...my boys have too many clothes. I just LOVE to shop for their clothing. They don't really care what clothes they wear be it an old tatty shirt vs. a designer boutique outfit. This is more for me than anything else.

[Tearianna]

Well, my DS is only 3 months old, so I can honestly say he doesn't have too many toys yet! His favorite things are his burp cloth and a teddy bear blankey that he snuggles up to his cheek. I have caught myself buying him things that I saw at other people's houses, though. Like his mirror, his tummy-time mat and his crib aquarium. I figure if the toy entertained him for any length of time, it is worth buying because when he's playing, I can be doing things like eating and taking care of business!! I never realized how hard it would be to find bathroom time after the baby came ...

[B'sgirl]

I like what my SIL does. Whenever she buys new toys, she gives away the same number of old toys to the local thrift store, that way her kids don't get bored with the same old thing and she doesn't get overloaded with toys.

B is getting a little bored with his toys but I have avoided buying any. I would rather give them to him when he is old enough to appreciate the fact that he is being given something, but I'm sure I'll have to break down and buy some soon enough. For now I give him random kitchen utensils and a box of tupperware lids. His favorite are the long plastic spoons.

Speaking of toys, did you here about the second Mattel recall? Yikes!

[jessica]

We have a set number of toy bins and when they are overflowing we pull them all out and make retirement selections. We have 5 small bins in our family room: 1) books; 2) little people/weebles; 3) stuffed toys/dolls; 4) puzzles/magna doodle; 5) small soft/musical toys. In addition to those bins she has ONE weeble house and ONE little people house to go with the little people/weebles that she has. My husband would buy all weebles and little people on the planet if he could and they are all so cute, but she still plays a lot with the ones she has and I always just ask my husband "where will you put that?". My neighbor across the street was just selling like 4 complete little people sets and I didn't buy any of them although I admit it was hard not to go back on my own statements lol! She also has 2 riding toys and a small wagon of mega blocks. Oh and a small table/2 chairs from Ikea.

In her bedroom she mainly just has books and stuffed toys as really the main thing we do in her room is lay on the floor/sit in the rocking chair and read with her or listen to music and sing/dance.

I think we went through a phase of buying too many toys as it was a new fun world of dexterity, interest and mobility! But now I think we are over the fact that she *can* play and are stabilizing out more to a realm of limiting toys and not having toooo many out to not overstimulate her (and keep us a bit more sane).

She also plays a ton with our silverware, tupperware, pots/pans, etc from the kitchen. And hours are spent these days playing with our new kitten!