I am a mom of four high energy kids,and I realized that my kids needed limited choices with toys . My epiphany came when daily we were walking over dozens of toys scattered everywhere.
There are so many toys being made now that kids really just toss aside. For instance, if someone buys a stuffed animal for just one of my boys, they are not smugglers. My boys are hands on. That toy will inevitably end up at the Goodwill.
If the same person takes the time to ask me what kind of toys each child likes then I can give them ideas. Not all children like all toys. Kids are different and some like toys that talk, others like toy cars, dinosaurs, or legos.
Toy Selection
- Look at toys closely. Ask yourself “Would I like this toy”? If the answer is no, then probably not.
- Find toys that expand the imagination.
- No one knows your children better than you.
Limiting Toy Choices
- Too many toys leads to confusion. Choices of 5 or 10 favorite toys are good.
- Have a limit on how many toys are in the toy box. The rest can be kept in a bin in the garage.
- Utilize a toy rotation. Every 3 months rotate toys. Keep the toys interesting.
Visit The Toy Store
- Take the kids to several different places to look at toys.
- Children will gravitate toward their interest. Remind them that it is only time for looking at the store.
- Take note of what toys they like.
Toymakers make toys that kids are not interested in playing with, and there is no imagination involved. Not all toys have to be educational. Toys can be fun and not educational. Imagination is education. Children with a good imagination will go far in life.
I remember as a child some of the best times were playing marbles, or barbie dolls with my friends. Not even Barbie dolls are the same now. My friends and I found it to be so much fun with the Barbie pool, Barbie house and Barbie accessories.
Now I see imagination with my boys, but only in a few toys. Dinosaurs are one of the toys they continue to play with on a daily basis. I know they love dinosaurs. We buy a lot of dinosaurs. Why? They get played with ALL OF THE TIME.
Electronics have taken away so much from kids. We as a family are guilty of too much electronics too. Kids, they don’t go outside, they don’t play well with friends, and when we need them to behave we stick an electronic in their hand.
Electronics are fun with limits. Our future generation needs time to play and be kids. Imagination is a beautiful gift that is being wasted and we as parents will see the effect of what we have done in future years.
Cheers,
Michelle
Related Posts:
Awesome article! At first, I thought it was just going to be a list of tips on how to limit the toys but it is more than that.
Having your children play with the toys that develop imagination is going to make them like such toys and they will be playing with them more and more.
Toys are for fun and imagination is fun! So give your children the opportunity to play with the toys they like and that are opening their views.
I like your idea of taking kids to the shop just to check out the toys because the kids are going to be more honest with themselves about what toy they truly desire. You should take notes and understand each of your children because they are all different.
I am really glad you enjoyed it. For a long time I struggled with buying more toys because they did not seem to be interested in their current toys. Thanks so much.
Yes, I think that that buying just any toy they might like is not the best option. Figuring them out and then buying them toys will always work better.. 🙂
Then your not tripping over toys…like we were. Lol
I am tripping over my dog’s toys sometimes because even if I taught him to clean up his toys he doesn’t do it every time 😀
We went through this with Little Miss Toddler. Now that we limit and rotate her toys get a lot more use. Like you a lot less tripping for us grown ups LOL.
Rotating really helps with them playing more. It was frustrating that we spent money and toys were not being played with and tossed aside.