I don’t know what it is about babies & toys. They don’t ask for them, they certainly don’t need them, they rarely play with them, and yet they are forever receiving them. Older kids go through toys as quickly as they do clean underwear. Something is forever breaking or no longer trendy, causing a constant desire to acquire more.
In our house, each child is expected to keep their toys in their own rooms. This helps the older ones establish what they really want to keep versus what simply takes up space. They didn’t mind holding onto every single fast food toy & NERF dart when they had a separate playroom. But now, space is precious. We have five kids in the house. The big boys have eliminated toys they no longer play with, and they proudly trade in their toys for ice cream at ChickFilA.
As for the younger ones, I’ve stumbled upon a miracle toy solution. I keep most of my toddler’s toys in his closet, rotating out a few each week. The kid never grows bored. Having only one or two to choose from keeps him from being over-stimulated, and he’s able to actually concentrate on one activity for an extended period of time.
Sometimes, he catches a glimpse of his secret stash while I’m dressing him. He squeals with delight and makes a beeline for the closet, pulling out one or two. I let him play for a few minutes, and then I say “all done” and clean up. He’s perfectly happy to leave that collection in exchange for the one or two items that await him downstairs.
Running a tight toy ship has saved us lots of money while teaching the kids responsibility and prudence. They have learned to appreciate and take better care of what they have. And in the meantime, we’re not tripping over toys with each step. Our house still allows for peace & order for everyone. Hallelujah!
4 Comments
Excellent toy strategy! I’m thankful that we have just enough toys for our babe that it hasn’t cluttered everything, and she enjoys them a few at a time. :)
HALLELUJAH! I do this at Christmas… I hide half the toys they receive and bring them out throughout the year. But what a good idea to do this all the time. :-)
We have a 6 month old little girl and we are forever getting tons of cloths and toys for her. We also have a closet full of toys that we will eventually cycle through. Right now she has three that she can occupy her time with. One for her crib (mermaid thing), one for the living room (sophie the giraffe), and one for the music room (a rattle). I really don’t think that she needs more to occupy her time.
We didn’t even get her a christmas present because she got so many toys- I ran out at the last minute and bought her a book because I felt that I had to get her something for her first christmas.
– when she gets a bit more mobile- I just need to remeber to keep the cycle up!
Can you please come give a motivational speech to my boyfriend and stepson? I’m trying to explain the whole “less is more” philosophy, and that the little ones appreciate toys more if they don’t have 1,000. But it’s not sinking in lol. You really have a lot of your shit figured out. And you and hubby seem to be on the same page. Good for you. It’s inspirational!