Photos of very few toys...

[Aletheia]

I have been on a mission to thin my sons' toys to 1920's amounts. Ok, maybe to 1940's amounts. But it is so hard! I want and need inspiration. There are some lovely playroom photos in another thread, but I want photos of rooms that have very few toys. Or even just a list of what toys you have for your kids.

If I can fall for the aesthetic cleanliness of very few toys, I think it will be easier to part with more of them (without worrying too much that I am robbing my children of their childhoods.) Any sources of inspiration, pictorial or otherwise?

[RoundAbout]

Well I wouldn't characterize our situation as "very few toys", but I've been working on my toddler's room for several weeks now and also trying to get rid of most of our crappy plastic toys. Here is the latest decluttering effort. This is the toy shelf in my 2 year-old's room:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35781818@N08/3373294452/

We also have a play kitchen in the kitchen, a train table in the sunroom, a basket of megablocks in the living room, and some toys outside (plastic dump truck, shovels, ball). All together these are his only toys (we have plenty of crafts and books too). I am not a big fan of the playroom concept since I think many children find that many visible toys in one place overwhelming. Instead I prefer to have a few kid stations around the house.

I don't think we will get more minimal than this - I like toys too much and need a nice variety to keep DS entertained at home, but my goal is to keep nearly everything contained to these shelves.

I hope others will post their pics.

[amj'smommy]

I LOVE the breadbox idea!! Very nice

[Delicateflower]

Originally Posted by RoundAbout

We also have a play kitchen in the kitchen, a train table in the sunroom, a basket of megablocks in the living room, and some toys outside (plastic dump truck, shovels, ball). All together these are his only toys (we have plenty of crafts and books too). I am not a big fan of the playroom concept since I think many children find that many visible toys in one place overwhelming. Instead I prefer to have a few kid stations around the house.

I don't think we will get more minimal than this - I like toys too much and need a nice variety to keep DS entertained at home, but my goal is to keep nearly everything contained to these shelves.

I hope others will post their pics.

Phew, I looked at that picture before reading the rest of your post. I was feeling very excessively toy-ed up.

My kids are too young for a playroom, they want to be where I am.

[RoundAbout]

Originally Posted by amj'smommy

I LOVE the breadbox idea!! Very nice

Thanks. I got it at a thrift store for $1 too!

[tree_hugger]

Originally Posted by RoundAbout

Well I wouldn't characterize our situation as "very few toys", but I've been working on my toddler's room for several weeks now and also trying to get rid of most of our crappy plastic toys. Here is the latest decluttering effort. This is the toy shelf in my 2 year-old's room:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35781818@N08/3373294452/

We also have a play kitchen in the kitchen, a train table in the sunroom, a basket of megablocks in the living room, and some toys outside (plastic dump truck, shovels, ball). All together these are his only toys (we have plenty of crafts and books too). I am not a big fan of the playroom concept since I think many children find that many visible toys in one place overwhelming. Instead I prefer to have a few kid stations around the house.

I don't think we will get more minimal than this - I like toys too much and need a nice variety to keep DS entertained at home, but my goal is to keep nearly everything contained to these shelves.

I hope others will post their pics.

Your photos are great! I love your toy kitchen and I am totally jealous you found that mixer for $1!

[Tangled Hill]

I love your photos, RoundAbout! It's always so inspiring to see a pared-down toy collection comprised of beautiful, wooden playthings. I, too, love the mixer! I found the same toaster at a thrift store for about the same price. How funny! Oh, and your breadbox barn is such a good idea, I'm definitely going to steal it if I have another little one underfoot in the future.

Cool thread!

[SuzyLee]

Ours are pretty similar to RoundAbouts.

We have some built in shelves in the LR that have about 10 wooden toys + 3 baskets.
Basket 1 = wooden blocks
Basket 2 = several balls
Basket 3 = odds and ends (like a few finger puppets and playsilks).

In the dining room are 2 push toys, a school bus toys, and a play table.

In the basement family room (which we rarely use) are a pile of outgrown toys and ugly plastic crap from the IL's that I hold onto for a few months after they give it to us. Basically, whenever I notice he hasn't played with a LR toy for a few weeks, I move it down to the Family room.

Editted to add: The wooden toys out in the LR righ now (for an 18 month old) are:
1. Stacking boxes from Spiel and Holtz
2. Nesting Rainbow from S&H
3. Ring stacking toy (local company)
4. 2 wooden M&D puzzles (we noticed that if we had more than 2 puzzles out he got overwhelmed by them)
5. Shape sorter (Brio)
7. Jack in the Box (metal)
8. Stacking cups (plastic)
9. Plastic toy where you turn a knob or push a button and a little animal or character flips up (plastic).

[ASusan]

Originally Posted by SuzyLee

Basket 1 = wooden blocks
Basket 2 = several balls
Basket 3 = odds and ends (like a few finger puppets and playsilks).

In the dining room are 2 push toys, a school bus toys, and a play table.

In the basement family room (which we rarely use) are a pile of outgrown toys and ugly plastic crap from the IL's that I hold onto for a few months after they give it to us. Basically, whenever I notice he hasn't played with a LR toy for a few weeks, I move it down to the Family room.

Editted to add: The wooden toys out in the LR righ now (for an 18 month old) are:
1. Stacking boxes from Spiel and Holtz
2. Nesting Rainbow from S&H
3. Ring stacking toy (local company)
4. 2 wooden M&D puzzles (we noticed that if we had more than 2 puzzles out he got overwhelmed by them)
5. Shape sorter (Brio)
7. Jack in the Box (metal)
8. Stacking cups (plastic)
9. Plastic toy where you turn a knob or push a button and a little animal or character flips up (plastic).

We have almost the EXACT same toy set-up for our 18-mo-old, down to the S&H toys and plastic flip-up toy. I even rotate out his wood puzzles so he has one at a time. I also have a box in the basement where I rotate out approximately 1/3 of his toys. I find that when I put them back into rotation, he plays with them much more. We introduced a basic-8 train set from Ikea last week, and he has a bilibo that he's just figuring out. I think I'll rotate out a box of blocks that he hasn't opened in a few weeks.

Our toys are divided between:

front office serves as a playroom, with toys contained on 2 shelves of a bookcase. There is also a cardboard appliance box-house.

play table in corner of dining area for 2 puzzles & where he eats snacks

pack-n-play in our bedroom, where he stays when DH takes a shower.

his bedroom - 2 shelves of a VERY narrow bookcase.

[KaraBoo]

I'd like to see photos of older children with less toys. I think as your children get older and have more input as to what toys they want and own, the pictures will look differently.

I'm struggling with how to simplify my life without hinging on my daughter's rights. Anyone have older kids with less stuff?

[minimunklemama]

Originally Posted by KaraBoo

I'd like to see photos of older children with less toys. I think as your children get older and have more input as to what toys they want and own, the pictures will look differently.

I'm struggling with how to simplify my life without hinging on my daughter's rights. Anyone have older kids with less stuff?

I do.My six year old daughter has two boxes of playmobil.(I guess the boxes are about10 x 14) a small bryer stable with a basket of horses.Two american girl dolls,a bunch of stuff animals,a desk with pens etc and a book shelf full of books.She doesn't complain.I fact she stays in her room for hours playing with her playmobil but the last few play dates that we have had come to our house,the visiting kid has come downstairs saying that they are bored and do we have a wii/playstation etc.I tell them no,go use your imagination

[yogafeet]

I love how you call it 1920s or 1940s amounts- cute!
I just put a lot of unused toys away in a box and I figure someday we'll pull them out and they'll seem new.

[Shahbazin]

My kids are toddlers (almost 2 & 3), but this is what we have - most of the actual objects fit in a bookcase, 1 extra bookshelf, 1 plastic pail (blocks) & 1 laundry basket:

Wooden toys - 4 peg puzzles, set of mixed blocks, 2 trucks, 2 push ducks, a pull alligator, 6 wheeled animals, small M&D barn, small M&D dollhouse (w/some furniture incl.), little pounding peg bench w/mallet, child size table & 2 chairs

Fabric toys - play silks, 2 Corelle dolls, 4 small fabric dolls, extra doll clothes, 2 small purses, bunch of small stuffed animals, 2 puppets, felt ball

Books - board & picture books - lots!

Plastic/metal/other - tea set, Schleich animals, music instruments, crayons, paints & brushes, paper, play dough

Ride-on (indoor)- 2 plush spring ponies

Outside - tricycle, 2 push & sit ons, swing set w/slide, tricycle, 3 balls, bubbles, wading pool

[slsurface]

Originally Posted by RoundAbout

Well I wouldn't characterize our situation as "very few toys", but I've been working on my toddler's room for several weeks now and also trying to get rid of most of our crappy plastic toys. Here is the latest decluttering effort. This is the toy shelf in my 2 year-old's room:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35781818@N08/3373294452/

We also have a play kitchen in the kitchen, a train table in the sunroom, a basket of megablocks in the living room, and some toys outside (plastic dump truck, shovels, ball). All together these are his only toys (we have plenty of crafts and books too). I am not a big fan of the playroom concept since I think many children find that many visible toys in one place overwhelming. Instead I prefer to have a few kid stations around the house.

I don't think we will get more minimal than this - I like toys too much and need a nice variety to keep DS entertained at home, but my goal is to keep nearly everything contained to these shelves.

I hope others will post their pics.

I could have written this post verbatim. I have the same philosophy: multiple play areas/stations around the house, enough toys to keep him entertained, but not too many to clutter up the house. I'm sure we have more toys that a "minimalist" though, so I won't post my pictures here. I did post on the previous play places thread, however.

[slsurface]

Aletheia, out of curiosity, what are 1920's or 1940's toy levels? I'd like to know!

[Aletheia]

Originally Posted by slsurface

Aletheia, out of curiosity, what are 1920's or 1940's toy levels? I'd like to know!

Yeah, I guess I'd like to know, too. I just remember hearing my grandfather talking about how he had three or four toys-- his most prized was a red metal truck, and it sounds like it was his favorite for years. Now, he was living in a very poor town in a rather poor family, and I have to remember that. But he raised my mom in a middle-class setting and she remembers getting 1 toy at Christmas and at birthdays, and having very few at home generally.

So I'm not exactly sure what the numbers would say. I just want there to be fewer toys getting more love and more use.

In the last few months I've slowly begun to be braver about this. I think it takes a certain willingness to realize that toys can be a cop-out-- a distraction in much the same way a TV can be-- if you are relying on them too much to occupy your kids. My kids are still very little- 2.5 and .5, and so I can still do this easily- I want to set a tone in our house that indicates that it isn't what the toy does for the child, but what the child does with the toy that is fun. I also want to spend time teaching and guiding my children to trust their creativity and resourcefulness. How did we end up with so many young kids who are either overstimulated or bored?

Can you tell that it is late and that I am a little inarticulate?

[amj'smommy]

Originally Posted by KaraBoo

I'd like to see photos of older children with less toys. I think as your children get older and have more input as to what toys they want and own, the pictures will look differently.

I'm struggling with how to simplify my life without hinging on my daughter's rights. Anyone have older kids with less stuff?

dd (just turned 10 in Feb) has 5 medium sterilite totes that fit under her bed. One is her LPS figures, one is for LPS accessories, one is for her 8 barbies and their clothes/accessories, one is for her books and the other for her "junk" we call it ... her magazines, papers she wants to keep and a few small photo albums. She also has a small laundry basket at the end of her bed for her Webkinz. We keep her LPS houses in her closet (she probably has 4 of them and they're too big for under her bed. On her bed she keeps her 2 American Girls dolls and another baby doll she's attached to. Her room is very small... maybe 8'x10' and has a slanted ceiling on one wall.

[slsurface]

Originally Posted by Aletheia

Yeah, I guess I'd like to know, too. I just remember hearing my grandfather talking about how he had three or four toys-- his most prized was a red metal truck, and it sounds like it was his favorite for years. Now, he was living in a very poor town in a rather poor family, and I have to remember that. But he raised my mom in a middle-class setting and she remembers getting 1 toy at Christmas and at birthdays, and having very few at home generally.

So I'm not exactly sure what the numbers would say. I just want there to be fewer toys getting more love and more use.

In the last few months I've slowly begun to be braver about this. I think it takes a certain willingness to realize that toys can be a cop-out-- a distraction in much the same way a TV can be-- if you are relying on them too much to occupy your kids. My kids are still very little- 2.5 and .5, and so I can still do this easily- I want to set a tone in our house that indicates that it isn't what the toy does for the child, but what the child does with the toy that is fun. I also want to spend time teaching and guiding my children to trust their creativity and resourcefulness. How did we end up with so many young kids who are either overstimulated or bored?

I agree. That's why most of DS's toys are open-ended and allow his creativity to come through...Things like blocks, puppets, and crayons/paper. His favorite thing to do is play with homemade playdough with his cars and little construction vehicles. I really enjoy making toys for him. I made his play kitchen out of a yardsale bookshelf. I knit him balls, stuffies, and puppets. I sewed a play tent and a doorway puppet theater too.

I grew up very poor, but my parents did there best to make sure we have a few nice toys. My sister and I shared a few lego sets and we spent many hours building things. The other "toy" that got the most play was paper. I made hundreds of paper dolls and clothes, and I would draw all the time as a kid. My sister and I made our own "newpapers" or passed cards to each other and our parents telling them home much we loved them. I hope to foster that sort of creativity in my DS as well.

[KaraBoo]

Originally Posted by amj'smommy

dd (just turned 10 in Feb) has 5 medium sterilite totes that fit under her bed. One is her LPS figures, one is for LPS accessories, one is for her 8 barbies and their clothes/accessories, one is for her books and the other for her "junk" we call it ... her magazines, papers she wants to keep and a few small photo albums. She also has a small laundry basket at the end of her bed for her Webkinz. We keep her LPS houses in her closet (she probably has 4 of them and they're too big for under her bed. On her bed she keeps her 2 American Girls dolls and another baby doll she's attached to. Her room is very small... maybe 8'x10' and has a slanted ceiling on one wall.

This gives me hope I just don't want to force her to get rid of things but also know that too much stuff is overwhelming. We're moving over to the idea of her cleaning her own room and tidying her own things with minimal help from us and it's just too much to deal with her own. She's ten also so we've talked about how she has toys she's just not playing with now that she's older and her interests are changing.

[boatbaby]

I know we may not be able to offer too many ideas, because we live on a sailboat and our play space is also our living space is also our eating space... you get the idea. But here are a few ideas/ photos of how we do it as well.

http://zachaboard.blogspot.com/2009/...-packages.html

http://zachaboard.blogspot.com/2008/07/play.html

http://zachaboard.blogspot.com/2009/02/waterfall.html

http://toystorage.shutterfly.com/