Workshop#14 Toys and Family Values - Page 2

[Carhootel]

Subbing with a question/topic

I'm a first time mom to a nine month old who is quickly accumulating toys and now we have some that he no longer cares about (his 'first toys' aren't getting any playtime lately) so I'm wondering how do you deal with having a very few toys vs. a lot - do you have a system for rotating toys or storing ones away for future children as your child outgrows them?

[dogretro]

Originally Posted by Carhootel

Subbing with a question/topic

I'm a first time mom to a nine month old who is quickly accumulating toys and now we have some that he no longer cares about (his 'first toys' aren't getting any playtime lately) so I'm wondering how do you deal with having a very few toys vs. a lot - do you have a system for rotating toys or storing ones away for future children as your child outgrows them?

For toys that dd has outgrown, but that I still want to keep for future kids, I put them in a small bin in the attic. She definitely owns more toys than are actually out in her play room b/c I do rotate them. Things that are not getting a lot of play currently, or just to change some scenery, I will put things in a small bin or paper grocery bag & take them up to the attic. The frequency w/ which I do this depends on how her play is flowing. If it is seeming bored/repetitive, I will put some things away and bring other things out. You can very easily own a nice variety of toys w/ out having to keep them all available at all times. This lets the child focus more on what they have, developing concentration and imagination, but you still have "new" things available w/ out having to run out and actually buy something new!

[dentmom]

Luckily, my mom is really respectful of not getting us too much garbage. I'm the one who didn't do so well this year. I cut back on the amount BIG TIME though.

[BugSara]

Ooh toys, my favorite subject. My girls are 3, 5, and 18. I'm a toy reviewer, so we see lots of toys come through here. I keep what the girls love and donate the rest to a local low-income preschool.

I've found that the simpler a toy is, the more play it gets. For Christmas, we are getting new playsilks because the old handmade ones ones got worn through by daily play. Blocks get played with every day. And wooden animals. And dolls. And cardboard boxes - my girls have a packed play room and they squeal over empty cardboard boxes So, when I look for gifts, I either add to the toys they love with more blocks or more accessories, or I look for something that complements what we are learning about or their interests. My 5yo is a future ornithologist who loves to read about foreign countries, so she's received maps, birding guides, bird song identification CD's, bird feeders etc.

[Peppermint Poppies]

Originally Posted by Carhootel

do you have a system for rotating toys or storing ones away for future children as your child outgrows them?

I bought a whole stack of small plastic crates with lids, and keeps types of toys in each:
- playdough toys
- musical instruments
- planes, trains and automobiles
- nature box (things we've collected, such as pinecones, sticks, rocks, shells etc)
- tea party
- art supplies
- wooden blocks
- duplos
- nuts and bolts set
- dolls and doll clothing
- cash register with pretend shopping things (usually miniature grocery items I've collected)
Then, I just rotate the crates every month or so. Easy peesy

I've also got an art supplies crate that stays permanently out - I just change the contents whenever I come across new supplies like feathers or stickers or glue.

I've planned a few future crates in my mind too ... a 'science' crate (with magnifying glass, cotton buds, tweezers, straws, paperclips, measuring cups, beakers etc ..... a cooking crate with bowls, spoons, apron, cooking implements etc, and ready to add lentils/pasta/rice to play with ... and an animals crate.

If I sound slightly OCD, it's because I live in a tiny apartment, and toys needs to be somewhat organised or it would be total and utter CHAOS!! My crate system, while unfortunately plastic, means that my kids get a range of open ended toys to play with, and a variety through rotation.

[PiesandAbrosmama]

So I have 4 ages 9 down to 1. My kiddos love to create so crafting supplies is a much more staple toy for us, the dress up bin gets lot's of action we get these things from left over halloween costumes and then thrift store finds. Legos are a big hit for my kids, and outside "my size" equipment as in little brooms, house stuff, just my kiddos size.
Now we are currently a family of 6 living in a very small 2 bed home and I do not have a lot of clutter, my problem is sometimes wondering why we have any toys as what they do have (which again is not a lot) does not seem to keep interest very long. I guess creative people just get board without creating? Not sure, getting some good ideas here.

[MayLibertySprout]

[sapphos]

This is my first workshop - I've had the book for a couple of years but because I often browse for what I need at a specific moment I had not opened it up recently. This is such an opportune time for this!!

We have a challenging time because both my husband and I work from home and right now he's away for at least a couple of months. Normally we really bounce off of each other to keep dd away from the TV for any length of time. However, I must confess, as embarrassing as it is, she has watched far more TV than I would care for but sometimes it's really hard to get her to sit down and play and allow me to work. We have a pretty good selection of toys since I tend to frequent the consignment stores for quality European and American toys. We have some pretty good things that she's been growing into bit by bit.

I find my confidence with being crafty and creative with art is often a downer when it comes to dd doing crafty things. I'm trying to push past my comfort level though because perhaps a lack of that in my own childhood is what holds me back today.

I think my best deal is the Plan dollhouse that I bought on Craigslist with the entire house of furniture plus lots of extra accessories plus the dolls for 40.00!

Anyway I've found many of the previous posts helpful and am glad that I actually found that chapter because of this workshop. the posts and the chapter have given me some great new ideas

Happy Holidays!

[E.V. Lowi]

Hello everyone! This is a subject near and dear to my heart! And my first workshop, too. I'm looking forward to reading the responses and participating in this workshop.

[directmommy]

playdough , crayons and paint!!!!
tops on the list, blocks, not for the girls , i have 2 DD 9 and 4

they like dress up , and have a few "costumes" but honestly do great with just extra clothes and "dress up" clothes we buy at yard sales .
bikes, playset in the yard, and a YARD!

yes Barbie the evil pink hootchie has come to visit , but , since we live in a real world , and such , my girls know she is just a toy .
i watch them play fashion and dress up with her, but honestly , it comes and goes, we havent had the naked barbie living room decorations her in weeks...


my elder DD spent about an hour and a half with me today in bed knitting a burp cloth for the twins ( due in january)

they love to color and decorate.
i will admit , since we dont have TV they and they homeschool , they dont get "as " bombarded as some kids with buy buy buy buy messages .

they love playing with the dog ( we have a westie ) and our cats .

now, this is kind of an evolution for me , my oldest son had a lot more toys, but life was different fiancially and other stuff at that time too ..... HOWEVER my oldest is 20 and he and his girlfriend were down for christmas, he bought up the fact that we hadnt done the santa clean out with the girls yet, which is AWESOME because, what we do with that is just what it sounds like, santa knows kids have only so much room in thier toy boxes, and so we have to sort through broken toys, (trash) and toys we just dont really use, (donate)
then go to the local shelter or thrift store to donate,
obviously it works well if you do it and stick to it , we do the same before birthdays too .

and yes
my kids do ask/beg when we shop , luckily however, if you hold firm to the , ask santa , or maybe on your birthday ,save your allowance ... party line, they do learn it has no purpose to beg ,

santa brings two or three toys only , any other presents come from family , and thats fine .
i have been to several homes and watched kids get loads of toys , and not really play with any of them , a simple case of too much , IMHO.

[katieroo]

OK don't laugh. what are play silks? I honestly don't know but I see them mentioned a lot

[seim.ge]

You can check them (playsilks) out here:

http://www.blueberryforest.com/play_...play_silks.htm

Really, they're just silk scarves, often hand dyed. I buy mine wholesale and hand dye them.

[Garbriel]

Hi I'm new to this threading thing so if someone can please message me or tell me how to post a thread it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[paceman123]

workshop

Hai everybody, i am a new member to forums, so i am intereseted
and want to gain knowledge on this topics..........................thank u

[babywearer_anon]

hey seim.ge can you tell me where you have found wholesale silks?

oh, and also what do you use to dye them?

thanks!

[catinthehat]

They are plastic, but my kids(and every other kid who comes over to play) favorite toys are these toy dinosaurs that were my husbands when he was a kid. They are big ones, most are 8 or 9 inches long. They play with those and other plastic animals all the time. The are great for outside because they don't rot.
My girls(6 and 4) also like dress ups, the electric piano, and of course art. Card board boxes are also always a hit.

As far as birthday parties go, last year for my 6yo dd, I set up a nature scavenger hunt at the park for her birthday. The kids worked together to find everything on the list. The list had pictures so non-readers could help. They all loved it, and I liked that it was not competitive, but cooperative.

[Star_Shine]

Hi! I'm semi-new, mostly a lurker because I don't typically have much to say.

We just moved, but before we did we had a rotation for our toys. We had three boxes that we'd change out every week. It worked great, when we had a place to store the two boxes that weren't in use. Right now we don't have any place to store anything so DS has most of his toys out right now.
I am constantly purging. DH's parents buy DS new toys every time they see him, so despite our personal goal towards simplicity, we are bombarded by (plastic) toys. I just get rid of toys that DS doesn't seem interested in anymore (they are donated to Goodwill or to my sister who has a DD younger than DS). Battery operated toys typically get given away sooner because they tend to be annoying (in our experience).
Right now DS has his board books on a shelf and in a basket by a child sized chair, a train table with cars and a small train set (he's getting a new one for Christmas!), a Craftsman child sized workbench (from DH's parents, DS loves it), a table and art supplies, a dress up box (filled with hats, halloween costumes, and shoes), a rocking horse, and then a small 3 shelf shelving unit for his other toys (wooden blocks, legos, finger puppets, playsilks, wooden puzzles). They stay pretty organized.
His books with paper pages are currently in our bedroom on our bookshelf. They're used as bedtime stories until DS learns how to read a book without tearing it apart just to hear the paper rip lol. He also has kitchen toys but those are on a shelf near the kitchen so he can "cook" while I'm cooking.
We're also living with my parents right now so he has "Grandma's house" toys to play with as well.

DS is 2.

[sunanthem]

My kids are now 5 and 7 one girl, one boy. One toy they both loved ALOT like, until it fell apart was a wooden van toy for a doll house from Voila toys. I wish I could afford the big wood vans/ trucks.. not cars.. something they could put toys in and scoot around.. they both just loved that. We have made alot of toys together and I have made many for them, though they don't seem to love the wood toys as much as I do.
Our wood treehouse doll house has gotten alot of play too.
My kids weren't as in to the wood kitchen.
Bikes and scooters are also favorites they enjoy.
It is much harder as my son gets older to get him to love more peaceful toys. All the boys want are "cool" stuff, they love monsters and action figures and such... I do need to try to make more action/robot type themed toys, maybe he will like those.

[melisssaparker46]

Yes, Holiday is fast approaching. Workshop like this shouldn't be missed.

[clothbottom1]

My baby girl always liked her doll and a small kitchen set, she always told me dad what you want to eat I'll bake it. its very cute..thanks