sticks

[erinbethp]

My son is 15 months old and he loves to play outside.  He also loves to gather up sticks and walk around with them.  We live in a woodsy area and I can't reasonably gather up every stick in his path... I can take them away but he'll just find another one.  He is a fairly stable walker but still trips often.  Do you let your little ones pick up sticks?  How do you handle this?

[Adaline'sMama]

DD picks up sticks and rocks and often times things that are pokey and hurt. She falls down when she gathers too many things, but I think thats just part of toddlerhood.

[AfricanQueen99]

Originally Posted by Adaline'sMama 

DD picks up sticks and rocks and often times things that are pokey and hurt. She falls down when she gathers too many things, but I think thats just part of toddlerhood.

Yep. 

Both my kids are stick picker-uppers and have been since crawling.  My only "rule" is that the sticks stay outside...so there's generally a nice pile outside the garage door.
 

[erinbethp]

Thanks Mamas... my instinct was, this is ok because children have been doing it from since the beginning of time, I'm sure.  But I've been battling a lot of self-doubt lately and was starting to worry that people would think I'm a bad parent for not taking them away.  He has fun with it, and I like that he enjoys being outside so much and doesn't need to bring toys, he can find everything he needs to be entertained right there. :)

[LaughingHyena]

We teach them to pull bigger sticks along behind them, trailing them on the floor which saves them from poking each other quite so much. That said DSs idea of a stick is more a small branch!

If you are particularly worried about the sticks being carried how about getting a small wagon or even doll stroller for carting things around. We didn't get ours with the aim of them becoming stick carriers but they were certainly used that way a lot.

[Imakcerka]

They love to collect, the idea of getting him something to put his collection in is a good one.  DD1 would gather and place all her finds in a shoe box or bigger depending and then go through them.  I just had to watch for eating of rolly pollies.