apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

my sons now 15 mths, and so far we have already taken a couple trips to donate "old toys" that take up space.

my little guy is spoiled beyond belief by family members- so i dont really have much say in what he gets from them... i try to encourage "classic toys" and books... but it doesnt always happen.

when we buy him toys i try to think of things i loved when i was a kid... and would still want to play with... and my hubby will throw in whatever he thinks boys need- lots of trucks and cars.

must-haves for us seem to be cars and trucks, lego duplos (also one of my favs), building blocks, dinosaurs, his tricycle, balls, his play tool set, and my son LOVES fisher price Little People... i remember them (or maybe it was weeble wobbles) from my childhood too.

im now starting to get a sense that the v-tech "learning" and character type toys that light up, make noise, and do a million other things really lose his interest after a couple days!

so i'd agree that simple is better and intend to go that route and he grows... after all my boy would be satisfied with playing with a two-liter bottle for an hour!

Well if you're going to be honest about the subject, infants and toddlers don't need any toys at all. Our species evolved as hunter-gatherers on the move before agriculture and permanent settlement. Toys could have been ordinary everyday items village people used for food prep. :-D

Toys, toys, toys, you can divide them up into threes and fours and put the piles in the garage then rotate them in and out every few weeks or months. Sometimes an old toy finds new life this way. Seriously, I give this advice to all new parents. Don't just chuck it out because your child seems done with it now.

And for every toy you receive, donate two to your local charity or community play gyms that hold toddler times during the week. Or donate toys to kids' hair salons that need replacement toys badly! Give toys to local pediatric dentist offices, pediatrician offices, any wait rooms where kids need a bit of distraction!

As the number of kids grew so did the number of toys... only trouble was our space didn't... So without totally reducing grandparents to having no fun shopping(!) we reduced our toy selection to just se7en different things.

legos, duplo, zoobs, and so on - all toys that require a bit of mental effort, not to mention all toys that you can put the lid on the box at the end of the day!

I have a post on this here if you are interested:

http://www.se7en.org.za/2008/07/31/se7en-of-the-best-toys

This is great - we're not pregnant yet, but I've already started buying books and various items because I can't seem to help myself. It'll be nice to organize it so it doesn't get out of control.

Anyone know of someplace that needs toy donations in the 1yr to 3yr range in Chicago? I've called thrift stores, women's shelters, etc. and no one will take kid's toys due to being held responsible if the toy is eventually recalled.