Do you think your child has a lot of toys?

[kijip]

More specfically do you think it is/was a problem? How did you limit/cut back if you feel/felt it was out of hand? I am putting the finishing touches on Toby's room and I am amazaed at how many toys he has. Obviously, if he has 'em I likely bought them LOL or they were gifts. We were in a studio for a short while with most of our stuff in storage and I can't say that he missed most of the stuff that he went without from March-June. Now that it is all unpacked and sorted into toy storage, it seems like WAY more than it did before we lived in that studio for a few months. Under the bed, there is a train table with a zillion trains (enough track to cover the entire living and dining area with layouts), he has an armoire full of books, a bin shelf unit jammed with toys, a long closet shelf with baskets of toys and a stack of games and art sets, a easel, a toy kitchen island and one of the drawers of his dresser is filled with toys too. He has a small table and chairs as well and a kitchen shelf stacked with paints and playdoh that I only take out when i will be watching very carefully. Plus a trike. And 2 more shelves of books in the living room plus about 2 dozen DVDs. Honestly, I am tempted to toss it all out except for 1/2 the books, the trains, the DVDs, the art supplies and the kitchen and see what happens. When does it become too much? I can't say that it is not getting played with and I can't say that it is cluttering up the apartment but I wager he has a few thousand dollars worth of toys. I know I did not have that much and I know he does not really need it all. Please note that I don't care if others have a lot of toys and love them. I am just musing on if this is really too much for my family. When does it end? Perhaps I should put a freeze on new toys LOL. A while ago, Sarah posted a map that showed counties proportional to toy imports and it was very eye opening for me.

I am wondering if it feels like a lot because he has a lot of many- years-of-use items (like the trains and the kitchen). Perhaps there is just less stuff to add on past this age? I know that I am going to reduce future purchases, but am on the fence about a mass reduction in current toys, especially since it is hard to prune out stuff he actually seems to be getting enjoyment out of.

[elliput]

Funny that you should ask this question! I have been trying to rationalize how much is too much, and what types of toys should we have around. There are definitely items that DD doesn't play with much right now, but I wonder if maybe she just hasn't grown into it yet (rather than just isn't interested). Right at this moment, I think she has a good amount of toys, and I keep looking at more. I find it really hard to *not* take a browse through toys when I go to Target or check out all the items on clearance at FAO Schwarz. I guess I keep looking for items that inspire me, and hope that they will inspire DD. I am sure the day will come when I look around and say "this is way too much." ;-)

[holliam]

Honestly, I often think we have too many until I go to some other houses. It helps somewhat that I refuse to buy plastic toys. It makes it much, much more difficult to go crazy because non-plastic toys are not as easy to find and they are much more expensive.

However, I'm on some awesome co-op lists that have made wooden toys much more affordable which has caused me to "stock up" more than I would have otherwise. It's still things I wanted to get one day, but I end up putting them in storage until it's time because I get good deals. I try so hard to avoid buying things just because they are good deals. But, as is evidence by my lovely new forest canopy I got at the FAO sale, I'm not always successful. However, I did want to get one eventually, and I never in a million years would have spent $100 on one.

We read so many books that we just have made the library part of our lifestyle. We own a ton of books, but I try now to make them more timeless or longer lasting, wide age range, etc. It doesn't mean I'm always successful at this!

Our families know that we are "picky" about toys. So now they tend to just ask what we'd like or they are starting to do what I've requested--to MAKE her presents. For example, my sister who sews is going to make her some VERY simple dress-up clothes for her birthday/holidays this year. Another sister makes musical instruments so we are hoping for another one.... that kind of thing. We really just get presents from 3 sisters, niece, and 2 sets of parents so we keep it controlled.

I grew up very indulge materialistically and very neglected emotionally so I am hyper sensitive about trying to figure out what exactly is enough. It is taking a lot of soul searching to be honest. Two books that have really forced me to think a lot are "Living Simply with Children" and "How Much is Enough". But, I'm still a work in progress...

Holli

[dules]

Interesting question!

I think we have too many toys and am starting to declutter and move some out. Every now and then I fill a laundry basket with things I have not seen DD play with in a while and put it in my closet. If she doesn't notice that those toys are gone, they get donated.

We have far fewer toys than many of the kids we go on playdates with, just as we have a less extravagant house, kitchen, appliances, car, etc...that is simply what our means and lifestyle allow and call for. However, I don't think it's useful (or productive) for me to compare....so yes, we have too many toys. :)


Best,
Mary

[lilycat88]

We've got a designated amount of space in our family room dedicated to Susanna's "stuff". When her toys start to seep out of that area, we "cull the herd" and get rid of stuff that has sort of crept in over the couple of months since the last sorting. If it has fallen to the bottom of the toy basket and not been missed, it's probably going to go away. No matter if it is age appropriate or not. We definitely get rid of things quickly as soon as she seems to be "finished" with them for her age. As far as actual "toys", she really doesn't have that many, especially compared to some other kids her age. She also doesn't have many big toys...kitchen, easel, etc. She is in daycare and has ample access to role play with some of the bigger kitchen'y types of things there. At home, we pretend play with smaller things like just pots and pans on a stack of books (her "stove") or a tea set. We use a cookie sheet as a magnetic board/easel. Her doll buggy and cradle are the most space intensive but she also plays with them constantly. We have a TON of books and they are spread throughout the house in various baskets. The books in her bookcase in her room are actually the ones she isn't quite ready for and the ones in the baskets are the ones she reads now. We rotate the baskets between rooms. So, as far as toys go, I don't feel like we have a lot or too many. Books, on the other hand, are totally out of control. Not a bad thing...just sometimes overwhelming. :-)

[holliam]

The cookie sheet idea is ingenius! DD likes her magnetic letters flat and we have been using a small white board we had around here but the cookie sheet is such a fabulous idea!

Holli

[aliceinwonderland]

Right now, as we come back from Indiana with 4 new Thomas trains, a new DVD, bath letters, swim toys, puzzles, and a brand new wardrobe (very generous grandparents who miss him so), yes, I'd say so! I told MIL she nor I need to get ANYTHING anymore till Christmas.

But the Kettler is as expensive as we'd get. And we have no hard and fast rules, we have plastic, metal, wood, and cloth toys, who all live happily in our clutter. I lust after many Oompa toys but rarely take the bait. My kid does not have a PBK kitchen (I renovated my real kitchen for less than that!!) nor any of those Holtzinger (sp??) animals, though I have previously lusted after them as well :)

So yes, compared to me growing up, too many, but we're not the gold standard in anything parenting, and his toy selection is no exception to the rule :)

[lilycat88]

Yup. It's great. I have a couple of absolutely monstrous cookie sheets that I got for wedding gifts that have never actually seen anything baked on them. She also enjoys using the magentic letters and a regular baking pan with sides. Something about likeing to see is she can line up the letters on the inside edge of the baking pan.

Jamelin
Mom to Susanna born 6/29/2004

[kijip]

> Every now and then I fill a laundry basket with
>things I have not seen DD play with in a while and put it in
>my closet. If she doesn't notice that those toys are gone,
>they get donated.

Excellent advice. I am going to cull this week using the laundry basket method!

[DDowning]

Most of DS's toys that we got him/he received when he was younger, DD is playing with now. She's just past the point where I can start recycling and decluttering. Having multiple kids though makes it tough to say what's going. All the LP sets that DS received he really hasn't paid attention too but DD loves playing with them. So in that aspect, I'm getting more bang for the buck so to speak. With DS's birthday just passing, he of course received more toys and I've been slowly going through and discarding what's broken, has missing pieces etc. I, of course, do this during naps or bedtime because heaven forbid that I do it while they see me as that then becomes their most beloved toy and how dare I make them part with it! One thing that has really helped is now I'm starting to focus on outdoor/activity toys that stay outside - its definitely cutting down on the clutter inside!