Kids, don't think of this as losing toys. Think of it as being able to see the rest of your toys!
I made some tough choices here because I've already done so much releasing - some of these are pretty cool. But I thought about whether a toy entertains either of the kids for as much as five minutes, and that helped. Some toys (like the black and yellow motorbike which really is Super) just can't compete anymore in the pile of new scooters and real bikes.
So along with Red snail, Blue snail, Yellow snail, and Green snail and other favourites, they can make some other younger children happy now.
I also threw away a magnetic drawing board that was broken but still limping along. It's quite hard for me to do that but our shelves look better already.For those who don't have children, this may seem a strange and pitiful activity to brag about. But life in our house improves with every item that is gone and not missed, and that is truly an art.
Do you discuss it with your children when toys need to go?
So far I have taken matters to my own hands, because my daughter is only two, but soon I will have to engage her in the choosing and letting go. She doesn't really have huge piles yet so I've mainly just gotten rid of some baby toys and a few stuffed animals. She has a few favorites that she plays with, 3 bears I have made her, doll buggy, duplo legos, wooden fruits that can be chopped with a knife, lots of books, pens and paper for drawing, and random "real" objects that she always plays with. She has a box of vintage doll clothes that we play with, dressing up the bears and some other toy. Oh, and a Fisher Price cashier gets played with..
ReplyDeleteI could actually go through her toys again, and see if there is something to let go.
I know that I am avoiding big hassles by choosing which toys go without mentioning it to the kids.
ReplyDeleteLike you, "soon" I will need to engage them, if only as a learning experience. I have already done this a little with Alex when he makes art projects and leaves them around. If he sees me getting rid of them and objects, I ask him to find a home for the project.
Most often he says, "I don't mind if it goes..."