Toys Everywhere

I woke up this morning amazed at the amount of toys we have collected in 1.5 short years. Our small living room is overflowing with toys. We have stuffed toys of all shapes and sizes, chewing toys, battery operated toys, push toys, riding toys, wood toys, puzzles, books, galore. And then of course there are the toys we wish we didn't buy that somehow become our children's favorites. Like the toys that don't have an off button, but happen to make a large amount of noise. Who thought that up?? Along the way we acquired a nice set of plastic keys that with every movement made a nice jingling noise, "just like Moms." It was novel at first, until I quickly realized the keys did not turn off, nor could I figure out where the battery was hidden. At some point they ended up in my car, and with every stop light and right turn, they jingled ...all the way home.

If I had to start all over again, I would have kept these few things in mind when toy shopping:

1. Don't buy anything that doesn't have an off/on switch. Even better, toys that have volume control are great. There will be days that you need to turn down the cow moo for sanity sake.

2. Stick with the simple stuff. One of my daughter's favorite toys is a classic that I remember from my childhood. Stacking Cups. They are brightly colored, you can put stuff in them, you can stack them up and, best of all, knock them down. The best thing is, they don't cost a fortune and are easy to store. Besides the obvious uses, my daughter uses them like a teacup, in the bath, in the sand, and as a vessel for small objects. It's great. Other classic favorites include blocks, stacking rings, and shape sorters.

3. Look beyond the toy. The kitchen is one of the best places to find new discoveries when your toddler needs something different to play with. I have found (as you may have too) that a wood spoon, whisk and some plastic bowls or Tupperware goes far with a cranky toddler at your feet when you are trying to make dinner. In our house, we made one drawer in the kitchen a "safe" drawer with an assortment of kitchen equipment that can be played with. Another great entertainer is a deck of cards. They can dump them out of the box, spread them around, pick them up. There is no guarantee 52 card pickup won't be involved. I would use a deck that is already missing cards. Remember, toys don't have to be bright and flashy and bought at Fred Meyer. Get creative. Sometimes the best attention grabbers are the ones that don't look like toys. Just remember to ensure it's safe for your child, and of course, provide extra supervision.

4. Books... I have a bookshelf of used books I bought at an auction when I was first pregnant. It was great because not only was it a donation, I had an instant collection. From the time my daughter was born, I put her on my lap and started reading to her. I was frustrated at first because she never wanted any part of it. I tried book after book, the flashy ones, the interactive ones, the girly ones. Nothing. One page in and she was wiggling away. It took me some time to realize it was the simple ones with 2-3 words and lots of pictures that she enjoyed most. I also realized that it wasn't always the book, but how I READ it. She liked it when I used her finger to point, or when I used my voice to accentuate words, or mimic the story in a silly voice. Bingo. So don't be discouraged if your toddler is a wiggly reader! Try singing the book and you might be surprised!

I would love to hear about your adventures in toys!