Toys; how much is too much?
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Topic: Toys; how much is too much?
Posted By: sunnyhoney
Subject: Toys; how much is too much?
Date Posted: 13 July 2011 at 9:00pm
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My dad made a comment last week that has been playing on my mind ever since...He says that we have too many toys and things for our 2 kids.
I think we have a lot, but I don't think we have too much and yet this comment still bothers me. My 2 kids share a bedroom so there isn't much space in there for toys so most of them are in the lounge for all to see. I'm rambling LOL How much do you think is too much? Do you think that because our parents grew up with not having many toys that our generation should also live the same way? Do I even have an argument here? What do you think? ------------- Mum to: Joy Emily 1.05am 27/09/07 7lb 3oz Austin Paul 12.47pm 18/04/10 10lb 8oz |
Replies:
Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 13 July 2011 at 9:22pm
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Dont think I am going to help you but seeing it is my sons second birthday next week I looked around at all the toys my two kids have. And I must be honest the kids have way way too much toys.
And best is my child loves playing with things that is free around the house. And guess what? I still bought too much toys for his birthday (or so I feel. feel a bit bad as I think he is getting less than what his sister did at 2) ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 13 July 2011 at 9:22pm
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I think my DS has too many toys. He hardly plays with any of it and much prefers household things - pots and pans, Tupperware, boxes etc etc.
I guess it's quite a personal thing, but for me, I think toy companies and shops push us to want too much of this stuff for our children. -------------  
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Posted By: Nikki
Date Posted: 13 July 2011 at 9:36pm
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My kids have too many toys. I've had comments from my mum, MIL, friends etc. and they drive me crazy to be honest (the toys that is).
A friend from coffee group mentioned that one of her friends commented the other day about her kids having too many toys ... so she asked what I think ... we decided that we know no different as everyone we know has toys everywhere! Older people think they have too much cos back in their day when we were kids we didn't have that much ... Xmas and B'days were the only time we got toys, but things these days are cheaper I guess. So yeah ... they probably have too many .... but all kids seem to these days!  ------------- DS (5yrs) and DD (3yrs) |
Posted By: MrsEmma
Date Posted: 13 July 2011 at 9:36pm
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I also think DS has too many toys, the fact that he has so many after only one Christmas and one Birthday astounds me.. but I suppose we are partly to blame as we bought him quite a lot for his 'firsts' (as did our friends and family).
It scares me that we haven't even started on toys for DD
Funny you should mention this, I've just been going through the Kmart, The Warehouse & Toy World's mailers that we got tonight for their 'Big Toy Sales' to earmark what we want to layby for Christmas so again, I'm my own worst enemy. But this year it will be one or two bigger things like a sand pit and/or swing set as like MamaT, he is usually more interested in pots and pans than anything else! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: RubySoho
Date Posted: 13 July 2011 at 10:23pm
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Nope, DS definitely doesn't have too many toys. We've been so aware of how many toys most kids have since before DS arrived and were determined we weren't going to spend heaps of money on crap.
DS just had his first birthday. Our friends and family are aware we're fans of wooden toys and 'educational' toys and hate plastic crap so he got some great presents. We bought him a stack of books instead of toys so he has a good balance. The best thing we ever did was join our local Toy Library. Every two weeks we go and get out 3 new toys. Sometimes we get plastic noisy crap, sometimes a big toy like a slide or something we don't have space for permanently. If I'm ever feeling the itch to buy something for DS I'll just go and buy him a book. I think it's easy to have too many toys but you can never have too many books. -------------   tinyurl.com/6ptm6bn - My Blog
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Posted By: kelzie_rose
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 7:36am
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I don't know how many is too many. I don't have a bubs yet but my cats definitely have too many toys and they don't use them. -------------  Started TTC Apr 2008 With PCOS and a bicornuate uterus Our angel babies Jan 2010 <3 Oct 2010 <3 Apr 2011 <3 |
Posted By: crafty1
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 8:22am
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Ruby i wish my husbands family heard me when i say i don't like lots of plastic, flashing crap in my house. Alas 2 boys later (and a few garage sales and trademe sell offs) we are inundated. Both boys got huge, noisy, plastic ride on toys for their birthdays this year. Despite us already having about 4 ride on toys and having just recently sold a few off. Thank god we have a big garage but i would rather not have had it in the first place really.
MIL is a gift giver, she shows her love with gifts and is constantly buying the boys stuff. She has only once ever come to visit during the week despite not working tho. The toys drive me nuts so i put them in plastic boxes in the wardrobe and swap the boxes around regularly. Only one box of toys is out in the lounge, one in J's bedroom and Alex has a shelf with boxes with dressups, cars and lego in his bedroom. TBH they never play with most of them!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 8:44am
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We have lots & lots of toys....but then I have 3 kids & the oldest is 10yrs so have had yrs of collecting toys. We buy good quality toys & they get passed down.
I sort out toys & get rid of what is not played with any more. As the kids get older it gets more expensive. I also look at it in how much do I have to pick up.... |
Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 9:29am
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We don't have a huge amount of toys as I am very selective as to what I buy. We have no toys in our lounge and all are stored in plastic wheely boxes under her bed and only one box can be bought out into the lounge at once.
DD certainly has alot less toys than I did as a child. I still have all my childhood toys and they are in perfect condition and DD loves them! I had a huge collection of barbies and cabbage patch stuff. They are stored at my Mums house and its like Christmas when we go there and she only lives around the corner! So, yes I do think children can have too many toys, and like jazzy, I also look at how much I have to pick up and put back! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Danda08
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 9:37am
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It's so easy to end up with too many these days cos everything is much cheaper than when we were kids and the grandies love to spoil littlies.
I also put our toys on rotation to keep the girls interested. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 9:47am
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We don't. There is NO toys in the bedrooms. All the toys are in the lounge. We have fabric boxes in the gab in our coffee table and a set of drawers for toys in the lounge. All toys must fit within these with the exception of the exersaucer and daniels carpark.
Buying sh*tload of toys is a waste of money. |
Posted By: sunnyhoney
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 10:42am
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Most of our toys have come from garage sales etc and presents. I love the idea of rotating, but unfortunately we have borders so very little space for storage. I'd love to have a rumpus room but that might be a while away yet.
I guess my issue is that it really is not grandparents business to comment on what we have for our kids...I think I have seen worse homes (toy wise) than ours. My parents have a lot of toys at their house for the grandkids (stuff they have bought/acquired in the last year or two), so I'm a little put out that they choose to comment on our situation. The other thing that gets me is that my grandmother comments every birthday/christmas that my children have so much already and that she will just give them money (that would be fine if they were 10) and then she ends up giving them toys as presents anyway (mostly stuff from the opshop) I don't get it. ------------- Mum to: Joy Emily 1.05am 27/09/07 7lb 3oz Austin Paul 12.47pm 18/04/10 10lb 8oz |
Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 12:16pm
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I gone through all the toy mailers and there is really nothing there that I have seen to really buy my kids for Christmas or McKayla's birthday.
------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Delli
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 12:32pm
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We've only ever bought one toy (a metal sandpit grader for Jude's birthday) and we still have too many toys.... All the rest have been presents from other people. Lucky and spoilt boys. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: RedHeadDuck
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 12:53pm
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For birthdays/xmas so far (said very loosely as we've only had one of each so far) I plan to buy a book and a new set of clothes, plus a toy or 2 depending on what we are getting.....
Family are aware that we much prefer wooden toys, or more educational stuff and we have been very spoilt with the toys we have been given, we have gotten plastic stuff but it's all been very well thought through. I think getting things like a new outfit for xmas/birthday and a new book makes it 'appear' to be getting more, but at least it's stuff you know will be used instead of having *MORE* toys. I also know people who at xmas put things like toothpaste, toothbrush, fruit, underwear, hankies, hairties for girls, hairbrush, socks, a new drink bottle/lunch box (for school holiday trips) and little things like that in stockings, instead of more little toys and junk food... Much better idea in my opinion and is something we plan on doing. A lot of those things you have to get anyways so save them for stockings- kids don't care what they get its more the excitement of unpacking/unwrapping it that I've seen so far! |
Posted By: Plushie
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 1:19pm
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I just had this conversation with someone yesterday! We went to the toy sale and there were woman with two or three trollies a piece just overflowing with things, i couldnt believe it! Thought maybe i just don't understand because i dont have an older child maybe its normal but it seemed mental especially as its cheap warehouse crap and will get broken in 5minutes anyway.
I actually had a status on facebook the other day about baby toys as DS has basically none, he gets thrills out of random things like newspapers and sock puppets none of the flash light up stuff all the other babies seem to have so i brought him an exersaucer out of guilt, he seems to enjoy it but no doubt would have as much fun chewing on his bib. Agree with whomever said books! DS has a full bookshelf already and grandma brings home a new set every week. For birthdays/xmas me and my bro always got what Delli said - a new schoolbag, a new top, new togs or whatever, things we needed anyway in gift form. |
Posted By: Shelt
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 1:23pm
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My DD does have quite a lot of stuff but in saying that there is only me and her and I don't let her watch hardly any TV (2 x 30 mins a week thats it) so she plays with them all. I expect her to be able to entertain herself and she uses what she has to do that so I can't really complain.
She also has the tiniest bedroom which used to be my study and only has room for her bed and chest of drawers, so every toy that she owns except a couple of soft toys is in the lounge. It looks like a lot but I bet if some were in her room it would look a lot less. She also has a lot of stuff for outside play which I don't see as a problem either. She has a trike, ride on, balls, t-ball set, skateboard, and sandpit (with sand toys) all of which she uses regularly. Plus water/bath toys as well. I get really sick of people coming over and passing comment on how much stuff she has. She plays with it and I go through her stuff regularly and get rid of the things she has grown out of. As with anything else to do with kids people feel the need to comment on stuff without thinking about what works for me and her. In saying all that - some of the toys I have brought her are really for me! Her and I spend a lot of time playing together and I get a bit board of playing with the same things all the time. Plus she has a Thomas train set and I buy stuff for it coz my (not so) secret passion is rearranging the train track in to new configerations  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 1:44pm
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DH would argue there's no such thing as too many toys. DD doesn't have anywhere near as many toys as other babies, we haven't bought her that many and she hasn't had a birthday yet to get given any.
We use the Toy Library a lot for plastic toys most of which get played with for a couple of days then discarded. The contents of my kitchen cupboards and drawers are far more exciting to play with than any plastic stuff. I agree with shelt - a lot of toys are mine and DH's way of indulging ourselves. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 2:02pm
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As children get older you will notice the increase in $ & wants. While they are little you decide what they play with when older they decide.
At the moment all I hear from the 5&6yr old are oh I want that..oh I want that, when they see things on TV advertised. I tell them to add them to the xmas wish list, lol. I did a xmas layby at toy world & it came to nearly $700 & that was for 2 lego sets & a board game for each of my 3 boys, 3 presents for 3 other kids & nearly $100 for DS2 B'day 2 weeks before xmas.....& I am no where near finished with what I want to get them. |
Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 2:11pm
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DD definitely doesn't have too many toys she literally has two small cane baskets a tiny suitcase of duplo and some cars which were ours as little kids. She loves them, its all she needs.
It is her birthday tomorrow and all she is getting is a kitchen because she loves pretend play, some paint, a paint tray and a guitar because she loves music. I do want to get her a drum so might go to the local toy shop up the street that has nice drums when she wakes up from her nap. DD plays with all her toys but will go through them again soon, mum did it last time and got rid of all her baby toys which were gifts or hand me downs from cousins. DD is more into her blocks which is great, and likes the my little ponies which were mine as a kid. I was playing with my godsons transformer the other day and couldn't get over how cheap the plastic felt on it, not like the toys we had growing up. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 2:33pm
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My MIL does a wonderful thing for birthdays, which could be an idea to combat the too many toys problem for birthdays! On the childs actual birthday she takes them shopping for the day to the mall. They get to choose a pair of shoes and a complete new outfit of clothes and they go to McDonalds for lunch!
I think its a wonderful idea and the child gets some special Nana time to themselves too! DD always thoroughly enjoys her birthdays out with Nana. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Plushie
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 2:35pm
| Awww thats such a sweet idea Peachy! |
Posted By: sunnyhoney
Date Posted: 14 July 2011 at 2:38pm
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That is a cool idea Peachy, thanks! ------------- Mum to: Joy Emily 1.05am 27/09/07 7lb 3oz Austin Paul 12.47pm 18/04/10 10lb 8oz |
Posted By: xLUCKYx
Date Posted: 15 July 2011 at 1:02pm
| If the kids are getting good use out of their toys then I wouldn't say it's too much. My two aren't into toys so much... We have had tonnes to many and I just get rid of the ones they don't play with. Now they have four canvas cubes in the wardrobe with their faves and a couple of plastic boxes with train sets and other bits and pieces that come out occasionaly. We could never have too many play dough toys, puzzles, colouring books and pencils/crayons/paints and pretend play stuff like cooking and picnic stuff. |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 15 July 2011 at 1:39pm
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Peachy that is a great idea, wish my MIL had done that with my kids when they were younger.
Today I am thinking we have way to many not used toy as DS3 has tipped out 2 toy barrels & several boxes of toys on the floor looking for something & now wont pick them up  grrr
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Posted By: My3Sons
Date Posted: 15 July 2011 at 5:43pm
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My kids definelty have too many toys!! My eldest is 5 years older than his brother so he had ALOT of stuff before he had any siblings as he was the only child in the family so everyone spoiled him. We do have all the oldies but goodies like wooden blocks, matchbox cars and garage and lots of books but the piles of plastic crap add up every year.....I have no idea what we are going to do this christmas! ------------- Mum to Mr 10, Mr 6 and Mr 4 
 
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Posted By: k1wimum
Date Posted: 15 July 2011 at 6:28pm
my kids always get far to much toys and the worst ones are from the dollar stores where his grandparents take them every other week. at xmas my eldest has to pick at least five things to give away (not broken or damaged toys) and he helps wrap them and puts them under the tree for the kids that might not get much, this way we have managed to teach him that giving is just as fun as getting. It was tough the 1st time as we started at three. last year he was right into it and this year they both going to contribute
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Posted By: InthemiddleMummy
Date Posted: 16 July 2011 at 2:22pm
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DH and MIL always winge that our girls have too many toys. I just tell them you should see the chaios in some living rooms we've had coffee group at. kids stuff rules there.
I have an open plan kitchen / living and a seperate formal (adults lounge) there are no toy boxs in our adults lounge and a cube seat that opens up in the open plan area with 1 range of toys in it. girls have boxes under there beds and everything is sorted IE little people box, puzzle box, colouring box, book box, barbie box and so on. the cube seat gets a change of toys once every few weeks. I HATE toys/kids books in the living room, toys are for bedrooms, if kids come over they go to the girls rooms to play, or outside to the playhut.tramapoline. unless it is a small clingy child then they play with whats in the cube seat. I dont like lounges/living rooms full of kids toys/dvdsbooks cluttering up a gorgeous shelf, but hey thats me, some kids arent allowed to play in their rooms, but I would rather the toys are played with in bedrooms/messy bedrooms than stewen all over the living room floor, girls have grown up this way and thats the way they are used too. Everyone is different thou as a close friend is the opposite and my girls always want to play in her kids rooms and the doors are always tightly shut and toys for africa all thru the living room. |
Posted By: music_mummy
Date Posted: 16 July 2011 at 8:17pm
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We also have lots of toys. We also have lots of books, in fact we have run out of space and the girls have a 3 shelf bookshelf in their room and we have a shelf in the lounge too. We have just about everything in the lounge and it does my head in sometimes but I love that they play with us around.
Last year we got MIL to get us zoo passes to avoid more 'stuff'. It's been great to have the passes to use but she felt bad not giving them something for Christmas so bought each of them a bag of crap from the $2 shop for each of them which totally defeated the purpose! I know that a lot of the toys we bought (or should I say I bought!) for DD1 were because I thought they were cool and I would've loved them myself as a child. I bought a lot of them off Trade Me and because they are so affordable compared to 'in our day' it's easier to accumulate more. We also find it hard because all the kids birthdays are pretty close to Christmas (Dec, Feb and March) so they get lots at the beginning of the year and then have to wait a very long time before they get anything again and they don't even get to share the party joy since all the siblings birthdays are close. So each year I try to be better at not overloading them with things but it's a work in progress  -------------   
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Posted By: Richie
Date Posted: 16 July 2011 at 8:56pm
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I think my DD has too many toys but compared to other kids, I don't think she has many at all!. There are so many crap toys out there that serve no purpose at all. Any toy Isla gets is something that actually engages her brain. She loves building with her blocks, doing her puzzles and sitting on her couch reading her hundreds of books. She does have an excessive amount of soft toys but I was always a sucker for soft toys when I was little so I'm always buying her new ones. But she plays pretend with them etc so they 'serve a purpose' lol -------------  
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