Hellobee

While I was pregnant I read this article about a mom who decided that her little boy could grow up just fine without conventional toys. As a minimalist, this intrigued me. Little Lion has toys, but very few in comparison to many other children I have known over the years, and I hope to keep it that way as he grows up. I personally believe that toy overload has a lot to do with children never developing their ability to focus on one thing at a time or concentrate for longer periods of time. I hope that by limiting what we allow into the house, we will be able to help LL develop his creativity and imagination, while saving money and space at the same time.

So, how do we plan to keep the toy overload at bay?

1. Turn household items into toys – Just about anything can become a toy. Use your imagination, and encourage your kids to do the same! Go on scavenger hunts. Build a blanket fort. Use empty jars and rice to make instruments. Let your baby have free reign over the tupperware cabinet. It is just as fun, if not more so! (Check out guides for household items that double as toys here and here.)

2. Utilize the public library and used book stores – Borrow books instead of buying them. Public libraries are an incredible resource, and allow you to check out as many as you want! I always leave the library with a feeling of “this is too good to be true!” Then when you discover one is being checked out frequently, or your child has a hard time letting one go because they love it so much, invest in a copy for your own library. That way you know the ones you have on your shelf are ones that will be well loved. Used book stores are another great resource. I have stocked LL’s library with some of my favorites in board book form (I can’t let him chew on library books), and haven’t paid more than $3 for any one book. You can also sell to these stores if you have books that your child no longer is interested in.

3. Invest in higher quality toys that promote imaginative play – When I do decide to invest in toys for your home, I choose toys that encourage kids to be creative, use their imaginations, or think outside the box. Toys that flash and beep may get their attention, but it won’t hold it for long, and end up just taking up space. Toys like blocks, instruments, dress up clothes, toy kitchens, dolls, trains, and trucks allow children to role play and enter their own imaginative world. Not only will kids play with these toys for longer periods at a time, but they will be played with for years rather than months. I think one set of blocks is worth more to a child, both educationally and creatively, than 15 iPad apps. Often these toys are more expensive, but I have discovered that they don’t have to be brand new to be good quality. I have found some great deals on high quality wooden toys that will last for years at consignment stores and yard sales. Mr. Lion and I would love to get LL a train set for his birthday, but I can tell you right now that at $15 per new train, Thomas is only going to be entering this house if he has already been well loved by another little boy or girl.

4. One In = One Out – When you feel a certain type of toy (for example, food for the play kitchen or toy cars) has met its limit in your home, institute the one in = one out rule, meaning that if something new comes in, something’s got to go.  Or you could apply this to all toys in your home. The idea is to help kids understand when they have enough. As adults we have to make hard choices about what we choose to own, and it is a good idea to help kids learn this too. We can’t keep everything, and neither should they.

5. Special Treasure Box – All of us have things we treasure. Mr. Lion may not understand why I choose to keep letters that students wrote to me 10 years ago. I don’t understand his need to keep the transmission from his first truck. That’s okay. Allow your child to have a designated space to keep things that they treasure. It could be a trinket from a birthday party that they don’t want to let go, or a rock they found at the park. Give them the independence and freedom to keep some of these things. If their space gets too full, you can apply the one in = one out rule to this as well.

6. Organize and Rotate – Children don’t need access to every toy they own all the time. Designate a space in your home, and find some good boxes (if you don’t want to spend the money on plastic containers, copy paper boxes work great!) that can store toys. I would suggest rotating toys weekly, but if your child is outside of the home at school or daycare during the day, you might be able to rotate less often. Set aside some time and allow your child to be part of the rotation if they are old enough to help make decisions. (Controlled choice significantly decreases the number of tantrums!) Make sure the boxes are labeled so that you can easily see what is in storage. I like to keep it simple and write in big letters with a sharpie or maker on a sheet of copy paper and tape it to the box. If your child asks for a specific toy, but it isn’t rotation time yet, it is up to you whether or not to get it out. Personally, I would say no and make a mental note to make sure that toy is brought out during the next rotation, but you could also institute the one in = one out rule here as well.

7. Give grandparents a specific wish list – This one was hard for me, because I know how fun it is to buy stuff for kids and I didn’t want to seem over the top controlling! LL is the first grandchild on either side, and I know they are really looking forward to his first Christmas. Obviously not all family dynamics would allow for this, but if your family would be receptive to suggestions, it is a great way to make sure the toys that are given are ones that you feel are appropriate for the development and interest of your child.

8. Play Outside! – It is absolutely amazing how much fun kids can have in the great outdoors. When I worked in a preschool setting, we never let a day go by (unless the weather was unbearable) that we didn’t play outside for roughly 2 hours (1 in the morning, one in the afternoon). Sometimes it was closer to 3 hours. I am so looking forward to the days LL and I can crawl around in the grass looking for bugs and building with sticks and mud, no toys required (although magnifying glasses and Tonka trucks will be a fun addition)!

9. Encourage Independent Play – I wrote about this already, but I cannot say it enough. Encourage your kids to play by themselves some every single day. This gives them time to develop their imaginations, gain confidence in their independence, and focus on something for a longer period of time. Playing together is important too, but sometimes we just need to get out of their way!

10. Give Experiences, Not Stuff – Some of the best gifts can’t be wrapped. I love this list of experience gifts for kids. This year one of the things we requested for LL is a membership to the NC Zoo and Aquariums, and when he is old enough to enjoy them I would also add memberships for local children’s museums or specific classes or activities as well.

Hopefully teaching Little Lion mindfulness with our belongings from a young age will pay off in the long run (although I secretly fear he will rebel and become a hoarder of all the things just like most little ones I know).

How do you keep the toy clutter under control in your home?