CSS Drop Down Menu by PureCSSMenu.com

Tip(ful) Tuesday: Renew Baby's Interest in Played-Out Toys

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

photo credit: jbcurio/CC 2.0

Marlie has very few toys compared to other babies. This is on purpose. I personally don't believe kids need a ton of toys. Reason one: they are usually made of toxic, non-biodegradable material that glut our landfills. Reason two: kids always prefer playing with your keys, remote control, and pots and pans anyway. Reason two: kids get bored with toys really fast.

Case in point, I bought Marlie a developmental plush bunny toy when she was around 6 months old. It had textured paws and crinkly ears. She loved that stupid thing...for about a month. It didn't surprise me that she suddenly lost interest in it, but I was shocked when she started showing outright contempt for poor bunny. She would toss the bunny out of her crib like a used up Kleenex.

So I put Mr. Bunny away and kept him out of her sight for about a month. I recently introduced the bunny into her toy rotation and it was like she was seeing him for the first time! Eureka! This probably only works on babies.

5 comments:

Maureensk said...

One thing that I figured out with my older kids is to rotate the toys' locations. Upstairs toys downstairs and so forth (or toys from bookcase to storage bins and vice versa). Even then, I try not to put the same toys together when they are relocated, so if the bunny and drum were on the same shelf upstairs, I'd move them downstairs to separate shelves. I try to do this once a month. Each time it's like I went shopping for new toys. It really works until children are about 7.

Help! Mama Remote... said...

I totally agree about the toys. When my daughter picks up my pots and pans instread of her toys...That tell me the truth. MAureen has a good point. I've done that before and the kids think its christmas

Mama Up! said...

We've been doing this ever since we realized Paloma only plays with two or three toys at a time. For a couple of days it might be her basketball and hoop (hilarious!) and then it's her shape sorter. I have the bulk of her toys now hidden under her crib, and I rotate them out now and then. Magic!

Ms. Understood said...

*taking notes* I'm glad you found something that works for you. I agree children love non-toys way better.

Teresa @ ♥ Too Many Heartbeats ♥ said...

We used to rotate toys with our girls when they were little. After Christmas and birthdays, we would put up a few new toys and few older toys. After a few months, we would take out the ones they had long forgotten about and put up ones they had grown tired of. We would rotate every two or three months. It is a good way to have 'new' toys often without going out and buying them.

Hope you are having a great week!

{{HUGS}}

Teresa <><

Related Posts with Thumbnails