With the holidays and the girls’ birthday quickly approaching, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about toys. What would the girls like? What do they need? What would stimulate them to reach the next level of play?
I take these decisions pretty seriously.
I like to think of myself as a minimalist when it comes to toys. There is certainly no shortage of brightly colored plastic in our house, but I believe that “less is more” in a lot of ways. I try to rotate the girls’ toys and books so that they can actually see, find, and appreciate what they have to play with.
I recently bought an organizational shelf for the girls’ toys. In separating things into different bins, I realized they still have quite a few baby toys – things they’ve had since infancy – in the rotation. I moved a handful of items into the consignment pile, but many of the items they still play with regularly.
They’re certainly not using the plastic teether necklace for teething…but it often serves as a float when they pretend to take their baby dolls swimming.
The bunny rattle that used to Velcro onto the handle of the carrier? The girls like to build a tree with their blocks and attach the bunny to a limb, talking about how much he likes to swing.
While I may like to think of myself as a minimalist, I’m also kinda sentimental. I could probably clean out a lot more of the infant toys, but I tell myself I’m fostering the girls’ imagination. ([Theoretically speaking,] I may also be avoiding purging all evidence of the girls’ babyhood [ahem].)
So…back to the holidays…there are some really cool baking sets on the market. I know the girls would have a blast stacking up felt toppings on wooden cupcakes. But they already play “cupcakes” with their stacking cups (that they’ve had since they were about three months old).
Should I buy the wooden cupcakes? Or is it better to challenge the girls to stretch their imaginations?
Is it time to bite the bullet and admit my girlies aren’t tiny babies anymore?
Or should I just chill out and enjoy the transition from brightly colored plastics to (much more sophisticated) wood and felt?
Ticker
6 comments:
Mine still use some of their baby toys (as something else or as 'baby toys' for their dolls. I think that is great! That said, they also love their kitchen stuff. We don't have the wooden cupcakes, but we have the wooden cookies, and my girls still play with them every day. They are also a favorite with friends at playdate. I'm sure if you get the cupcakes, they will play restaurant, bakery, and tea party, as well as making them into other things (the cookies have been boats for Little People and the trays have been clipboards for playing doctor in our house). Imaginative kids always find new uses for things. :)
Buy the cupcakes! It's okay to indulge for them sometimes. And just imagine how excited they will be for REAL (wooden) cupcakes to play with! : )
We have a lot of random baby toys still lying around too, that the girls pick up and play with in various ways on occasion. The random toys are starting to annoy me, though, so I think I'll do another purge before Christmas.
My kids still play with their little baby toys..I can't seem to part with them myself. LOL!
I am a terrible "advice giver" when it comes to toys...I LOVED toys as a kid and I am all about toys...lots of them. They play with them for such a short time now a days (in my opinion) so I plan to spoil them (not rotten though...HAHAHA)!
Happy Donnerstag Bloggy Friend!
I say you skip the wooden cupcakes for a wooden sushi set! I saw M&D had one and I'm out to get it.
I will admit that I hate the clutter and most of the baby toys have hit the road; their either boxed up, donated, or out-right trashed because of some curious pups. I FELL IN LOVE with a play kitchen but I'm concerned I'm buying too much for said kitchen. Sigh.
I also don't think I force the girls to imagine much either, perhaps because I'm not all that imaginative. If I see a cup, it's a cup.
I'm the wrong person to ask because I can't WAIT to pack up their toys :)
All their rattles and baby things (except stacking cups) are with the orphanage already :)
Anyway, I'm a sucker for ANYTHING wooden - I think I like the wooden stuff more than the babies even...
So get them :) (can you send me a link - i have no idea what you're talking about)
But as for cupcakes
http://alphamom.com/family-fun/crafts/build-a-felt-cupcake/
I printed this thing and cut out a sample set - V needs to do the rest - the kids LOVED the cupcake (Connor says muffin because my poor kids are deprived and can't actually EAT cupcakes)
If you know the wooden cupcakes will be a hit with A and B, I say go for it. They'll still be creative and imaginative with "real" cupcakes, it will just be in a new and different way.
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