It's only been a week, and we realize we're stepping on toys in the hallways of our house. The shelves in the kids' room are full of the same old toys, and now they're filled with this year's new ones.
And now: What do we do with so many toys?
We also look at the toys they really liked and the ones they didn't. Maybe next year we could spend a little more time thinking about the toys they really like, and the toys that were the product of the season's aggressive marketing campaigns. As we know, children are very influenced; they get swayed by that one toy that does so many things on its own and think it's the one they'll like the most, and then it turns out to be the first toy they leave lying around... it'll be just another toy on the top shelves, one of those they never ask for because it's really boring.
Gifts from family and friends have all piled up at once, there's no way the little ones can focus on playing with just one, and you're not even convinced the toys they've been given are the best for their development...
We give you tips on how to deal with the Christmas toy avalanche.
Surely there are some gifts that aren't the ones you would have chosen. A war toy for the more pacifist in the neighborhood? A hair and makeup head for that little girl who loves riding bikes, building makeshift log cabins, and reading stories? Gifts aren't always chosen based on the child, especially at Christmas. The rush of the moment and the need to have a package for everyone mean that it's not always a good idea. Possibly that dart gun or that hair and makeup head could take a back seat, behind the
costumes , comics, or stories from that collection she loves, or that
adventure kit she can't wait for the warmer weather to use in the countryside.
Have a birthday coming up? With your child, choose the toy they loved the most when they were younger and that's still in good condition. Some toys seem unaffected by time and mischief. Choose
good packaging , and have the child give it to the birthday boy or girl, teach them how to play with it, and they'll know that the toy they've had such a good time with will continue to be used and will have a second life.
Look around your closest circle and ask if they collect toys in good condition. Daycare centers or schools usually welcome and appreciate a shipment of quality, usable toys.
Wooden toys usually age gratefully and don't deteriorate easily.
Take the opportunity to "clean up": Toys that have accumulated throughout the year and have lost pieces, tokens, or cards can be reused. If you like crafts and have time, you can always use bits and pieces of a toy to make another. There are science or STEM toys that enhance learning through experimentation, and therefore, once used and learned, it may seem like there's no more use to be had from them. However, gloves, protective glasses, test tubes... all of these things can still be reused in future ideas and experiments.
In short, Select, Gift, Donate, and Recycle so your children learn to have what helps them grow and develop the most.
And best of all: you can do it with them as an additional activity, to ensure that only the most fun, long-lasting, and high-quality toys—the ones they're sure to remember when they're older—are available to them.
Do you have any other ideas or experiences that have worked for you and you'd like to share?
At CuCuToys.es we love listening to you. That 's how we all learn.
