Think Outside the “Toy Box”

I am officially giving up.  I’ll never buy a toy again.  Kate would much prefer anything else around the house over a toy, so what’s the point?

Here’s what you’ll find in Kate’s preferred “toy box”:

Yes, that’s just a bag with all of my thread in it.  She loves to wave it so that it makes a good jangling (is that a word?) noise.  I think she also loves all the bright colors.

This is another favorite – an old beat-up jewelry box I bought at a yard sale.  Price tag: $1.50.  Yup, that’s all folks.  And I can’t tell you how many hours of joy and entertainment she has had pulling out all the drawers, opening the cupboards, spinning the necklace holder . . . 

This keyboard is another big hit.  Kate can push any button she wants, she can suck on the cord, she can bang all she wants . . . and I don’t have to say no.  Now, I wouldn’t recommend obtaining this treasure in the way I did . . . I spilled hot apple cider all over it, so now the whole number pad pushes down together, the space bar doesn’t work, and when you push the “k” down, it types knlmj.  We had to go buy a new keyboard, and they aren’t cheap, but I wasn’t going to let our old one go to waste.  You might try looking at a local thrift store to find one for cheap.

See these diaper boxes?  There’s more there than meets the eye.  Like hours of fun opening and closing the lids, banging on them, etc.  Never underestimate the power of a box – for a child of any age!

Kate also loves to play with balls.  I only bought one, the big pink one on the left.  Guess which one she plays with least?  Her favorite is the golf ball, because it fits perfects in her hands.  She chases it all over the house.

And of course, kitchen gadgets.  Way too much fun.  They make such a great sound when they hit the ground.

And when you’ve removed all the gadgets, throw out the containers, for good measure.

This pastry brush is definitely Kate’s preferred companion.

So next time you’re at the store and ready to buy a new toy, think twice.  When kids are young they just want to play with the everyday things.  The trick is to find things that you’re okay with letting them play with.

Be creative.  Think outside the “toy box.”  You’ll find that most kid treasures don’t have a price tag on them.