Children not interested in toys at all

robpw2

could i suggest you ask the children what they want ? maybe they dont like the toys but cant bring themsleves to tell you

liney

My son is has just turned 4 and his favorite things are his dressing up costumes (he has many!) and his spiderman figures who he poses, and acts out battles etc. He's very much into imaginative play, likes to listen to audio stories, read stories, bake, garden, make junk models/crafts and play board games with mommy and daddy.

Lots of 'toys' in the shops when you look closely at them are actually pretty boring 'one trick ponies' so it's no wonder they get discarded quickly.

webbie

Every year in the six weeks school holidays, my children have a table top sale on the driveway. They spend the best part of a day clearing toys & books to sell (amazing how excited they are to part with it all when they are selling it and receiving money!), they make posters & leaflets, then we walk round to all the local houses where their friends live, and anyone else who have children, posting leaflets, a day or two before.

It means we can check the weather forcast and boxes of stuff are not hanging about too long to be re-emptied. My kids love doing this, the local kids love coming to buy stuff - they make about £15 each year, the left over stuff goes straight to the charity shop. They are 10 & 8 now, and we have done this every year for four years.

I now also put my foot down with relatives about presents - luckily presents do seem to get smaller as they get older - but more expensive - and I hate to see things costing £20+ being used once. So my kids choose a bigger present, eg. Nintendo DS, Wii etc - and politely request money towards them - family are happy they actually want something, and can see it being used too.

Barneysmom

Incisor wrote: »

What problem?

What more could you want? They are creative, they do puzzles and books. They are so healthy in the head that they don't need the stimulation of toys. Toys are only a means of stimulating imagination and creativity [and against that criterion many, many modern toys are rubbish]. Leave well alone, if you try and fix it, remember it ain't broke and you might do more harm than good. OK, construction toys [lego, meccano for boys and equivalent craft for girls - if you are allowed to amke a gender distinction nowadays] might suit them, otherwise give them blocks of wood and sharp knives.

There's something I need to point out here, this is a great post, very positive.
But the bit where it says 'lego, meccano for boys and the equivalent craft for girls.
Why not lego/meccano for girls.
Could be the reason why I'm one of the rare female engineers in this country?

Your kids are great - you have no worries at all, good luck xxxx

Notsosharp

Hi,

My little girl who is 6 never really plays with toys either, whilst I am typing this she is playing with the washing line (I can see her), she hangs her teddies from it and pretends that its a fairground ride. She would rather read books and since she discovered how to read she does it avidly, atm we are ploughing our way through the Narnia books!

Other than that she loves being outdoors and running around like a loony, meanwhile all the toys languish in her bedroom. I did make a mistake though, I gave her toys to a charity shop and she did not notice until she saw them a few weeks later in the window of the same shop! I had some serious explaining to do let me tell you :rotfl::rotfl:

The other thinng she loves is when we do baking together or colouring in. I remember once we were in a play park but instead of playing like she usually does we sat and coloured in under the climbing frame. She is usually not so good at sitting quietly. I will admit though that there are times when I go out for coffee with my friends when I want her to do this so I brought her a DS and its probably the best thing I ever did. She is not on it all the time but it helps when I need to get housework done or I need to get her to sit quietly.

But I don't think (apart from a few honoured teddies) she has ever really had that much of an interest in toys. She has been like the stereotypical child really, more interested in the box the toy comes in than the toy but I think I was the same.

When I was younger I really, really wanted a My Little Pony Paradise City and I used to spend ages making one out of boxes. My parents actually brought one in the end (cut price I think, they were so proud) but I still preferred my boxes! :eek:

cobbingstones

Notsosharp wrote: »

Hi,

My little girl who is 6 never really plays with toys either, whilst I am typing this she is playing with the washing line (I can see her), she hangs her teddies from it and pretends that its a fairground ride.

How cute is that? :A

MM

webbie

Mozkowitz wrote: »

Kids love the idea of selling, buying and trading more then people first assume. The absolutely gigantic fad of pokemon and the numerous trading card games recently are excellent examples of that.

You are so right!! I think it gives the children some control over their own choices - and they also learn that once they have swapped/sold/given it away - it was THEIR choice and it's gone!!