How many toys is too many?

Dormouse

Oh don't get me started on the in-laws getting loads of useless toys. :mad: DS got a huge soft toy Bob and Postman Pat (you know the ones, the size of a 2-year-old! :rolleyes:) from MIL two Christmases ago and I still hate them. As someone said, no educational value, they just sit there and collect dust. :mad:

fesdufun

My boys also 2 and 4 have loads of toys. Now I am a bit sneaky at birthday and christmas and quickly hide any duplicate toys, ones that are similar to those they already have and those that I know they won't play with. I then use for presents or sell them. I don't think I will get away with it for much longer though. It may sound a bit mean but to be honest they don't even notice.

When people ask me what toys to buy I suggest things like duplo and playmobil as they are timeless and the boys can ever sell them or keep them for their children.

I also try to suggest that rather than toys they buy some cinema ticket, some tickets to a local attraction, vouchers or even a one pass bus ticket so we can go off exploring without spending too much money.

I am now at the point where I think one in - one out. So the boys can't have anymore toys until they clear out some of their old ones. I have offered some toys to my local library and they were really grateful also the boys can still play with them when they get their books.

Snaggles

Kelinik wrote: »

My problem is my parents, Mum buys them so much tat it has actually reduced me to tears on occasion! I try and weed out bits I think won't be missed but as quick as I'm selling/donating/binning things there's more coming in and don't even get me started on pictures and artwork!!! Can't decide if I need a bigger house or should just ebay the kids - what d'ya think?

I know exactly what you mean, although it's MIL in my case. I think it's because she didn't have much (any) money when she brought up her own kids, so couldn't really buy them presents, so now she feels she has to buy DS something really impressive.....unfortunately her idea of 'something impressive' is always an enormous toy of some kind (we live in a tiny house and just don't have room to store that kind of thing). I would feel too rude and ungrateful if I said anything though, so just leave it to hubby to try and drop hints for smaller presents!

3KIDSNOMONEY

why do people not ask what the kids need. I would much rather have money towards new shoes, clothes - the essentials that the kids do really need.

Just persuaded my 3 year old to clear out lots of toys from his very tiny bedroom in preparation for his birthday next week. Going to do a car boot soon. Just hope he doesn't claim too many of his cleared out toys back before we get chance to sell them.

So much money is wasted on toys that don't get played with.

Kelinik

Snaggles wrote: »

I think it's because she didn't have much (any) money when she brought up her own kids, so couldn't really buy them presents, so now she feels she has to buy something really impressive.....

Yes I think that's what it is with Mum too, she even has shelves of stuff at her house 'for when the kids come to me' although we only see them a couple of times a month and half of that they come to us! She just sees something she thinks the kids would like and can afford it so buys it.

Daft thing is the only things my girls really play with is books, drawing/sticking and their dressing up so I think I'm going to have to get ruthless and turn tons out - work will be glad of anything I put their way I'm sure!

tryingtobegood

I have a few toys/games that my ds was given for his last birthday (Dec!) and Christmas still in the loft as he got far too much and was totally overwhelmed on Christmas Day . These I am planning to give him this Christmas from Santa.
This sounds mean but realistically he'll never know and neither will the people who gave him the pressies.

ailuro2

Tell grannies and grandads that the kids are only allowed one small cuddly toy in their room because they harbour dust mites and the kids are allergic to them it gives them a terrible night time cough- so could they please not buy anymore.The one they have with them must be small enough to fit in the freezer to kill off the dust mites,though;)

I had the same problem- my mil always bought BIG things- like a toy microwave and a toy washing machine- take up loads of room but only do one thing- and a BIG cuddly toy nearly every year.

tbh I'd rather they bought cosy jammies so they think of grandma every time they wear them;) or a special party outift and call it granny's outfit;) It;s a competition to outwit them sometimes.

Our house is much tidier since M-i-l stopped talking to us.:rotfl:

madhouseof4

I just sorted through my boys toy cupboard yesterday (they are almost 5 and almost 3). Hubby & I were only discussing how we had nowhere near the same amount of toys. We did a huge cull yesterday as they both have birthdays coming up. Some of the stuff went back in the loft for another baby (should we be blessed with another), the cuddly toys will go to a charity and the hard toys (ie, the ones that can be washed, cleaned and steralised) are being spilt between Birmingham Children's Hospital and our local hospitals children's ward.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones who's immediate family do ask what the kids need/want for xmas, birthdays and easter. The boys both had new PJ's for easter, a great help for me as they both needed some!

BernadetteN

Our kids have storage units in our lounge/kittchen as well as smaller storage units in their bedrooms (for toys to be played with by boys or girls only - the girls have one bedroom and the boys share another). Whenever the storage units are likely to go over capacity, I give away or sell some of their toys that they no longer play with or play with the least. This way, we never have too many toys in the house to the point to you cannot see the rooms for the toys.

Another thing we do is NEVER have large birthday parties because I don't know how I'd cope with getting 30 presents * 4 children each year.

Finally we have had many heated discussions about husband's parents buying too many presents for the children. They had only one child so having 4 grandchildren appears to have given the opportunity to overcompensate for the small family they had themselves, but after 10 years they finally seem to have got the message that if they buy too much for them, we will not give them all their presents and hold them back in the loft for another time. They also used to buy them many presents the children did not like or appreciate and now they only buy things for Christmas and birthdays that the children have requested (and approved by me of course).

Finally finally, I detest soft toys too and they are the most recycled items in our home.

Dormouse

fesdufun wrote: »

Now I am a bit sneaky at birthday and christmas and quickly hide any duplicate toys, ones that are similar to those they already have and those that I know they won't play with. I then use for presents or sell them. I don't think I will get away with it for much longer though. It may sound a bit mean but to be honest they don't even notice.

I do that too. And I don't see it as mean, just sensible.

Last Christmas, DS got several sets of exactly the same toy from Woolworths. I took them all back as they'll take them without a receipt (it's their own brand) and exchanged them for more useful stuff.

And I also hide some toys he's given at Christmas and birthday as it's too overwhelming to have massive amounts at once. I then fish them out of the cupboard a few weeks/months later, one by one, as a treat if he's been good. Which reminds me, I've still got a Spiderman car thingie tucked away somewhere :rotfl: