Toys & Intuitive Parenting

25 April 2010 at 11:23 | Posted in Parenting | 3 Comments

One of the (many) ongoing debates raging inside my own head concerns toys. Looking around the house, I’m happy to see that most of Ash’s toys are non-electronic, non-character, and generally non-obnoxious, though we do have our share of McQueen, Thomas, and friends. (The photo shows our toy corner in the living room, which is the main place where we play indoors.) There aren’t a ton of toys, and most were gifts, which says nice things about our family and friends as well as about our spending habits. And yet…most of the toys we have are not played with, most of the time.

What does that tell me? One part of my brain says, right on. Kids don’t need a lot of toys; they need a lot of imagination. That part is usually dominant. Every so often, though, I get to thinking that maybe Ash is bored – maybe he needs a few good toys to fit his developmental stage. I’m definitely of the school that says a little boredom is a good thing (at home, not at school, though – big difference). But kids do grow and change and develop, and there are good toys out there.

This morning it occurred to me to dip into that mythical font of knowledge, my own childhood memories. What were my Top Five favorite toys? All through childhood? Here’s what I got:

Legos
Dolls
Books
Crayons, markers, paints
Sand, dirt, and water

Phew. Intuitive parenting saves the day again. (Although, despite my efforts to offer them, Ash isn’t really into dolls or stuffed animals, so for him #2 is easily replaced by play vehicles of all kinds.)

I’d be interested to hear about others’ Top Five favorite childhood toys. Or see a snap of your toy corner!

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Great post! My partner is a Waldorf grades teacher and this is very much our approach as well. Your #5 is my kids’ favorite toy, hands-down. We send them to school with extra clothes every day because they head straight for the sandbox and carry bucket after bucket of water from the pump in the play yard. I love that they attend a school where that sort of play is not only acceptable, but encouraged. Our kids do have a few “regular” toys, like plastic dinosaur replicas, but mostly they go for the Legos, blocks, dolls, and books whenever they’re set loose. Oh, and wooden Tinkertoys. Those are a favorite, too.

Comment by Chandelle— 4 May 2010 #

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- It’s so good to hear I’m not the only one who strives to have a kid covered in dirt, grass stains, and paint by lunchtime! I am really hoping we are able to find a school like the one your kids are lucky to attend. Right now my son’s preschool program is taught by wonderful teachers, but the approach is a little more rule-oriented, etc. than I’m happy with.
  
  Comment by BookishIma— 5 May 2010 #
  
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