TOYS!!! What do you do?

[Nicola Carlyle]

I was just wondering what your thought were on this.

I have lots of toys downstairs for the childminding kids to play with and I mean loads. Whole playroom full of them. But my children also have their toys that they don't want to share which is understandable but how do you all deal with this? At the moment my girls have their non sharing toys in their bedrooms but what happens when they want to bring them downstairs to play with and the mindees want to play with them and then there's screaming and tantrums etc? Most of the time I don't allow it but I just find it really unfair on my children. Other mindees bring things with them sometimes and their parents will say "oh they won't share" but yet they expect my girls to share. What do you do?

[vickie-marieo]

it can be a difficult one. we've been through the same dilemma. What I've done is allowed my two children (4 &3) bring down their non-sharing toys occasionally, and if appropriate let them play upstairs if they wish to have some their own time. My daughter is at reception and sometimes just wants to play by herself. I've always explained that if the non sharing toys come downstairs that the little ones have to be consistent i.e. play with the toy themselves, or if they want to share it becomes a sharing toy - as it then becomes to confusing if one day my children are saying yes the mindees can play with a certain toy and the next not. same with the mindees toys if they bring something and they don't want to share that is okay but if they decide to share we always share that toy....hope that makes sense.
I've also had a cull of toys in playroom and upstairs as had too much and all of the children weren't really playing with the variety of toys as there was too many choices.....good luck

[loocyloo]

my children had their toys in their bedrooms and the toys downstairs were/are MINE and i share my toys.

so if they want to play with their own toys, then they can bring them down, but they share with everyone, or as they have got older, they share with the schoolies, not the LOs. minded children also have to share their toys from home if they bring them, or else they go in their bag to go home.

both my children have been quite happy to 'donate' lots of their old toys to me ... but i sometimes have to retrieve dolls and cars from upstairs! quite often at weekends i find one or other of the children in my playroom playing! my 2 are 7 & 10 now, but i have been minding since eldest was 18mths and its always worked for me.

[miffy]

my children had their toys in their bedrooms and the toys downstairs were/are MINE and i share my toys.

so if they want to play with their own toys, then they can bring them down, but they share with everyone, or as they have got older, they share with the schoolies, not the LOs. minded children also have to share their toys from home if they bring them, or else they go in their bag to go home.

both my children have been quite happy to 'donate' lots of their old toys to me ... but i sometimes have to retrieve dolls and cars from upstairs! quite often at weekends i find one or other of the children in my playroom playing! my 2 are 7 & 10 now, but i have been minding since eldest was 18mths and its always worked for me.

My children are grown up now but this is exactly what I used to do when they were at home.

Miffy xx

[Nicola Carlyle]

Thank you got your feedback. I have gone down the route of the toys downstairs being MINE and it is working with the afterschool children although they do think I'm weird lol.

I guess the little ones just need more encouragement to share their things. My girls are 22 months and 7 years old. The eldest understands but little one not so much. It will take time I know but we will get there.

[*daisychain*]

Ou I'm going to steal the "mine" idea. ! Having the same problem with my almost three year old. Trouble is he hasn't got his own room , still in with us so not a lot of his toys fit. I have began using the rule of keeping his toys upstairs but now when he likes something bought for all the children he wants to take that up there and claim it for himself !! Think this idea might help, thanks x

[ivy]

I have always allowed my own children to have their own toys whenever they want and encouraged the mindees not to touch , My children live i nthe house as well why should they be pushed upstairs .

[shortstuff]

My DS has the toys he doesnt want to share in his room and knows if they come downstairs i wont stop others playing with it. But he also has two boxes with lids on downstairs for when he has a playdate or its the weekend. Any toys brought by LO's either get shared or go by the front door. But i have to say ive had more of an issue with mindees thinking they can lay claim to my toys. I have siblings that come here who stock pile toys in a corner of the room and wont let anyone go near. Even if they arent playing with them.

[mrs robbie williams]

ive always done the 'toys in the playroom are mine but im happy to share them with you' and i also dont allow toys to be brought from home unless they are willing to share them with all the other children :D

[MessybutHappy]

Special toys need to be kept out of reach until minded children have gone home, some times I help to achieve this by putting the item on a high shelf, other times I leave the child to decide whether to put it safe in their room or allow everyone to play.