How many toys do you actually need?

[pinklady]

I've decided to scale down my toys considerably. I don't have a playroom but I do have pretty good storage. The problem is I've got so many toys that they're taking over my house and I'm pretty sure that only a small percentage are played with anyway.

The BIG question is what toys do I keep?

I would love feedback from you all with what resources you can't do without.
Please help, thank you!

[mushpea]

im probably the wrong person to ask especialy as i have just posted about having to many toys!
but i would not do without happy street from the elc,,,, every time I have a prospective parent round out it comes and they love it, it seems to be my good luck charm plus the kids of all ages love it,,,, also train set, cars, dolls and prams,, toy kitchen, wooden building bloks and a big tub of action figures,, these are the very most played with but then as you will see from my other post i have lots of other bits too.

[Doofuz]

Not registered yet but when I was nannying, I couldn't do without dolls and pushchairs, play kitchen, plates, cups and food, duplo/lego, small world such as Little People/Happyland, games like shopping list, bingo, snap, handbags and shoes, hairdressing stuff, dressing up and Barbies. Since registering I am now on the lookout for all of this as I obviously couldn't take it all with me when I left those children. Oh, and a dollshouse, I just bought some bendy wooden dolls from amazon. Happy shopping!

[Penny1959]

I think the answer is - FAR LESS THAN I HAVE!

But what to keep and what to get rid of?

Having thought about it
- to keep - just about everything
- To get rid of the ... Nope can't make mind up sorry (especialy sorry to DH) need it all

Good luck with deciding what can do without - maybe you could post a list once decided to help those like me who just can't decide.

Penny

[LittleStar's]

The only thing with getting rid of things is ..... one day it may be the very thing you need!!!

[singlewiththree]

Take a look at the groups you go to, if they have a toy then remove it from your house afterall they can play with it there.

I don't see the point in duplicating toys that they have access to elsewhere. I'm slowly decluttering mine but its taking time.

[Deb]

why not do an observation? write down the toys you have out on a particular day and mark when they are played with - if you ahve something not played with then get rid. I grouped my resources and found I had about 6 different sets of construction toys, so scaled these down. And so on.

I love Happy Land too.

[miss mopple]

Im whittling down big time too. My must keeps are:

Duplo
Dolls House
Wooden Train set
Cars
Dinosaurs and play mat
Happy land
Selection of baby toys
Marble run
lego
hama beads/ all crafty stuff
sensory box
cars and garage
puzzles
Orchard games
Playfood and cooker
pop up tents
tools
dressing up (although I have way too much so will be culling some)

[miffy]

The only thing with getting rid of things is ..... one day it may be the very thing you need!!!

That is my excuse too!

Miffy xx

[Ripeberry]

All of the above. On another note, our pre-school did an audit of the toys they had in storage and most of it was for throwing out! Lots of old toys and puzzles from the 1970s!!
A shed, with plastic toys, but the mice had got in and it was ...disgusting!
All of it got chucked in the skip and we got a grant for lots of new modern toys.
Just love going into the pre-school now and seing all the new stuff

[catswhiskers]

I would say you can't go wrong with interactive books - I've just got The Gruffulo with sounds book and they all love it.

Also playdough with cut outs and rollers and cars/trainsets.

[PixiePetal]

I am happy with all my big toys and boxes of toys, it's the cupboard of games and puzzles which needs sorting

Job for today while not working - haul it all out and have a good sort. I don't have over 5's now so am going to box some up and label for the loft I think the 100-200 piece puzzles can go for a start!

[nokidshere]

I say every week that I am going to sort out and get rid of toys - sadly it never happens

The problem is that as soon as I think we can take something away they suddenly decide its the absolutely best thing since sliced bread

[Mouse]

I'm trying to declutter by getting rid of duplicates.

I have 12 dolly prams & pushchairs, at least 6 dolls houses of various shapes and sizes, 4 play cookers and kitchens, enough playmobil to open my own shop, boxes & boxes of playfood, dozens of dolls etc etc

I know in the back of my shed there are several unopened V-Tech toys, an unopened work bench and goodness knows what else...I just can't get to them.

I am going to have to be really ruthless and get rid of so much stuff. The idea is that I end up with just one or two of each thing. The problem is trying to decide which ones to keep and which ones to sell

[caz3007]

I have been slowly culling my stuff and giving it to an Auntie of one of my mindies who has just become a respite foster carer. This weekend we are sorting through the cars ( I really dont need two large stacking boxes full). She is also getting the megablocks as we have Duplo too and I prefer that. I sold a big box of army stuff the other day (someone had given it to me and its never used). I am also going to be sorting through the big cupboard of puzzles and games.

At the moment, the most used items in this house are the cars, wooden train set and the farm. We dont have a kitchen, but do have a box of plates and stuff which they like.

Just trying to give DS a bit of space back in his bedroom for his own stuff

[pinklady]

Thank you all so much!

So far my to keep list is:
Happyland
Train set
Dinosaur track
Farm
Orchard toys
Arts & Crafts
Treasure basket
Duplo
Dolls
Puzzles
Cars but scaling the amount right down
Baby toys
Garage
Kitchen
Playfood
Mr Potato head
Stickle bricks
Dressing up
Moon sand

The megablocks are going to go as I have duplo
I've already donated some other bits to ds2's pre school.
Other items on my cull list are bead frame, elc funky feet, elc brick trolley, a really lovely mothercare push along activity centre but just takes up too much space.
Some cars
Some of the baby toys
And I really just don't know! What I'm basically going to do is thin everything out.

I might need you all while I'm mourning my lovely toys