Christmas Gifts For Toddlers…When Toddler Toys Have Reached A Hoarder Level?
Today, I boxed up more toys than I even remembered having and heaved the boxed from the top of the stairs into our basement.
Perhaps, it is the fact that our basement is beginning to look like an episode of hoarders or perhaps it is the fact that even after the “clean-up” the playroom is not far behind. I looked around the playroom and was still amazed at the sheer amount of baby crap in every nook and cranny and I just cringed.
I have been spending the last week scanning toddler toys with the hubby, in search of the perfect gifts for toddlers and now the idea of bringing mounds of toys into this room is well, ridiculous when many children do not have toys. Still, I am not missing out on the Christmas experience, I go absolutely giddy looking through the toy catalogs and thinking about the Beans excitement. I don’t want to bring home mounds of toddler toys but I do want to find a few wonderful gifts for toddlers.
It appears I am at a bit of an impasse. I have already been mentally rearranging the playroom to make room for the new toys already ordered and the idea of buying more seems ridiculous since the Bean pulled out a toy that has been in the basement for months and has been clinging to it like she won the lottery.
Perhaps, it is the fact that our basement is beginning to look like an episode of hoarders or perhaps it is the fact that even after the “clean-up” the playroom is not far behind. I looked around the playroom and was still amazed at the sheer amount of baby crap in every nook and cranny and I just cringed.
I have been spending the last week scanning toddler toys with the hubby, in search of the perfect gifts for toddlers and now the idea of bringing mounds of toys into this room is well, ridiculous when many children do not have toys. Still, I am not missing out on the Christmas experience, I go absolutely giddy looking through the toy catalogs and thinking about the Beans excitement. I don’t want to bring home mounds of toddler toys but I do want to find a few wonderful gifts for toddlers.
It appears I am at a bit of an impasse. I have already been mentally rearranging the playroom to make room for the new toys already ordered and the idea of buying more seems ridiculous since the Bean pulled out a toy that has been in the basement for months and has been clinging to it like she won the lottery.
I love the idea of making custom story books, ornaments and forever gifts that the Bean can hold on to into adulthood and looking around the playroom, I am thinking that perhaps the hubby and I are simply looking in the wrong direction. Perhaps we should focus on the gift of experience.
There is a toddler gym nearby that I have been dying to try out that is ridiculously priced. I have refused to buy classes BUT wouldn’t spending money on some new daytime adventures make a better gift that just another plastic toy? My little Bean loves story time at the library so I can only imagine her excitement for baby tumbling classes or (and I can’t believe I am saying this) music classes at Gymboree.
I am blessed to live in a town where I have a Little Gym and a Gymboree within five miles. Wouldn’t the gift of music and play during the coming cold miserable months be far better than another stuffed bear shoved into the bottom of the toy box? While I get easily excited by the brightly colored toy ads, I am thinking that the gift of imagination, music and play may be the way to go. After all if today’s excitement over the box of toys packed over the summer is any indication, I can simply wrap up a few old toys and my Bean will be none the wiser.
There is a toddler gym nearby that I have been dying to try out that is ridiculously priced. I have refused to buy classes BUT wouldn’t spending money on some new daytime adventures make a better gift that just another plastic toy? My little Bean loves story time at the library so I can only imagine her excitement for baby tumbling classes or (and I can’t believe I am saying this) music classes at Gymboree.
I am blessed to live in a town where I have a Little Gym and a Gymboree within five miles. Wouldn’t the gift of music and play during the coming cold miserable months be far better than another stuffed bear shoved into the bottom of the toy box? While I get easily excited by the brightly colored toy ads, I am thinking that the gift of imagination, music and play may be the way to go. After all if today’s excitement over the box of toys packed over the summer is any indication, I can simply wrap up a few old toys and my Bean will be none the wiser.
I completely agree with you. My twins haven't accumulated a huge amount of stuff, but in our apartment - it adds up fast!
ReplyDeleteWe've tried to steer away from "bells & whistles" type toys and stick with ones that promote creative play and educational opportunities, but sometimes an experience, such as the ones you mentioned in your post, can be very valuable - both in terms of the actual experience, as well as the social interaction with other children.
Try to keep a look out for Groupon types of things that'll give you a discount, or see if there's a free trial class available to make sure your child will actually want to go through with it once you've plunked down your hard-earned money :)