https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 20 May 2026 06:55:18 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928999 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 12:26:35 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1928999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Boheme: i love these too! Thankfully they are super expensive so my budget doesn't allow me to indulge my desire to buy all.the.things. ;) </p> <p>we are definitely minimalist. LO has plenty IMO, but honestly he is more of an outdoor run around kid. He just needs a car, truck, or train for each hand and he is good for most of the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928987 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 12:20:25 +0000 catomd00 1928987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@edelweiss: my mom thinks I'm depriving my daughter (she's only 8 months) because I have a medium-sized bin for toys and have said that the toys cannot exceed what will fit in the bin (other than a few bigger toys - e.g., activity table, etc.). </p> <p>She also thinks I'm depriving my child because we will likely be requesting no gifts for birthdays (though we do plan on getting her one or two reasonable gifts). Luckily, I don't care too much about what my mom thinks about our parenting style haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928951 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 12:08:04 +0000 fairy 1928951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a good amount and variety, but I switch them out often so that they are not all out at once. If she has them all out she flits between them and doesn't focus on anything! Haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928928 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 12:00:15 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 1928928@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would like to have less, but we have a lot. I try to avoid big things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928648 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:57:45 +0000 Jess1483 1928648@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used to think we had a ton, and then I tried to divide into thirds for a rotation and it was pathetic! So I rotate two sets of toys and there isn't much out at any one time. I love creative toys, art supplies, etc, but the kid loves trucks! So I think we have a good mix. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928647 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:57:00 +0000 mediagirl 1928647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really wanted to vote for corn cob. :) We have enough but we're not overwhelmed by them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928645 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:56:35 +0000 Boheme 1928645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a lot of toys, but he plays with everything. I am such a sucker for Melissa &amp; Doug, Hape toys, Plan toys, etc. Damn it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928640 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:54:50 +0000 yoursilverlining 1928640@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are Santa's second workshop. LO is the only grandchild on both sides, enough said! :silly: </p> <p>I do go through about twice a year (if not more) and really go through her toys and books and take out things she isn't playing with anymore and donate those. Easy good deed + clean house FTW :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928639 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:54:28 +0000 mrsjyw 1928639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're probably in between a good amount and Santa's workshop.</p> <p>DS has a ton of toys, but they're pretty much isolated to one area on the main floor and then his play area in our basement. We also store a lot of gifts and such and bring them out through the year and pack away toys, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928637 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:53:08 +0000 autumnlove 1928637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a lot of toys and I don't mind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928629 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:50:52 +0000 swurlygurl 1928629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started off thinking that my kids could just play with pots and pans as toys, but now we are slowly approaching Santa's second workshop :)<br /> I mostly get their toys from garage sales, but I love watching her and her friends get so excited by new toys. It won't last long, soon enough she'll be big and grown and lock herself in her room talking on the phone to her friends :crying: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928602 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:36:14 +0000 Mamasig 1928602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Santas's workshop over here - I always say my house looks like a daycare center. Oh well, they are only little once and one day I'll have a clean space again. DH loves to buy toys for DS. He was the 3rd son so he never got anything new. He is living through DS. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928568 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:23:26 +0000 stiletto_mom 1928568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I dont have kids yet, but I will definitely be enforcing minimalist aesthetics with appropriate storage solutions. I'd want them to focus on imaginative play and creativity. I look forward to saying no so that my children know that thet cant simply have everything they want on a whim. I would also employ the use of rotating/seasonal toys to keep things fresh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928535 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:15:46 +0000 snowjewelz 1928535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like so many kids I know just love playing with garbage or random things instead of toys! I HATE clutter so I definitely am in the camp of making toys of of regular things, and keeping toys at a minimum. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928525 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:13:44 +0000 Mrs. Bee 1928525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we definitely have less and less toys as the kids get older. they are better using their imaginations, and arts and crafts take up most of their time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928501 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:07:20 +0000 LuLu Mom 1928501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a decent amount of toys (with some big ticket items as well) however we keep them in the basement or in her room. The only toy in our living room is a toy grill that she cooks on (since her big kitchen is in the basement.) Otherwise we keep the toys out of sight now that she's older and we can trust her in her room playing independently. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928487 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 09:04:55 +0000 blackbird 1928487@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are basically santa's workshop, but by no fault of our own! People just give us stuff and it goes in big canvas bins and honestly, I haven't cleaned them out in a good year. Maybe over Christmas break I will get to it and pull out the things she doesn't regularly play with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928461 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:55:04 +0000 Bao 1928461@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think we have tons but we also have a nice fair amount of good toys. I don't really have much to compare to. The playroom has toys and a small art corner in the playroom but that's about it. LO1 has a few small things in her room, too. I sometimes think less is more. I'll definitely have to go through after Christmas and clear out some stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928443 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:47:09 +0000 sera_87 1928443@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm totally a minimalist when it comes to toys. Half of that is because we don't have the space (I.e. I'd love a toy kitchen but not possible) and half of that is because I tend to think of toys in categories - like sports, blocks/building, stuffies, electronic, etc. if he has 1 or 2 toys in each category then its more than enough. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928437 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:43:56 +0000 looch 1928437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My philiosphy is a mash up of you're only young once and you don't know if you like it if you don't try it.</p> <p>We have a lot of stuff, but I am fine with that. It's not like we're going to have Duplos in the living room for the next 20 years. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928434 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:42:30 +0000 Mrs. Chocolate 1928434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like we are inundated by toys. I rarely buy new ones these days but even with birthdays and Christmas we amass more. A lot come from my son as I rarely bought any for my poor daughter but we just have too much its overwhelming to keep up with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928409 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:28:24 +0000 MamaBehr 1928409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a LOT of toys. Like, a lot. In part, I enjoy buying toys (it use to be shoes before I had kids!) and we have three kids that are in very different stages. We have preschool toys, toddler toys, and baby toys. We are getting ready to move and I have to purge, but whenever I get to the toys I can't make myself donate any. My husband is going to have to go through the toys! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928369 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:06:07 +0000 lamariniere 1928369@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catomd00: I've definitely seen that with my almost 4 year old son. He ignores most of his toys and mostly plays with the more open ended ones like Legos, wooden train tracks and is starting to get more into art supplies. </p> <p>Minimal toys. DD's 1st birthday is coming up and I plan to buy her one thing. I'm sure a few relatives will send toys though. I feel like we already have SO much from my DS. I would say about 70% of his stuff was gifted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928362 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:01:26 +0000 tinyperson 1928362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.shinerbock: We'd love to do this, but we have no storage! We might have to implement something though...Some things my mom buys we just tell her to keep at their house (3 hours away). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928360 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:00:28 +0000 tinyperson 1928360@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really would like to stick to minimalist, but we're trending towards "good amount." With LO's birthday and Christmas 3 weeks apart, I feel that we're in for a deluge :) We've tried to send book lists and other non-toy gifts when our family has asked for suggestions, but the toys keep coming :) I totally get it - toys are fun to buy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928359 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 07:59:58 +0000 edelweiss 1928359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.shinerbock: yes, i've thought about the toy rotation! my main issue is...being lazy. that's really not a good excuse. maybe i will look that up today and find some inspiration--thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928356 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 07:59:17 +0000 edelweiss 1928356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.shinerbock: yeah, that definitely makes a huge difference when people gift/give you so much! one of my friends has a ton of donated/gifted toys, and when you walk into her house you literally feel like the toys are waiting to pounce on you from every corner saying "play with me!!!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928353 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 07:58:45 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 1928353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@edelweiss: you might consider swapping out toys periodically. I've been toying with the idea of getting some big plastic boxes and dividing the toys between them. Only have 1 box out at a time and swap the boxes every week or so. I think there are some good posts about it on the blog, but I can't remember which bee. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928352 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 07:58:26 +0000 illumina 1928352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@edelweiss: it's hard to know what they will like...I've stopped buying larger toys brand new for this reason, often a waste of money. It does help though that there's lots of different types of toys at the playgroup we go to, so I can see what she's into. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-toy-philosophy#post-1928351 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 07:57:19 +0000 edelweiss 1928351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catomd00: that actually makes me feel better. sometimes when i resist buying toys, i'm wondering if i'm being a meanie or not giving LO an opportunity to play/learn with some awesome new toy that's going to rock his world. apparently not!</p> <p>@Grace: i really want to be a toy minimalist, but i feel like we are creeping into more and more toys. gotta stop. </p>