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I’ve been prepping myself for another major toy purge. We recently began working to convert the room we refer to as “the annex” into a more useful space. It was clearly something of an afterthought in the building of the house, and not part of the original structure. My washer and dryer live there, as do our school book shelves, the computer the kids use for math, and the original cabinets from my kitchen— ie, our pantry. We’d like to create a quiet school/work area out there, something that will better serve our needs. The reimagining of this room required the relocation of a large IKEA Kallax storage unit, home to all of my younger kids’ toys. Now that it’s in the boys’ bedroom, I’m even less enthused with the seldom-enjoyed playthings that are still taking up space, not to mention the outgrown toddler whatnots that should be moved on to bless someone else. And, guys… Christmas is coming. Let’s not forget that!
So I’m taking stock, reevaluating, and quietly sorting things into “keep,” “rotate,” and “purge” categories. As usual, the toys that make their way to the top of the food chain fascinate me. When I step back and divest myself of my emotional attachments (the toys I want them to love) and prejudices (the toys I want them to hate) and simply assess what sees the most action, it’s a handful of things that routinely come to the top.
Collections
My kids— and this applies even to the adults numbered among them— love to collect. From the time they are little, the things that can be acquired in quantity provide a fascination that results in multi-faceted play and long-term satisfaction. Whether it’s natural items like the thimble-sized pinecone buds Birdie kept in little felted bowls in Washington, or manmade wonders like marbles and Matchbox cars, if you can line them up and compare them, race them, sort them, or trade them, my kids are in.
Currently, marbles are high on the play scale for all five of the younger kids. They love watching them roll, playing old school games, and, of course, brokering trades. A local specialty store has a display of themed marbles (Medusa Jellyfish! Orca! Dragon!) and I’ve already heard them plotting to add some to their current collection.
Rockets are another collection hobby/toy for my kids. They can— and do— spend hours drawing new designs and crafting their own from materials we have on hand, like cardboard tubes, wood scraps, and paper. Of course, they love the fancy pre-made versions as well. Legos, Lincoln Logs, Pirate Game cards, rocks and fossils, international coins… all are well-loved, used, and maintained by my kids.
Books
O.k., so they’re not toys. But they do take up tons of space— in my house, and the daily schedule. I’ve share before our fierce dedication to local libraries, but of course, some books beg to be purchased so they can be enjoyed again and again. Some even rate hardcover versions, like TumTum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall, Stowaway, or this copy of The Lord of the Rings that made it onto someone’s Christmas wish list this year. Books litter our communal space, and I’m fine with that. Do I pull twaddle from the shelves as it loses its luster? Absolutely. But it’s hard to part with books when they’re such an integral part of the distractions that my kids enjoy.
Crafts
I knit. And so far, everyone over the age of four has at least picked up finger knitting. That means yarn is at a premium at our house, and yes, it takes up valuable shelf space as well. But there’s also embroidery floss for friendship bracelets and other projects, paracord for paracord bracelets, wood scraps for whittling and constructing whatever you might want to build on a moment’s notice, fabric for sewing, colored pencils for drawing, and all other manner of “tools not toys.” Some days I look at my kitchen table mid-creative stream and think I must be crazy for encouraging this level of mess in my life; because, yes, creating is rarely tidy. But then I watch as these people all around me problem solve or sit down to draw just because, and I don’t mind the clean up.
Don’t worry, I’m not planning on dumping every other toy to the curb. I’m a minimalist… not a masochist. But keeping the distractions well, focused, has borne great fruit in our family. There is room for boredom when there are fewer bits of eye candy pulling you from your contemplation. I’m convinced that’s a very good thing— and even more of one when a large family lives in a small house!