Toys, toys, toys. They just keep coming! But the kids do eventually outgrow some of them. But if your kids are like mine, when parents suggest getting rid of the more childish ones kids say no! If you aren’t careful you will have a house full of teenagers and a full toy kitchen set too;). So I was asked by a friend, “How can we help our kids to move on from the toys they are really to old for?” I have 3 ways!
(This is a piece sponsored by Pley but all from me;)
1) Leverage your space to make your argument. Don’t allow them to add their newer toys to reachable shelves that are already full of toys! Place the new toys in an inconvenient location (top shelf, another room, even somewhere they need your help to get). When the kids need your help or complain about the location, remind them if they get rid of their excess, old toys there will be plenty of room!
2) Tug on their hearts. The situation where you have some toys that your kids have outgrown but just don’t want to let go yet. But then you have a friend or family member with a younger child who would just adore that toy. You mention that so and so would love that toy. It is amazing to watch your kids just automatically volunteer it! Or at least grudgingly give their permission for the transfer;). This is a great way to not only get rid of old toys but to also grow your children’s hearts.
My children have been on both sides of this situation. We have received great sets of toys that we would have never been able to afford! Like entire Little Tikes outdoor play structures. But when it was time for my kids to give them up… well they didn’t want to. But a friend of mine hosts a bible study for parents of preschoolers and didn’t have any outdoor toys. As soon as I asked if they would give them to this friend so this group of little kids could use them, all my children’s doubt and desire to hold on to them went away. My kids even volunteered to help take the structures apart so they could get loaded into a truck.
3) If worse comes to worse, appeal to their greed. What can I say, economy and money are motivators. If they sell their toys, they will have money to spend! You can have a yard sale, use Craig’s List, or post them on one of the many Facebook groups that there are for community sales! Just remember that they toys don’t just belong to the first kid or the last kid who has played with them. You need to decide who gets a share of the money before things are sold. Otherwise you could have a lot of bickering and tension once everything is sold.
Now, one way you avoid this whole constant struggle of course is to do a service like Pley. When your kids see something better on the list, they just have to send back the last set they got. Easy peasy! You know I had to at least mention them;).
(Disclosure: Pley did sponsor this post but all thoughts and opinions are mine alone;)
