When I was a kid, I never really had much toys so I guess I early on, I already knew to take care of the few toys that I had. My dad, who was a bit of a handyman, made me my own wooden toy box painted bright yellow with little compartments inside, which made toy keeping as much fun for me as playing.
Now that I have two kids of my own, I have taken the values that I got from preserving toys from my childhood to present. While I can afford more toys for my children now than my parents from back then, I do not splurge and still keep a practical approach when it comes to getting the kids toys. Many of the toys that my seven year old has used from before is still being enjoyed by my four year old today.robo puppy
Thankfully, my children has adapted a careful demeanor when it comes to handling their toys, I believe that this is the most important thing, and a first step to ensuring the longevity of toys. Kids and toys must have a bond, so that the children will take extra care in handling them. It also helps to teach them that sharing is important, and that if they don't take care of their toys, their brothers or sisters will be losing it as well.
When I choose toys for kids, I keep in mind that these will be subject to rough handling, so I choose ones that are made with sturdy material. They must be screwed properly as well, it they are joined together by screws. I choose quality over price as well, because it pays for itself in the long run.
I also mend and repair toys at the first sign of damage. My seven year old's car toy's door got recently detached, and I noticed that he lost interest in it once it got broken. So what I did was just to superglue the door to the car, let it dry overnight, and it was as good as new.
I also got my dad to make another toy chest, light blue this time, with the kids name stenciled on the lid. I also had some photos of them tucked inside, and on the chest are the same compartments which made it seem as if the toys had their own "rooms" which I used to enjoy so much. Now my kids also look forward to storing their toys after playtime as I used to when I was a kid!
My kids also know that they will only receive new toys during a handful of special occasions, namely on their birthdays, after the school year ends, and during Christmas. I rarely give them toys on impulse, so they know that they have to take care of the toys that they have at hand. It might sound frugal, but more than that I believe that the children get a bigger lesson on responsibility by employing these techniques.
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