This post is all about how children don't need fancy, plastic, singing and dancing toys from the shops. Some of S's favourite toys are things most of us would throw away...
Empty Boxes and Bags:
You know that old joke that you can buy a toy for a child, and they'll have more fun playing with the box it came in? That fun is not limited to the packaging for toys.
Drinks Bottles
In this post I wrote about two empty bottles I'd filled with various things. We started with a couple of bottles filled with coloured water; now we have bottles with shiny craft materials, bottles with jelly and glitter, bottles with cous cous. The cous cous is a big hit; every single day S will sit and shake it for a good ten minutes, transferring it from hand to hand, looking at me to see how impressed I am by the noise she's making.
Remote Controls
S loves buttons. And things she's not allowed. Imagine the excitement when she gets her hands on a remote control!! Suddenly the TV is turned up very loud, we're watching a channel I didn't know existed, and the stereo is playing BBC Asia! (if I'm feeling awake and with it, I'll take one of the batteries out of the remote and just let her play with it for a little while)
Kitchen Utensils
In the end, I admitted defeat, drew a smiley face on one of my wooden spoons and gave it to S. It doesn't even go near the kitchen any more. The same with the posh pastry brush with blue silicone fronds. There are also spoons lurking on the play mats somewhere. For while she had commandeered a fish slice, but I needed it for my dinner the other day so I stole it back.
Random Stuff
Anything that is not supposed to be a baby toy, is instantly interesting and fun to play with. Baby wipe packets are a big favourite, because of the noise they make. We also like plastic cups, because you can scrunch them. I have also finally found a use for the rock samples that came with my science OU module - S will sit and play with them!
And so, in conclusion, it is safe to say that my child is easily pleased, and I wasted money on Christmas this year!
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My son is exactly the same-he prefers 'real' things to toys, although his older sister did enjoy playing with conventional toys so I guess it's down to the individual child in the end.
ReplyDeleteS does play with conventional toys, I think she just likes the mischief of playing with something that's not hers a lot of the time!
DeleteI have photos of my son when he was a toddler, playing with an old phone - he used to LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteit's a shame you don't really get mobiles with proper buttons these days - all the old phones I have are touch screen now and since they've no charge in them I doubt they'd be so much fun as the TV remote!!
DeleteLol! Aww how cute!!
ReplyDeleteI found you through the blog hop, I love the tone of your blog - will definitely be reading in the future :)
Hayley
http://sparklesandstretchmarks.blogspot.co.uk
I couldn't agree with you more! My baby LOVES things are not intended for her to play with! Great post, am sharing now :)
ReplyDeletexx
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteMashAllah, how sweet...
ReplyDeleteAnd JazakAllah (thank you) for the tips, paper, boxes, bottles, I already knew but I didn't think of kitchen utensils (outside of the context of cooking related fun that is)...
I had intended that, once my baby was old enough, we'd go nature hunting for some interesting 'toys' (pinecones, leaves and the like). And I sometimes window shop in ELC for ideas on what I could make for baby at home without spending a nonsensical amount of money on a rattle that will likely only be played with for a few months.
One thing I greatly recommend getting though (I've done this with one of my young charges once - when I nannied) is a nice cheap £1 paddling pool - then you can fill it with all sorts from jelly and pasta to water, to sand, to balls, to paper, to... well I think you get my point :-)
Ooh that's a great idea thanks! I have some plastic table cloths to put on the floor so might experiment with this... Oh the fun we will have!!
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ReplyDelete