Question on toys from mostly a lurker

msjcordova

DW and I have decided that we do not want the plastic battery operated toys in our house and for our DD. This year for Xmas we put together an amazon wish list for our families with things that we picked out.

I am wondering how you ladies would or have handled times when families, no matter how much you tell them beforehand, continue to buy these types of gifts for LO?

Any advice would be helpful! Thanks so much ladies!! 

urbanflowerpot

I have told them all that I don't want battery/plastic/character (like TV/movie) stuff - and have our wishlist together. I ask them to please look at that for a general idea (like if they want to shop at a store)...I figure enough of that seeps through the cracks as it is and he has a lifetime of wanting things like that when he's older.

I think that's all you can do, though. My MIL loves to give him plastic, character stuff. She knows what we prefer but that's really that IMO. I rotate his toys so there is a mix available to him while playing.

kcisthebombdotcom

I keep them and utilize them battery-less. I rotate toys, so I keep a few plastic battery operated toys in rotation at all times.

Doesnt have to be all or nothing. A few plastic toys arent going to hurt.

Mrs. TLC

we were completely anti plastic/battery etc... but then i found that the plastic toys DO have their place.... on the outside screened-in patio! With the weather being so nice this time of year (we are in FL so its still in the 70s/low 80s) we keep the back door open and have all the plastic toys on the patio, so DS can go out there while i am in the house doing chores, etc and he can get some fresh air while playing with his toys. (we dont want to put the wooden/cloth stuff outside because its too humid here and they will get moldy/rot).

So that's our solution. We still don't keep around the flashy/noisy stuff, but the plastic little people toys, or the ride on car with a couple of buttons, etc are good for outside.

Some of the bigger plastic stuff we gave to my inlaws to keep at their house for him to play with when we visit them (they like the plastic because its easier for them to keep clean). 

the rest of it i keep the tags on and either donate to toys for tots, or keep in my gift closet to give as gifts to some of the little kid birthday parties we get invited to (the ones whos parents i know dont mind those types of toys)