So many toys... Christmas is looming. Thoughts?

laney75 · July 2011

Ok, so we recently had birthdays for both of our sons (May and July) so we have a fresh round of toys introduced into the house. Now it feels like we have so many. We have a basket of them in our great room (off the kitchen). Our game room has quite a few, in baskets, in the train table, free standing, etc. Then each boy has baskets of toys in their respective rooms. This doesn't include all the outdoor toys.

To me, it's overwhelming although I think they probably have an average to above average number of toys, considering there are two kids.

Anyway... would it be crazy to mention to immediate family that the boys actually don't need toys when Christmas comes around? Almost all of them (meaning grandparents and aunt/uncle) ask for ideas. Is it ridiculous to steer them toward things like clothes, books, art supplies, or something like that? Really the big offender of excessive gifts/toys is my MIL and I'm not sure she'd listen, but just wondering if anyone would do this or has done this.

What are people's thoughts on this? I do not want to kill anyone's joy by being able to give toys to our kids but really... we have a lot.

mrsfirefly · July 2011

Art supplies and books are "toys" in my mind, in that they will give the giver and the receiver the same satisfaction of a toy. So if you have family that really wants to get that reaction out of the kiddos, go with those as gift suggestions.

With the overwhelming number of toys, I've started rotating toys in and out of DD's playroom. That has made it less overwhelming and makes her play much less frenzied.

laney75 · July 2011

mrsfirefly:
Art supplies and books are "toys" in my mind, in that they will give the giver and the receiver the same satisfaction of a toy. So if you have family that really wants to get that reaction out of the kiddos, go with those as gift suggestions.
With the overwhelming number of toys, I've started rotating toys in and out of DD's playroom. That has made it less overwhelming and makes her play much less frenzied.

I rotate toys too. I move them from downstairs (a select, small amount goes downstairs and is rotated every week or so) back upstairs and then try to bring different things out for them to play with. I agree, it definitely helps to rotate them.

The_Jen626 · July 2011

I think you can absolutely say "we have enough toys, but the boys do need some new markers/stickers/paint supplies, etc".

Also, (and I have only one kid, so this might not work for you) but we don't have any toys out in the house, everything stays in the playroom. DD will carry a babydoll around the house, or push the shopping cart, but at the end of the day, all of the toys go back into the playroom. It makes our house feel "not cluttered at all" and we LOVE it.

JenWhite123 · July 2011

I don't think it's rude at all to say that toys aren't needed. Also, would MIL be open to contributing to their college fund instead of buying so many gifts? I have 3 nieces and nephews (aged 4-11) and since they were born I have always written checks for their college funds for Christmas instead of buying more stuff that they don't need - they already get too many gifts and don't appreciate what they have.

bim38106 · July 2011

That is why I'm signing up for a Mom to Mom sale early October....mostly to sell toys! Of course there are some clothes and winter gear in there, as well as PJs. All things I know sell at M2M sales, without creating too much work for me

I think it's totally fine to steer family towards clothes and art supplies, etc..if they ask. That's what I usually do. Of course then the girls end up getting an outfit + a small toy, but that's better then multiple toys, right?!

And I think pp is right in saying that art supplies and books still give the satisfaction of buying a "toy".

laney75 · July 2011

JenWhite123:
I don't think it's rude at all to say that toys aren't needed. Also, would MIL be open to contributing to their college fund instead of buying so many gifts? I have 3 nieces and nephews (aged 4-11) and since they were born I have always written checks for their college funds for Christmas instead of buying more stuff that they don't need - they already get too many gifts and don't appreciate what they have.

I think this is really nice on your part. I may actually steal that idea for our newly born niece who I know will have plenty of toys. My MIL actually does buy our boys a savings bond for every Christmas, which is great. Then she will buy each of them 5-10 toy gifts on top of that.

I think I will just keep encouraging the art supplies/clothes, etc.

Mostly I was wondering if other people just deal with the massive inflows of toys or if they say something (when asked!) to direct people to other ideas.

Cherryblossoms07 · July 2011

Our neighbor goes through all their toys with her kids before Christmas and gives the old ones to the needy kids. I think this is a really good idea and teaches kids to give to others. We will probably be doing the same when DD gets a little older.

DD's birthday is right before Christmas so we get inundated with toys within one week. DD's grandparents give her way too much every year. Since we don't live near either grandparent, they have to send the gifts to us before hand so we know kind of what she is getting. I feel bad telling them to cut back since it is one of the only ways they feel like they can spoil DD. So we just plan around what shows up and only end up giving her a big toy or two and/or more non-toy items to cut down on all the toys. This year she is getting Disney park tickets (we wanted to go to Disney for her birthday but it is too close to my due date.)

eaglesfan700 · July 2011

Last year for Christmas my parents paid for the renewal of our children's museum membership. Then I gave them pictures of the kids playing there. They were so happy to have found something really useful to give the kids as a gift, so now they want to do it every year

Will your family members ask or will they just buy whatever? If they ask, I don't see any reason why you couldn't suggest an alternative to toys. However, I just couldn't bring myself to ever request money, even if it is for a college fund

EnglishMajor03 · July 2011

In fact, Parker doesn't get toys for gifts either if you don't consider art supplies, books and other educational items "toys". That is pretty much all I ask people to get for her.

Parker's birthday is at the end of this month and my sister is getting Parker a lab set for science experiments and my dad is getting her a comforter set for when the girls transition to bunk beds.

TTC76 · July 2011

I think asking for art supplies and books is a very good idea, why would that not be a good present.Unless your kids really did not like art or books.

Stacyc625 · July 2011

That is why we ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ask for memberships to the zoo/kids museums. I really don't care if my family takes offense- the only one who REALLY gets it is my sister (who has 2 kids as well) ~ so we always just buy the kids memberships- plus its fun because we will just have playdates there all year long. There are soooo many fun places around our area- so we just change it up where we get memberships. Works out perfectly- I would MUCH rather give kids an EXPERIENCE over a plastic toy.

We do the whole rotation thing too. but that only goes so far. Each child has a storage basket in their rooms and then each kid has a large plastic tote (for the put away rotating toys) in their bedroom closet.

I always ask for books- both of my kids are readers (when chase isn't chewing on them-).

Art supplies too. But right now I am busting with them too.

ariel06 · July 2011

When people ask, we always ask for "experience" presents (if people ask). My parents gave the boys a zoo membership and my grandparents gave passes to the pool.

We do also return/exchange things that are similar to toys that the boys have or don't play with. I feel bad about this, but for DS2 especially you can only use so many computers that sing the alphabet, ect.

rubber_chicken · July 2011

I don't think it's crazy. I mean, some people will buy toys anyway, but a lot of people would rather get something that would be truly appreciated.

what about things like a magazine subscription (Highlights, National Geographic Kids etc.) or even better, a membership to the zoo or children's museum? The membership is great because then the gift giver can use it to spend a day with the kids too.

MommyMich · July 2011

In the past year, our supply of toys has grown from manageable to out of control. My MIL is also the main offender in overgifting. She is a huge couponer and shops sales all year long so that each kid (without exageration) gets about 30 toy gifts from her at Christmas and probably at least 10 for their birthdays. These range from big (ride on toys, a vanity for DD, a piano with a stool, for DS) to small (5000 matchbox cars). I have told her that their toys are out of control and outgrowing the playroom, which hardly has room for PLAY anymore. She always argued with me until the day she actually went in the playroom to play with the kids and realized I wasn't just being an ungrateful snob. Now she SAYS that she will tone it down, but I will believe that when I see it. I LOVE the idea of grandparents paying for science center or zoo passes. That never occured to me. I would be careful telling everyone that you want art supplies though, because your next problem will be finding a place to store your HUGE supply of art stuff!

chelwig89 · July 2011

Usually our family asks and I have no problem saying something like, "She really likes paints and is almost out..." Of course I've "complained" to my own mom that she has too many toys already lol but I wouldn't do that to anyone else. If someone specifically asks me what to get her though, I often think about what could be stored easily haha.

WhitePicketFence · July 2011

I've been struggling with this as well. My MIL doesn't miss a single garage sale over the summer and buys things for DD each time - regardless of whether I ask her to stop or not. It's nice of her, but we are currently overloaded on clothes (we seriously have clothing stored for up to 2T and DD is only in 18 months), books (she has well over 100 books), and toys (we have a large toybox in the family room and boxes of toys stored in the basement). We're quickly running out of room for everything. DD's birthday is mid-January as well, so that only compounds the issue.

I'd really just like money for her college account, but of course I'd never ask for it.

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