What Toys/How Many

[MNMommy2]

Hi, everybody! I have been doing daycare for a few years now and am overwhelmed by the number of toys I have! My brother actually commented that the toys (ONLY the toys, that God) border on hoarding. He was kidding, but there was some truth in there.

I am wondering how many toys you all have, generally speaking. How many do you think are essential. I would like to pare mine down by about 50% but I am not sure what to keep or what to weed out.

What types of toys do you all prefer? I would like to start leaning more toward--I can't think of the correct term--toys that are more homemade and REALLY make the child connect, if you know what I mean. Such as a board with all of the locks on it...

Thanks for any input you may have! I am desperate to get some of the toy clutter out of here!! I have an almost 1 yo of my own so some of this is me wondering what to keep for her and what she really doesn't need. I feel the guilt of "well, her big sister got to play with that, so she should too", which is actually very silly on my part.

[Michael]

Welcome to the Daycare.com Forum! I upgraded your status. You can post freely now.

[MNMommy2]

Thank you!

Also, if you have a collection of toys such as Little People, what is a reasonable number to have in your opinion. I do not have a lot of kids, I like to keep my numbers as low as I can.

[LaLa1923]

I was just wondering the exact same thing!!

[Rubysmom]

I am currently in the same situation as you. I am closely observing what the kids actually play with on a daily basis, I am then taking things they dont play with and putting them out of sight. If no one asks for the toy in a week, it goes in the Goodwill box. I got rid of a bunch of Little People toys that no one ever plays with. I kept about 10 people, a house, barn and train track. Everything else went. I will continue to pare down until my husband quits harrassing me! I wouldnt feel guilty. The toy that gets played with the most here is a giant cardboard box someone gave us. They write on it, use it as a house, a quiet place to color, a nap area...its incredible! Good luck!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I prefer wooden toys over plastic. I recently (in the last month) posted a thread asking what toys would stand up to being played with constantly. The toys that have held up well for me have been made by Plan Toys, Wonderworld, and I just added some heavy duty wooden trucks (I can't remember the brand) that are around $80 each new from Ebay. Melissa and Doug blocks also hold up well for me as do Tegu, Lincoln Logs, and the window blocks.

Ryan's Room, Melissa and Doug, and Kidkraft make toys that can't handle all the love that 12 children have to give. :: They don't look too great after 6 months.

We also boxed up our toys by theme (cars, floor puzzle, weebles, etc.) in the plastic shoe boxes you buy a Walmart for $1. We rotate them out weekly.

This week, we have the Wonderworld cars (4) out, matchbox cars, and 3 solid wood cars and busses in the Transportation Center. I have a big ramp that they love to play with and a car carpet that they drive on.
I have hundreds of Lego Duplos in the Lego center.
Books are always out in the two reading centers.
Melissa and Doug blocks, tabletop blocks, Lincoln logs, and toy animals are in the Building Center.
Peg board is always out with half the number of pegs that came with it.
Plan Toys dollhouse is always out.
I also have another Plan Toys dollhouse that I converted (painted) into a barn and it comes out in the rotation.
Home center is always out, but the Plan Toys food items (most are the ones you can cut apart) rotate as so the playsilks, scarves, and other items in it.
Giant bus is always out.
Wall maze is always out (on the wall).
Aquarium is always out and available for viewing with the magnifying glasses.

I love open ended toys. I hate toys that "have" to be played with in a certain way (electronic toys). The only thing that has batteries in it are 3 of our puzzles that make noises when the pieces go in. But, that's 3 puzzles out of 30 and not all of them.

[Blackcat31]

I have VERY limited toys. I downsized a while back and it was the BEST thing I ever did.

First thing to go was the TV and all the hundreds of DVD's and movies.
Next to go was everything that had lights, sounds or batteries.
Then I ditched EVERYTHING that was a theme. Dora, Sesame Street, Batman, Sponge Bob, etc.

Now going through my rooms I have:

A LARGE collection of plastic/rubber animals
Huge bin of wooden cars, boats, trains and trucks
Big tote full of dishes and plastic pretend food
Wooden puzzles (only about 8 of them)
4 baby dolls. (ALL different races/ethnicities)
Dress up clothing (about 6 different outfits)
Giant Waffle Block set
Large Duplo block set
HUGE wooden block collection
Musical instruments
25 hand puppets
Art supplies
books

In the infant/toddler room I have:
Large collection of Little People (probably about 50 of them)
Large foam blocks
Soft cars/trucks to push
15-20 different sized containers and bins
board books


I do have areas set up too where I have discovery bottles, play silks, counting and sorting bears and cards, magnifying glasses, sensory bins, and things like that but I rotate a lot of what I have so the kids dont get bored of the stuff and the clutter of too any toys doesn't drive me batty.

I try to keep as little out as possible so that the kids appreciate what they do have to play with and when I notice the interest waning, I will rotate stuff up and it is just like getting new toys as they always get super excited as if they have never seen the toy before.

[littlemissmuffet]

I have:

- 10 discovery bottles
- 1 basket full of "Little Chuck" cars/trucks (20)
- 1 basket full of "Fisher Price" Little People/Farm Animals (30) w/ several FP Farms
- 1 basket full of musical instruments - tamborine, moroccas, etc
- 1 "Parents" brand drum kit
- 1 "Parents" brand doctor kit
- 1 basket full of "Parents" brand bristle blocks
- 1 basket full of "Parents" brand squishy blocks
- 1 basket full of infant rattles, soft toys and baby books
- 2 baskets full of "Fisher Price" Peek-a-Blocks w/ several FP Peek-a-Block recepticles
- 1 bucket of dinosuars and animals
- 1 bucket of tools
- 1 bucket of brats w/ another container of doll clothes (this only comes out for the older kiddos)
- 1 large plastic airplane, bus and truck
- 1 large tote of Mega Blocks
- 1 Mega Blocks table
- 1 bucket of Mr. Potato Heads w/ another container of accessories
- 3 buckets of wooden blocks (sorted by" plain wood, painted wood and letter/number blocks)
- 1 bucket of "Crayola" Jumbles
- 1 bucket of foam alphabet shapes
- 10 "Melissa and Doug" Wooden Puzzles
- 1 "Melissa and Doug" Bead Maze
- 1 "Melissa and Doug" Pound-a-Peg
- 2 shape sorters
- 1 basket of plastic food
- 1 basket of plastic dishes
- 1 basket of balls in various sizes
- 1 activity table
- 1 tote of hats for dress up
- 1 "Fisher Price" kitchen
- 1 "Fisher Price" cash register
- 2 shopping carts
- 1 basket full of hand puppets and mini "Webkinz" plushies
- 1 3 drawer storge unit full of craft supplies
- 1 large bookcase of books
- 6 large throw pillows for circle time/story time
- 6 baby dolls
- 1 baby crib
- 1 baby stroller

Sounds like alot, but it's really not - and the playroom looks very clean and organized. My kiddos learn young "no dumping" and that before taking out new toys, old toys must be put away.

I eventually want to move to all wodden toys... but I LOVE Fisher Price a whole lot! Like blackcat, we do not have any battery operated toys, character theme toys or a tv.

[Evansmom]

I recently downsized and am now trying a new system and I LOVE it! Before there was just too much and it was too overwhelming for the kids. Most of it got dumped and that's even with keeping the toys in another room and rotating sets out weekly.

So now I have all and I mean ALL the toys upstairs all organized in sections. Each child gets to pick a toy they want to play with and then is responsible for taking the toy back to where they found it when they are finished. I'm seeing two things I love after shifting to this system.

1. The play room that now only has child size furniture and weekly rotated books in it stays tidy and no one is tripping but my favorite thing is...

2. With less toys the kids are being more creative and making up such great games together and having tons of interesting dialogue!

Yes it's up and down the stairs a lot during free time but hey, my buns and thighs can use the exercise ha!

[crazydaycarelady]

I have a lot of toys too but I rotate them. I always have about 2/3 of them in a storage room and every couple of months I switch out.

[melilley]

I have a lot of toys too but I rotate them. I always have about 2/3 of them in a storage room and every couple of months I switch out.

I agree, I would rotate the toys. By the time you get the toys that you put away out again, the kids think it's a new toy...

[Lianne]

I could easily be a toy hoarder. I want one (or multiple) of everything, in every colour or model! I love new toys and vintage toys, I love them all! I have to stop myself from buying things I don't need. Even then, I still find myself selling things on local swap & shop sites because I just have too much. Last fall I sold off 82 rubbermaid totes of manipulative toys, JUST manipulative toys like puzzles, matching games, lacing cards, peg boards, etc. I kept ten totes worth. I sold 700 books and kept about 100. I made over $800 selling what I had and it was disturbing to think that I had that much money tied up in toys we rarely used.

I have really switched my focus towards wooden and simple toys lately. I'll never get rid of plastic completely and I even have some battery powered toys but I'm careful in what I choose to bring into my home now.

I have a group of young toddlers right now and have geared the toys towards them. I have a small train table that we keep the Little People on. I have one set out at a time with a small bin for a handful of people and accessories. I have a kitchen (recent purchase from Ikea) with a set of dishes/cups for four, some pots, a teapot and some basic Melissa & Doug food. I have a highchair and three plush dolls (Ikea!), a doll bed under a small table with a pillow and blanket and a stroller. I have a cube shelf unit (8 cubes) that holds the larger toys like shape sorters, toy clock, pull along toys, and a small bucket of board books etc. I have a small toy box in the shape of a dinosaur that holds odds and ends like some toy cars, blocks, animals, musical instruments and discovery bottles. Lastly, I have the FP laugh & Learn house. It's really just a doorway but the kids love it!

In my living room, which is where we stay after naptime, I have a small bookcase with a shape sorter, a magnetic toy, another bucket of books, some Christmas Little People and beanbags.

In storage I have some puppets, two sizes of lego, waffle blocks, more play dishes/food, dress up stuff (no clothes, just hats and accessories), a tote of Dora & Diego toys, additional little people sets, a tote of trains and hotwheels, and a tote of Littlest Pet Shop animals, Ponies and Strawberry Shortcake characters. Plus I have the totes of manipulative toys still.

It sounds like a lot but I need a wide variety for different age ranges. I rotate toys, too, to keep things fresh and interesting.

[MNMommy2]

Thank you for you responses!

[LK5kids]

I LOVE toys too...that said, I may not have as many as I thought and I also rotate. I love going bargain hunting @ rummage sales and GoodWill for good quality toys at a great price.

Out right now I have
Kitchen set...not wooden but it's brand new (r. sale-a grandparent had it)little tykes and was $10.00!
Ikea wooden table/chairs, food, dishes
Little Tykes doll bed
dolls/doll clothes
Shopping cart
Stuffed animals-love 'em but my state star system also requires them
Dress-up clothes
Art supplies
Giagantic chalk board
Easel
Sand table
Puzzles and manipulatives - about 5/6 puzzles at a time
Fisher Price Peek-a-blocks and wagon with PaB activities
Contruction center with Melissa and Doug Town blocks/the heavy cardboard blocks-cars-people
Little people-lots (lI love them too and so do the kids)
Fisher Price car ramp
Fisher Price air plane
"Old School" large Little Tykes trucks (4) got them for a steal at GWill!
Shelf of general toys
Ikea bead maze
Science table-this month 5-senses items
Book Corner
Fisher Price doll house w/furniture and people

I try not to have too many bins of toys if I have lots of toddlers-more self contained toys.

I also teach the "no dumping" skill!

We have free play from 8:30-9:20-limited toys before 8:00am. We pick up at 9:20. During good weather we are outside lots and the toys don't come out much again. If it's too cold or we don't stay outside long because of the weather. I have music and movement time and then a short free play before lunch. If we don't go out after nap there is another free play. I just don't let things get out of hand. I have to keep it under control or it does it crazy. We start to wind down some by the time parents start to come for pick up.

I also have enough in storage to keep it all interesting!

I've never had character toys...just not for me or electronic toys.

[SilverSabre25]

I've got a lot, but then I have a 5 yo and an 18 mo old and I'm going to be doing daycare for a long time. I don't mind having a lot, and fairly large collections of things (duplos, legos, train tracks, cars, unit blocks). We have a lot of toys in storage at any one time, and rotate pretty frequently (if I notice that the playroom is trashed and something is still on a shelf, then it's time to rotate that toy!). I actually don't have that much out at once. Right now it's bristle blocks, unit blocks, trains, potato heads, tools, cars, unit blocks (pretty much always out...too heavy to put away :P ) baby doll stuff, and kitchen stuff. And baby toys. Well, and I have more baby toys, music instruments, and part of my LIttle People collection all out upstairs.

I do frequently get rid of toys that I don't like anymore...which is a lot. I'm picky :P And I buy for my own kids with daycare in mind usually...even if it's just "will I keep this from them permanently or are they allowed to share it?"