Our kids don’t love toys. Their favorite play items are me and M. I thought this post would be about the most valuable, sure-fire, unbeatable toys that we own. I couldn’t think of any. The Hergenrader kids are decidedly lukewarm on most toys.
This could mean that our list of favorite toys would be really valuable. After all, if a Hergenrader likes a toy, and plays with the same item for years (see example above…love the Little Tikes car) then there’s something special about it. Like a vegetarian listing her favorite BBQ places. Or a nudist listing his favorite clothing stores.
Actually, are there nudists anymore? Now that I type that, I haven’t heard about them lately. Maybe it was an ’80s fad.
Back to the toys. Despite my disclaimer that our kids don’t love toys, our kids have a lot of toys. We spend most of our time at home, and I’m always hopeful that Color Wonder Finger Paints, a new My Little Pony set, or even a Zhu Zhu pet will occupy them.
Rarely.
If I’m sitting next to them, creating a Pony World or cheering on their Color Wonder creation? There’s a chance. But try to check status updates on Facebook or go to the bathroom, and they abandon the toys to hunt me down and find out what I want to play next.
Although, I have to admit that among all the dud toys we own, there are a handful of winners.
There is one consistent feature of the toys that our kids pull out over and over again–less features. The fewer bells, whistles, tiny brushes, levers, removable parts, or color-coded shoes…the more likely kids are to play with it. My analysis? Kids want to be in control. Too many features, and they start to feel controlled.
I’m not going as far as to give them an empty cardboard box and hope I can take a catnap on the floor, but there’s something to be said for a good old Lego set. Or a harmonica. Or a pretend kitchen. Or just a bunch of spoons and pans.
Or, let’s be honest, a Little Tikes car…which my kids have loved (independent of my involvement) for three years now.
And you just can’t buy that kind of cat-napping time.
But if you find you can, jump on it.
