Monday, November 5, 2012

The Miracle of Toy Rotation

You know how people can tell you over and over to try something that will help you, but sometimes you just have to discover it for yourself?

Such is the case with me and toy rotation.

Okay, so first I have to admit that I've had a box of toys sitting by the front door since January (for the record, it's now November). In my defense, none of the Salvation Army boxes in our neighborhood accepts toys, and Goodwill is sort of out of my way. For some reason, the boys decided today was the day they would take enough interest in the box to open it--and I'm so glad they did. I just gave in and tipped the whole box on its side and let them at it. And I'm amazed--they've been entertaining themselves for an hour with old Transformers, Bakugan balls, Christmas finger puppets, and empty Pez dispensers. My five-year-old is playing with things that I would never imagined him sitting quietly and playing with (a magnetic doodle pad with easy Spider-Man drawing instructions and a construction site magnet set).

Obviously this "goody box" isn't going to hold their interest forever...but I'm impressed enough that I'm going to get a couple other big boxes of mismatched stuff together for another day. And another. And another.

10 comments:

  1. yep we rotate when I can remember to and it is always amazing that old toys get treated like they are brand new.

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  2. Ah, the magic of toy rotation! If I could have just one organized room to store it all in! Instead, we have an over-flowing garage, and the 'old toys' are in dusty paper bags and banged up boxes. I have given away a lot, but more finds its way back again. Maybe I'll go and grab a box or a bag out of the garage!

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    Replies
    1. I take mine to the thrift store and she pays us for them.

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  3. I have just recently rediscovered of the toy rotation myself :) I had been meaning to do it again for so long and then when I did it was fantastic! Just like your boys, my little girl found herself distracted by her 'new' toys, and played for ages.

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  4. I love the name of your blog. Is is like a take on the prickly pear fruit?

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    1. Hi! The name is sort of a bunch of things...I have a sweet inside, but my exterior is sort of pointy sometimes. :) There's a quote from Marge Simpson that I think of a lot; she says something like, "Don't be such a prickly pear!"

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  5. Never thought of adding it to my blog. But yeah! we've been toy-rotating ever since our DS was 6m and its works like a charm. how old toys get new life. and its amazing how they use the toy differently now that they are older. from chewing on or rolling something around to identifying colors and shapes on it, and playing pretend :)

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