Tuesday, June 17, 2008

We buy children toys- why?



Sunday night we watched a family movie. It was not animated and didn't hold the 3 year-old's attention. No problem. She has an entire room of toys to play with. She was quiet and occupied and I, ashamedly, forgot all about checking on her.


Half-way through the movie she comes to me and wants to show me something. "Oh, good!" I thought. "She's been building with her blocks." (What she usually has been doing when she wants to show me something.) But to my surprise, she led me to the bathroom, not her room. At that moment fear entered me. What was I going to be shown? There is plenty of trouble to get into in the bathroom.


I was flooded with relief and laughter when I entered the bathroom. My silly girl had indeed been building. But she chose toliet paper as her medium, not blocks. She was so proud of her tower.


So why DO we spend money on expensive bits of plastic for our children when they are happy with boxes, toliet paper and wood scraps?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a creative child! Does she realize what an impact her proclivity will have on future birthday gifts?
Won't that be a hoot! "Sweetie. what did you get for your birthday?" "Oh, 30 rolls of tp and a pkg of paper plates and a sack of macaroni! Woohoo!"

Anonymous said...

I so agree!
Boxes and things are so much more fun!

Dana said...

My girls are happy to play with fabric scraps and bits of artificial flowers threaded with string. They'll stay busy for HOURS--even in the car--with this stuff. Right now they're building a "house" out of the pillows from our bed. I agree...who needs toys?

Blessings--
Dana