This is sort of a belated resolution for 2007. After Christmas we looked around our house and just decided this would be the year for no new toys. None. I am a compulsive toy buyer (particularly wood toys by Melissa & Doug...cannot resist those and I think I own everything they make!), so it's a hard one for me to stick to, but I think even * I * have my fill of toys now.

I spend so much time organizing them, picking up after the little ones, finding places for new toys etc... it's just ridiculous. I boxed up two huge boxes of toys to donate, along with tons of my clothes and stuff. I am so happy to be decluttering, that I don't want anything more coming in to mess up the newfound tranquility!!! LOL

My 2yo has a birthday in a couple weeks and for his gift, I will write the story of his birth and life. I did this for my oldest ds (and even did watercolor paintings to go along with the text...ridiculously bad, but he didn't mind!!) and he reads it often and really loves it.
No new toys! No new toys! No new toys!

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My dh and I also decided that this year the kids wouldn't be getting new toys! They will still get some on special occasions, but not all the time. Truth is, they really have more toys than they even play with now, so why get more!?!?

Both my kids have birthday arond the holiday and we only buy one toy for them.We don't buy toys for no occasion while we are out. But Christmas was out of control. I put a post it on the month of Dec. in this yrs calendar to remind myself only to buy 3 toys each. They will have plenty after everyone else buys for them and birthdays. But other than all the toys everywhere, it's costly and the kids will have no wants and what kind of an adult am I creating here.

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

Wow I agree and my guy is only 11 months old! He has a ton of toys already and his birthday is right around the corner.
He'll get some toys for his birthday but hopefully that will be it. The only thing I can see in the summer is possibly some sandbox toys, but then I'm not even sure if a sandbox is too young for a 18 month old? That's another thread...I'll go start it!

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When life throws you a curve ball...it's up to you how you catch it!

I am trying the same thing. In fact my 2 youngest whose birthdays are in January (15th and 24th) are having their birthday party on Friday and since they are only 2 and 3 we are buying them bike helmets and knee/elbow pads. That way when spring comes along we I can take them in the bike cart and they will be safe.
THey will also be getting my old twin Cabbage Patch kids from when I was little. But that is something that I already have. SInce they are my "irish twins" it make perfect sense!

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~~Sonja~~

My 3lynns~ Ashlynn-8, Brooklyn-4 and Kaylin-3

Sounds like a good plan to me! For the last few years, I've been kind of strict about the amount of new toys that come into our house. My dd is bad about begging for a toy, playing with it for a few days, then never touching it again.

Too bad that there weren't places that would just rent toys for a period of time. That would solve a lot of my storage problems!

[quote=kellytime]This is sort of a belated resolution for 2007. After Christmas we looked around our house and just decided this would be the year for no new toys. None. I am a compulsive toy buyer (particularly wood toys by Melissa & Doug...cannot resist those and I think I own everything they make!), so it's a hard one for me to stick to, but I think even * I * have my fill of toys now.

I am also a big Melissa and Doug junkie. Unfortunately I seem to enjoy their toys more than my kids

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I think that's agreat idea!!!!!!

My girls do get toys from time to time. But our rule is one toy in one toy out!

THeir rooms have very little clutter and this system works well for us