Kids and Their Collections

Kim · **Kids and Their Collections**

After decluttering dd's room yesterday, I noticed how she LOVES to collect things. She has 4 snow globes (her "snow globe collection"), her "lip gloss collection" (the kid has more makeup than I do), her "rock collection," and of course the "stuffed animal collection".

Why do kids LOVE to collect things, and how do you cope with it?

Sundowner2 · 09-30-2007, 11:20 PM

Kids like to collect things because besides liking the thing, it's also something that they can control. It's something that they can take care of and have absolute say over, whether it's lined up nice and neat and pretty, or jumbled in a box, or traded back and forth or even just there to look at. And I'm sure there's a lot of looking, because I imagine there's a lot of memories tied into toys, or makeup, or stuffed animals, and kids need those good feelings to remain grounded turing their turmoiled times. My thought, anyway.

momof2boys · 09-30-2007, 11:27 PM

Kim, I swear my sons first grade teacher is going to make him a pack rat! She is very encouraging about collections. He had to take one in for school a couple of weeks ago. We went on a nature walk and filled a big plastic peanut butter jar of acorns

When he brought them back home he was very insistent on keeping them on his shelf, and now keeps asking what else do I think he shoud collect. His teacher also visited the ocean this summer so guess what she passed out a small collection for each of her students

Not to mention our October project to collect and press an assortment of leaves.OY

taylyn · 10-01-2007, 12:43 AM

I think kid Collections are great!! I encourage them and like to teach them their Organizational Skills.

My Kids Use alot Of Clear platic shoe boxed For their Collections , others are on Display , Or Even in old book bags or other loved Box or container . Everything can find a place if it is loved By its Owner.

brensmom · 10-01-2007, 01:19 AM

i'm ok with collections to a point. my ds's have rock collections they each have a huge glass pickle jar(ya know the bulk size kind) if it gets full its time to weed out and keep the favorites. they also have treasure boxes(they really look like one) that fil made for them that they can keep all the little stuff. but thats about all the collect so its not so bad and once the containers are full its time to make some tuff choices.

Oregano · 10-01-2007, 07:10 AM

My kids aren't really collectors of anything in particular but they have a lot of souvenirs from all of our travels. So we try to keep them organized and safe...they're set up on shelves in their rooms. Sometimes we pack some up and put them away for a while, and bring others out. They really enjoy looking at them, reminicising etc

LJGZsmom · 10-06-2007, 10:38 PM

My kids all have their "real" collections. My daughter collects lady bug stuff, son is frog stuff, daughter 2 is bumble bee stuff and son 2 is turtle stuff. So we have alot of that....yea thanks nana!

But their own collections. Hmm. The only one of my kids that does that is my oldest son. He will be eight next week and he is a pack rat of the worst kind! His underwear drawer is FULL of stuff. He even asked me one time if he could put his underwear somewhere else. I sell Avon and my orders come in good size boxes. He takes them for his "special stuff"...that is what he calls his collections. He has four avon boxes. He decided the other day he wanted to start keeping oatmeal containers too. And everything is a special thing to him. The extra button that comes with a shirt, the cool looking tag off a new pair of shoes, a nice rock from outside, that paper clip that came on a letter he got, etc, etc, etc!!!Everything is special to him. It is cute, yet can irrate me to death too!