Keeping old toys

[NancyDonahue]

I've been cleaning and sorting some old toys that dcs have now all grown out of. Most has been given away but I've got a big box of Lego, a huge Sylvanian families collection, playmobil sets and lots of wooden train set all packed up to go in the loft for future grandchildren or grand nephews/nieces etc when they come to visit. With the ages of our dcs and bil dcs it could be within 10 years. Dh thinks I'm bonkers and turning into a mad hoarder lady! Hes looked up some of the sets on ebay and they go for crazy prices (playmobil for more than we paid!) but I want to keep them in the family. The toys are timeless and would love to play see future children playing with them again.

Am I bonkers?

Keep them!

Definitely keep them! My sister and I have children with about 15 years age gap and my son loves playing with their old toys.

We've done the same as you. As long as I have loft space, I'll keep the best if the toys.

keep them, some maybe very valuable to sell later on for collectors

I'm definitely planning to keep them. The Brio - MIL still has DH's and the DC play with it there. Favourite wooden baby toys, the Lego (still used atm). I know I'll have a fight on my hands as DH is a throw it all type.

Not bonkers then!
I hope they don't feel too sad up in the loft for the next few years

We've kept similar stuff, the Lego and Duplo, Playmobil, Sylvanians, Brio and things like wooden jigsaws and the marble run. It's not just for future grandchildren, but for small relatives and friends who visit now.

It's not "mad hoarder lady" to keep things like that. If you kept every last little plastic knick-knack and dried up felt pen it would be different.

Defo keep them! My kids are playing with Playmobil circa '85, and my parents toy cupboard is full of 70s/80s Fisher Price, Duplo etc. They're still great and a massive hit!

We have kept all the small Lego, the Kapla stones, the complete Playmobil Egyptians and Romans and a full collection of IKEA dolls house furniture (plus some special sentimental items).
And four boxes of young childrens books (Sven Nordqvist, Jujja Wieslander, Lieve Baeten and the like).
Everthing else has been given away to neighbour's kids and childcare places.

Which playmobil sets have you found that going for more than you paid for?

Like you I was going to keep mine for nephews/grandchildren but it seems a long time to keep some of the bulkier items so might be persuaded to get rid of some!

Although my dc have benefited from my siblings' 1980s sets

I always wish my mum had kept my Sindy house and furniture and my little pony stuff. She gave it all away. I’m going to keep key pieces of our children’s toys in hope that one day they will be pleased to see it all again.

I don’t think you’re bonkers but I hate hanging onto anything and would rather stuff was used.
Recently gave a big box of sylvanians and some houses, crates of brio and a hang luggage sized suitcase of build a bear clothes etc to friends because mine have outgrown it and theirs were coming in to it.
Happy to know it’s going to spend the next few years being loved and used not sitting in cupboards!

Totally agree OP, I got rid of a lot of non sentimental toys years ago (with my DD's -19 approval) but we have still got her Furbies, Bratz dolls, polly pockets and Baby Born doll (which was dressed by my knitted dolls clothes that I had as a kid) sitting in the garage. Along with favourite soft toys, books, and CDs.

I kept quite a few things in the loft, inc. the Fisher Price school, My Little Ponies, dolls, coloured wooden bricks, etc.
It was a few decades before Gdcs arrived, but the 'hoard' now lives in a toy box in the sitting room for when they visit.
If you have room, why not?

Keep them, I wish my parents had kept more of my childhood toys, they did keep the Lego.
Dh and I have so far kept a fisher price drop and raw dinosaur and plan on keeping most of ds thomas the tank play sets and Lego.

I've recently started childminding & the children love best the fisher price stuff that's 40 years old!

My DCs love the 1970s Fisher Price too.

Their cousins are all well into the teenage years, but have kept a core of classic toys such as Lego for visiting children which is much appreciated by my DCs. It's great to watch these giant teenagers playing with them too