Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

What was the most useless toy you have ever bought your child?

37 replies

Tinker · 27/02/2002 20:27

Just thinking about this as I've just put my daughter to bed and I was surrounded by the morgue of discarded toys.

Spotted the Animal Hospital lurking in the corner which was bought in panic for her last birthday - never played with. Her fifth birthday is due in 6 weeks and I was wondering - what should I AVOID?

OP posts:
Hilary · 03/03/2002 22:37

Hurray, I am have a stationary fetish too - my husband thinks I am mad but now I can tell him it's not just me!

I can't resist Office World and the like but even a few shelves in Woolies is enough to have me racking my brains as to what I need!

Jasper, your paint game sounds just great. My two (also 3 and 1) would love it.

Hilary · 03/03/2002 22:37

Oh dear, should have deleted the 'am'

SueDonim · 03/03/2002 22:44

Oh, stop, stop, Jasper - I'll be too excited to sleep again tonight!! I was in seventh heaven last year on holiday in America, gazing at all thier fantastic stationery supplies. We bought a load of stuff home.

SueW · 03/03/2002 23:11

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

slug · 04/03/2002 13:04

Oooh, my secret shame, paper fetish. I thought I was the only one until my SIL was over from Germany and I introduced her to the delights of the big Paperchase in Tottenham Court Road. We give each other nice stationary for presents, much to the bemusement of my brother and Dh.

berries · 04/03/2002 13:32

Best present for my 2 dds was 2 christmas' ago. We bought a set of 3 drawers (like a filing cabinet only brightly coloured plastic) and a load of stuff from the Baker ross catalogue - different felt shapes, stickers of all types, sequins etc. It's definately the thing they played with most throughout the year. This year, we got a big cardboard box and re-stocked, including 'goggly' eyes, which went down well. Always include pritt sticks and sellotape, plus loads of paper. We also get a few more expensive things which are only to be used when mum or dad are around to help.
I also find that because there are lots of little things, they seem to thinks its 'more' than if you bought them one large item.
Other things in our house are baby dolls, but should have just gone for baby Annabelle and rock-a-bye chou chou (like Annabelle but cheaper and more cuddly) instead of trying all the cheap ones first, none of which are ever touched now.
Biggest mistake was Amazing Ally. Only bought it because it was the only thing dd really wanted this christmas, and gave into the fact that I knew she would be really dissapointed if she didn't get it. Should have trusted my own instincts there. Still, its still in the box so if anyone wants one......

JanZ · 05/03/2002 10:50

This is more of a success story: Dh and I got ds a wee chair from Ikea for Christmas - it's like a scaled down version of their "grown up" cantilevered arm chair and was only £19. We got it because we could visualise him tearing off the wrapping paper and then climbing into the chair - which is exactly what he did do on Christmas Day. He wasn't walking at the time, but he had great fun clambering in and out of it and sitting there looking very proud of himself. One of the advantages - which we hadn't thought of at the time, was because of the cantilever design, he can stand up in it, lean against the chair back and it doesn't topple over. The only problem with that is that he may try the same thing on other "kiddy sized" chairs - and then get a shock when they tip over!

Bugsy · 05/03/2002 14:11

Lindy, you may find that the frantic gift buying will tail off a bit after the first birthday. We were in the strange situation last year of having to buy extra presents for ds for his second birthday as he got so few things. We didn't have a party this year and I think that made a big difference.
If you do get obscene amounts of stuff, it may be worth 'phoning up your council and asking if there is a mother & baby refuge that would accept some of things you can't keep.

ScummyMummy · 05/03/2002 17:06

Hurray hurray hurray! I didn't know that other stationary fetishists existed, let alone people sad enough to haunt the aisles of Paperchase like I do!

I am going to make my partner read this thread so he never teases me again!
BTW I've got a v gorgeous notebook in my bag from Paperchase at this very moment AND it has matching siblings at home. I'm actually remembering to jot things down in it too though obviously only in my very best writing with my very best pen!

emsiewill · 05/03/2002 20:02

Yippee. I truly thought I was the only strange person in the world who enjoys browsing in stationery shops. I'm v lucky, 'cos I've got a branch of Osbournes opposite my house, and can pop in after dropping dd off at playgroup - it's only a small branch, but can keep me occupied for an hour. A real treat for myself is to go to Staples and really indulge.

Bron · 06/03/2002 09:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lindy · 08/03/2002 19:56

Sorry to change the subject from stationery (yes, I love it too!) but many thanks for all your comments re the toy mountain.

Have had a week 'off' mumsnet as been busy with the birthday etc - yes, he did get loads & loads but fortunately it was 99% very tasteful, lots of lovely books, wooden toys and clothes (plus money for his account).

I do appreciate all your suggestions & have decided to do the following -

sort out 'older' toys for charity
recycle some new ones for raffles etc
limit offering everything at once

Thanks again for your feedback and good to know I am not the only person in this situation, I was beginning to wonder if I was being mean to DS!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page