Do you "curate" your kids' toys, or go by what they prefer?

[BertieBotts]

Just wondering. Have been sorting through job lots of baby toys to prepare for DC2 (large gap so nothing left from DC1.) I had only really culled about 15%, because the rest was usable, but DH insisted on saving about half of what I'd rejected on the premise that we should wait and see what the baby likes playing with, rather than make the decision ourselves.

I disagree and don't think that babies really have preferences, and actually do better with fewer higher quality/carefully selected toys rather than just an avalanche of random stuff.

My premise is that I wouldn't discard anything which had been chosen by somebody as a gift (unless it was totally offensive/dangerous), and I wouldn't discard anything that a child had an attachment to, but if it's not a gift, it's totally fine to pick and choose what you give them in the first place, before they have a chance to form any attachment to it. No? DH reckons it's useful to have spares and that I shouldn't be making judgements on the duplicate items, because that's the baby's choice to make.

I wouldn't chuck stuff or give it away behind DH's back either as I think that's mean but I do feel a bit narked at some of the stuff that he rescued from the discard pile! I don't mind that he rescued the weird dog with the vacant eyes which sings about all of its body parts, since he seems to actually like that - I do mind us keeping three pull along toys when two would be fine, a set of crap plastic rattles (there are other, nicer rattles) and the second singing octopus with the distorted voice.

(I appreciate I may be overthinking this. And thank god he agreed to chucking a few of the really ancient looking ones.)

What age are we taking about here?

Pre 9 months my 2 didn't really care for anything except their baby gym or bouncer and the occasional rattle, but after that they had very strong preferences, and they were very different. So I agree with your DH, sorry

I'm talking about a newborn/under one for the toys we have :) I probably have forgotten what it was like with DS but I don't imagine that a very small child would notice or care if I presented them with (say) a crinkly teddybear from company A or company B.

I do agree when they are older they do have preferences and might tend to gravitate towards things you might as a parent despair at, whether it's the pink and glittery variety or cheap and nasty or annoying songs. But surely not when they are very small.

Dd liked oranges and the cats ds liked those puzzle type things you mess with youngest likes every single thing he could grab everyone is different

I have to say most toys were a waste of time under the age of one, certainly between newborn-6 months. They're more interested in their own hands/feet So I'd keep the ones you like, defo get rid of anything designed to drive you mad like the distorted octopus Pull along toys are more for when they're on the move so possibly more useful.

Yeah, I have put those things away for when he's older. I was thinking one would be useful as a spare of we had other kids around because I know they always fight over them at toddler groups.

Absolutely I curated my DC’s toy selection. As the parent it is your role to create a high quality environment for your DC and to control the inputs.

I honestly can’t remmeber if DS had favourite toys under 1 and he’s only 2.5!

I did go for a smaller selection of nicer toys though. And if he showed a particular interest in something I’d probably invest - always hitting boxes, the floor etc so I bought him a drum.

I have pretty much a one in, one out policy. We're lucky to have a playroom and I try to keep it as uncluttered as poss. My DC have a lovely selection, but it's not excessive and everything is laid out neatly (at the start of the day!) or in its storage cube. My DC2 learnt what was in each cube and which shelf things were on when he was very little and at 12 months he will play independently, picking out what he likes best. When I see their main interests, I buy good quality things related to what they like.

Sometimes I bring out toys they'd forgotten about. It keeps them interested and most importantly occupied! When I had my DC2, I had one fabric toy bag of rattles, books etc, which were still in good condition from DC1. I also bought maybe two new things. I got rid of anything that was battered or that I didn't like anymore.