Readers with children and/or grandkids, I’m talking to you today. How many of you have a designated playroom area for kiddo’s stuff? My little one is 16 months, and we’re starting to amass an outrageous amount of “things.” It has me heavily thinking about the mass consumption/waste issue. To be honest, I’ve never been one for buying things that I didn’t really need. I’m not saying I don’t like nice things, but we use just about everything in our house (aside from a few wedding gifts like crystal and china that were given to us by close friends and family members.) My husband and I’s closets are always heavily edited (and by edited I mean I make us throw things out we haven’t worn in a year. I take no prisoners.) But, when you have a child, that practice is hard to maintain. Disney, Fisher Price, plastic, clutter – it’s all happening and it’s driving me a little bonkers.
So, all that being said, I’m rethinking my playroom and toy strategy. If I could do it all over again, I’d only purchase wooden toys, books, and imaginative play/art toys. My daughter tends to gravitate towards her Melissa & Doug puzzles and stacks of books, anyway. Is it selfish to only want to stock toys that not only have an educational value, but look good, too? I’m taking Pat and Charles’ playroom from the May/June 2013 issue of D Home as inspiration. An art table, easel, toy trucks, and wooden blocks are the main event, with FLOR carpet tiles, fruit stools, and a Scott + Cooner sofa as the backdrop. The toys coexist with modern design and art, and I don’t spy one plastic, flashing, singing toy in the bunch.
