Keeping kids interested, teaching the value of money, not as hard as it seems!
Jul 11 '01
The Bottom Line You can teach kids valuable lessons on money, budgeting, and appreciating what they already have.
We all want out kids to have rooms and rooms full of toys and games and fun stuff to do. It is a right of passage for first time parents to buy every toy in the store. Years pass by and you find yourself up to your armpits in every toy known to man. Even with the rooms and buckets overflowing with toys, your kids are still whining about being bored, so what do you do? Here are some simple and cheap ways to keep your kids interested in the toys they already have, and learn the value of a dollar!
ROTATE: This is the single most effective way to keep them entertained. You simply purchase several large Rubbermaid tubs, fill them with various toys, and STORE them. That’s right, take them away, hide them, and forget they exist. I suggest sorting out things like cars and trucks, farm animals and zoo animals, doctor’s kits, board games, puzzles, Barbie’s and action figures and giving each one it’s own separate bucket.
Choose however many buckets of toys you want to keep out to be played with and put them in strategic locations in the house. Most of my kids’ toys are in their bedroom on shelves and in the closets, some are in the basement playroom and a few (Like our big doll house) are in the dinning room. The rest of the buckets you put in your garage or storage area and keep them out of sight. Out of sight means out of mind, this works best for young kids like toddlers and infants, but can work for older kids too.
Every month or two, you switch one or more buckets. You just take one from the kids’ room and replace it with a fresh new bucket from storage! The toys seem new to them! It works so well, my kids sometimes tell me they are bored with a particular toy and want me to put it away, so I do, and a month later it’s fun again.
TOY STORE: Become your kids’ toy store. For older kids this is a REALLY good way to teach the value of money. Go to a toy store and let your child choose two or three inexpensive toys, but remind him/her they will not get the toy right away. They will have to “Buy” it from you. Place a price tag on each toy and set it on a shelf where your child can see it. Explain to him/her that they must clean their room, feed the dog, do their homework (Or whatever you choose) in order to earn the toy.
Hang a chore chart or a behavior chart up on the wall. Each time your kid does what he is supposed to do, he or she will earn a star or stamp. At the end of the week, count up all the stars and stamps and hand out the allowance or a “Mom Credit Card” (Cardboard cut out like a credit card or an old ATM card works well.) she/he can then to go the “Mom Store” and purchase whichever toy they want! If after the week is done, your child hasn’t earned enough to buy the toy from you, suggest ways they can earn extra money or credits. Help them figure out ways to save their credits; instead of buying the cheap $1 toy from mom, they can save for a few weeks and afford the much nicer toy. (About age 6 or older can start to understand this) Toys and items become more valuable to your kids this way.
LOCATION: Some toys are impossible to store, like a dollhouse or a Lego table. Since it’s so big and can’t be rotated easily, the kids get bored with it. I have noticed my kids find them more interesting if I move them to different rooms from time to time. The dollhouse started in the bedroom, moved to the living room for a month, then moved to the dinning room. Each time the house moves, it becomes new and fascinating again! The Lego table is even better when it’s outside for the day! How about those ride-on bouncy balls? Lets put them in the playroom, now lets put them in the hallway; HEY they feel different on the carpet in the living room! See how easy that is?
DESIGNATE SPECIAL TOYS: These can be your everyday, average toys, but if you tell your kids they are “Special Toys”, they suddenly become like gold. Have a brightly colored box or bucket and fill it with things like Doctor’s Kits, Special Puzzles, Lacing games, and hardback books. Store it in the hall closet, take the box out only once or twice a month and don’t let the kids play with it for TOO long. The box will become magical and special to them. To make it even more special, busy moms and dads can use this box for special weekend playdates. Take it to the park, let the kids stay up late to play with the “Special Toys”, use it on popcorn/movie night only. These are just a few suggestions.
The “Special Box” in our family comes out very rarely (and often with a new addition to it) but when it does, the kids are happy for hours. They fight less and are more willing to share the special treasures they find inside.
These are just a few of the ideas I have used in my home. I hope they work for you too! Don’t be afraid to vary the ideas, change them to fit your family’s lifestyle, be creative and don’t forget to have fun!
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Epinions.com ID:
ravynwolfe
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Member: Optycal
Location: Washington
Reviews written: 89
Trusted by: 28 members
About Me:
Mother of 3 homeschooled girls, author, dog breeder. http://www.almostnakedpups.com
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