How to Curate a Collection of Good Toys

Is your toy collection one that fosters fun and encourages creativity? Here’s my take on what makes a good toy.

Is your family seemingly drowning in toys? Most of us could use some decluttering in the playroom. But how do you know what to keep and what to kick to the curb?

There are two basic mindsets to use when decluttering a space or collection of things. 

Decluttering mindsets:

1. Weed out things you don’t need or want any longer.
2. Select the things you would like to keep, and remove the rest. 

Last week, I gave some practical tips for weeding out the bad toys. But truth be told, I think it is most effective to declutter “in reverse”. I think toys are particularly suited to this style of decluttering. The majority of families have an excess of toys, and because toys are (or were) desired, fun, and exciting, it can be harder to get rid of them. Even after removing broken, outgrown, or unused toys, it is so easy to have too many.

If you have decluttered toys, and find you are still overloaded, it may be time to try decluttering with a new mindset. Choose what to keep, not what to remove. The easiest way to start this method is to think about where you will keep your toys, and then choose how many will fit in this space. It could be a shelf, a closet, or a certain number of bins.

Start by selecting your family’s absolute favorite toys, and continue adding the most wonderful, beloved things to your collection until the shelf is comfortably full. 

But, wait! You may be thinking: “How on earth am I supposed to decide what to keep?!”

In my opinion, there are a few signs of a toy worth keeping. They are as follows…

Three Qualities of a Good Toy:

1. It is only fun when a human is using it.
2. It is fun for a wide span of ages.
3. It encourages playing together.

Allow me to explain…

1. Good toys are only fun when a human is using them.

The best toys need a human operator. If you can remember this, you will do yourself a huge favor when shopping for, decluttering, and curating your collection. 

Take a moment to think about the toys that typically cause the most initial excitement. They are at the top of kids’ wishlists, causing brawls amongst desperate parents on Christmas Eve in the department store.

Typically, these toys, bursting with initial excitement, are what I call “flash in the pan” toys. Most often, they require batteries, and they make their own sounds, and maybe light up, or move themselves across the room. They are so fun and so flashy and so bright and so exciting to unwrap. They are initially so very fun. But after about a week, or sometimes less, these toys lose their luster. 

These toys do their own thing. There is nothing for a kid to do but watch. This is usually fun for a little while, but eventually, sitting on the sidelines isn’t very fun. The kid is a spectator with these toys. If you want a toy that will stand the test of time, and encourage years – not days – of fun, look for toys that need a kid to make them do something. 

Wooden blocks, magnatiles, Lego bricks, Keva Planks, and any other building set are a perfect example. As are cars and vehicles that make kids do the pushing and sound-making. Dolls, plastic animals, play food, and dress-up clothes all encourage kids to do the work, and therefore have the fun. (Sidenote: In my experience, old spice jars and cereal boxes are more fun than the fancy wooden play food.)

Keep human-powered toys in your collection.

2. Good toys are fun for a wide span of ages.

Baby and toddler toys seem to be all the rage these days.

There is nothing wrong with baby and toddler toys. I have purchased little stuffed animal rattles, shape sorters, and other adorable things made for triangle-fingered toddlers. I remember them getting some use with my first child.

But here is the thing about siblings: The younger sibling wants to do whatever his or her older sibling is doing. 

My experience with baby and toddler toys is that they hold little interest for a child with a big brother or sister. That adorable stuffed rabbit rattle? He’s sitting on the floor while the baby sucks on Duplo bricks. 

This might worry you, because you have heard about object permanence, and wonder how your baby will learn this important thing if you don’t have the object permanence ball and box set with the adorable door. I’ll let you in on a little secret:  Your baby will learn about object permanence when an older brother tucks his head into his shirt like a turtle and then pops his head out with a loud shout met with giggles.

Most of the cognitive skills encouraged by the beautiful wooden, Montessori, subscription sets will be learned through daily play, especially when playing with older siblings. 

This is great news because it means that you can take a deep breath and not worry so much about if your kid will learn about object permanence. It also means you don’t need to have a separate set of toys for each of your children. 

Curate a collection of toys that is safe and fun for all. 

3. Good toys encourage playing together.

Thankfully, little kids like doing whatever the big kids are doing. You don’t have to convince a younger sibling to want the “big kid toys”. But you may need to consider which toys encourage happy play together. Building materials, play vehicles, a collection of play food, or other “sets” are great. Toys with many pieces for all to share. If you have a bigger family, these sets are going to bring the most happiness and peace to your home.

In order to maximize playtime, and minimize quarrels, aim to have the majority of your toys be sharable, meaning multiple people can use them together. Not only will this lessen quarrels, it will also encourage playing together. As someone who hopes my children will be lifelong friends, I love fostering group play. 

It is absolutely fine to have some toys suited for solo play, but if you have more than one child, you don’t want your entire collection to consist of them.

Prioritize toys that encourage cooperative play.

The Bottom Line

Of course, there are toys in my home that do not fit these criteria. But the majority do.

It should also be noted that a toy may fit these criteria, and not be popular in your home. If a toy requires a human operator, and is suited to cooperative play, but it tends to sit on the shelf…get rid of it. I know the pain of saying goodbye to something I thought would be wonderful, but a toy isn’t made to sit on a shelf.

It can be hard to say goodbye to toys, but it is well worth the effort. As you declutter and curate your family’s collection, enjoy the fruits of longer, happier play, and fewer battles over clean-up. I am confident that every member of your household will be happier with less.

Curate a collection of toys that encourages creative, cooperative, and happy play in your home.