Grandma Nae’s Toy Library
If you are anything like me, a 50-something grandma — you were very likely raised by people who were children during World War II. In turn, their parents lived through the Great Depression.
You see where this is going. My ancestors were trained hoarders. In the household where Grandma RaRa and I were raised, we did not dispose of things that might someday prove useful. As evidence, I could offer you photographs of my father’s workshop with a screwdriver drawer that holds over 30 specimens. Or, I could show you my mother’s catering storage area which includes boxes with at least 4 types of lantern centerpieces that were only cool in the 1990s.
But the photo above, I must clarify, is NOT evidence of hoarding, (even though my children would likely say otherwise). This is my Toy Library. And my Toy Library exists precisely because my children do not save/keep/store anything.
Grandparenting the Children of Millennials
Like many Millennials, my children have managed to raise children of their own only because they are diligent minimalists. They are minimalists because between ridiculously expensive housing and job-hopping from state to state in an effort to find the best way to pay the bills, they have had to learn how to scale back their expectations and go without. Consequently, stuff isn’t super important to them.
But giving stuff is still a little bit important to me. Specifically, giving stuff to my children’s children is important to me. I am addicted to my grandchildren, and playing with them is how I get my fix.
The Genesis of The Toy Library
So when it became apparent that my efforts to fill my grandchildren’s lives and closets with cool toys was not especially helpful, I had to come up with a different solution. Behold, the Toy Library.
My Toy Library contains all of the very best toys my own children played with when they were young, (because, hello, even though my children never did figure out how to program those Lego Mindstorms, I am going to make a killing selling those pieces on eBay in about 25 more years). And, just for the record, that Easy Bake Oven is something I longed for as a child and my parents couldn’t afford, so no one is getting rid of that until I’m in my grave.
Of course, the library is still growing. As a play enthusiast with eight preschool-aged grandchildren, I spend more time looking for ways to entertain preschoolers than the average Head Start coordinator. And time has brought me wisdom I lacked as a young mother. So the Toy Library contains all of the wonderful gizmos I feel, as grandma, are reasonably critical to a my grandchildren’s superior development. (Also, if you don’t have one of these yet, you should really get one)…
Did I Mention Library Cards
Of course, just because my grandchildren have access to iPads and their parents’ Kindle account doesn’t mean they don’t get the concept of how a library works. You have a library card, and you can borrow any number of wonderful books. But if you have a Toy Library Card, you can check out the Lite Brite set, or the Blue-Slime-Making Kit, or the Unicorn that poops rainbow-colored PlayDoh any time you like. Mom and Dad may say “No,” but Grandma will not. And since you have to use your card to check it out, she knows exactly who gets to help her clean up afterward.
I designed simple library cards in Canva and laminated them because what is a Toy Library without a library card?
It ‘Aint Quite Pinterest
I learned, after getting my own Instagram account, that toys and playrooms look different now than they did when I was a child. There’s a thing called #ShelfieSunday where devoted moms curate a precise grouping of color-coordinated toys, themed homeschooling activities and sensory boxes neatly stored on beautifully-designed playroom shelving. Each week, they post photos on Instagram and Pinterest for the rest of us to envy and admire. The toys are neat and tidy. Every single week, they get tidied again. My Toy Library will probably not ever look that cool. It will almost certainly never be that tidy. But it will be fun!
Design Improvements and Dramatic Play
This year, I actually added coordinating storage boxes with rope handles that I thought might make my Toy Library look more like the playrooms I see on Instagram. It turns out it’s pretty nice to have a box for the Duplo train set and the marble maze. We can just toss the pieces in when we finish playing. All of the pretend food can fit into a single box, all of the toy cars go in another. Math practice is not half so bad when you are sifting Barbies from balls. The work goes quickly and it’s good sequencing and classifying practice.
But it’s tough to box up the puppet theater, and the darn bounce house takes up an entire shelf. And there’s just something about being that organized that I can’t quite get around to. Every minute I spend insisting on precise organization is a minute of playtime I give up. So the system is still a work in progress. As it is, the toy library is its own version of dramatic play complete with a library card, a clipboard for writing down what you borrowed, and a rubber stamp with last year’s date you can use to check your items back in.
Toy Swapping
We haven’t tried this yet, but I’m reasonably certain that as my older grandchildren outgrow their favorite toys, their parents aren’t going to be stashing them down in the basement in their original boxes like I did. But I have the hope that hand-me-downs in this family will include some of the most beloved toys. I’m hopeful that as I choose quality toys to begin with, they’ll last for more than one season of play.
I intend to make it clear that I have a very liberal returns and exchanges policy. It’s good for children to contribute gently-used toys to others less fortunate than they are, and I hope to make this part of our Christmas tradition in the future. My grandchildren will always find grandma ready and willing to help them refurbish and restore gently-used toys that could find a second life with another child.
The Toys are Only a Tool
I am a recovering hoarder. I play with my grandchildren and have no shame about buying myself a second set MagnaTiles because my 3-year-old grandson wanted to keep the set I gave him for his birthday at his own house. A childhood with a few well-loved toys can be a happy childhood. Just ask Woody and Buzz and the crew. But the toys won’t make the memories. The children and I will. The toys are just conveyances, and no one needs a full Toy Library to have a happy childhood, or even to play well.
The Playdatebox Toy Library
That said, RaRa and I have 50+ years of play experience under our belts, and we just may be able to save you a few purchasing mistakes. We’ve learned a thing or two about Play Value and toys that will keep a child entertained longest while teaching important critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Visit us on Instagram @playdate_box for #ToyTuesdays and we’ll show you some of the favorite toys and play items we have accumulated over the years.
- Toys no grandma should be without
- Things that aren’t toys that should be
- Ideas for making play span across generations
We believe play will help you develop the connections you want to have with your grandchildren. It’s worked beautifully well for us!
