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How I Got Rid of the Toys: Creating Minimalist Play


Kids playing Robin Hood

Less Toys Creates More Imagination

Many of you have probably heard of Keri Tibbets and her paper she wrote called The Headgate. I ​​have read the entire thing and even though I do not agree with all of her ideas (Sorry Keri, but my little kids love books and they can look at them no matter their ages. We also love Lego and Lincoln Logs and they are here to stay.), but I do love her ideas of simplicity and minimal toys. So one of my favorite things are the idea that children can have fun and can be creative with simple things like sheets, rope, and sticks. 

I Hid All The Toys

A couple years ago I packed away almost every single toy to give her concept a try. 

The Toys We Kept Out For Play

- chest full of dress-up,

-3 sheets

-rope 

Sheet Tent

-Sticks just naturally accumulate outside

-Thomas

-10 Matchbox cars

-A set of blocks

-6 toy animals

-Lincoln Logs with Soldiers

-LEGO (allowed once a week)

Toy Clean Up Was A Breeze

The best thing about the sheets is they can be taken outside and played with. If they get a little dirty you just bring it in and throw it in the washer. Plus, with the minimal toys, cleaning up at the end of the day was a breeze.

Building Forts

A natural result of having sheets is the building of forts. I did my own share of them as a child. But how it would be great to not have the beds pulled apart and linen closets emptied every time my kids felt like building a place of their own. This is why I think giving the kids sheets just for building is a wonderful idea.

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