Monday, January 21, 2008

 

toys


Over the past few weeks I've noticed that Birdie engages better with items that aren't toys than actual toys. Of course, Birdie is playing with toys too, but her occasional and lovely unidivided-attention moments are with items that are not. For example, the top five items to play with of late are a blanket, tissue paper, pre-ground coffee bag, remote control and her soother.

The blanket game is certainly tops with Birdie right now. It's a version of peek-a-boo, I guess, when we throw the blanket over her head and lift it up and off with a wee gust of wind brushing over her face throughout the process. She gets really excited when this game begins and tires of it infrequently, even when she's right exhausted.

Birdie is a fan of the soother and yet, when she's not into sucking on it, she's into chewing on it and trying to get it in and out of her mouth accurately. She'll often chatter while toying around with this item leaving me free for all of five minutes. Hey, that's a teeth-brushing and a hair-combing. Pretty good.

I'm not really surprised by this non-toy fascination. In fact, I find most toys quite overwhelming. I think what I find interesting about this is that she's really just mimicking us. All of the items mentioned above are items we use every day. She makes great efforts to get tactile with the items that we use. At times, she wants to play with our cell phones or pens. I don't often go around playing with the crinkly book that doesn't really tell a story, or the shaggy dog that squeaks. (Okay, once in a while the crinkly book that doesn't tell a story.) At any rate, she's into what we're doing and so, I'm reminded of two things: 1) Who needs toys? and 2) she's watching me and copying me!

Be good, Mom!

Comments:
These kids are still on the same page. Top 5 things he'd like to be playing with? Phone, remote, food of any kind, water, hair (not his own, he doesn't have enough).
 
James is much the same - he doesn't need toys for entertainment at all. Just give him a box, a plastic bowl, a whisk, a piece of paper - these are FAR more interesting than any toy ever will be. And of course items that are regularly used by mommy and daddy are tops, be it the phone, cell, remote, stereo, TV, newspaper, books (our books), the toilet... Ryan and I have actually planned to stop in at MCC the next time we're in Morris to dump off a bunch of James' toys, and just pick up an old cordless phone and stuff like that instead.
 
I would have to say that my little one is VERY entertained by toys! She loves them but mainly just cause she wants something to chew on. I do have to agree though that the remote, phone or a blanket are also a HUGE hit at our house!

Watching the cousins last week playing the blanket game together was priceless! Funny that a blanket will still entertain a 3 year old! I will send you those pics asap.
 
Tan, hair is definitely on IF's list of fave things to pull. I even put my hair up, way up and she grabs onto it like it's the 'oh shit' handle in the car. Goodness, it's bad enough that I'm losing hair naturally!
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Heather, funny you mention that about going to pick up old stuff for James to play with. We just dug out an old remote control that was in storage for Birdie to play with while we're checking out a movie or TV.
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D, BK is a toy fan, that's for sure. She is simply entertained by anything that's engaging her. I think she's amazing that way - so easy to please. IF will only be interested in certain things, which, if she's in a certain mood, can be a wee bit frustrating. If only I'd discovered the coffee bag and blanket game sooner!
 
Good post.
 
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