Ingenuity only comes from lack of things–or so I’ve come to learn. The day we took the majority of our son’s toys away (long story) was the day he became creative and resourceful. He started making shields out of cardboard, swords out of paper towel rolls, he colored and started drawing people when previously he only drew lines.
Within a month of removing his numerous plastic and unimaginative items, he began to READ! Now at only 5 years old, he can pass almost every 3-4 letter word spelling bee I give him. (He even spelled ‘shadow’ today–super proud mama.)
He had been swallowed whole by a world of materialism. The numerous plastic, battery operated toys had not given him joy and entertainment, they stole his imagination, his childish light and replaced it with a collection of things. Oh how that changed when we dug him out of his plastic pile. He is now a knight fighting goblins with a cardboard shield and wooden sword. He makes up his own card games. He tells stories of his adventures.
And now that his sister is born, he creates interesting toys for her to play with. Out of almost nothing! When she was a newborn, her favorite thing to look at was a strip of pompoms her brother had stuck on masking tape for her! I love watching this side develop for my son. It makes me more apt to not collect worthless items. My theme for entertaining my children now is “what can we do ourselves to create fun?” Not only does this attitude save money and space but it grows a whole new imagination within my child. Love it!
I will be updating ideas that we come up with to create fun toys in future blogs.
Enchanted Motherhood 