There is nothing worse than seeing a brand new toy languish on a shelf in a child’s room. Or watching a playroom fill with toys that just don’t seem to catch your children’s eyes the way they once did.

Are your kids bored with their toys? Has the summer stretched on nearly long enough? By now most parents would agree. It’s time to shake up the routine a little and let your kids enjoy their toys in different ways or you’ll never make it.

Do they have construction toys? Building materials? Could these go right outside for some real construction work? Imagine being able to clear an actual site for building or incorporate sand into this kind of play. If your child has a dozen trucks, some could also move outside to increase  the fun.

What about beach toys? Could some of these come inside for some bath play? Some of their favourite pouring toys or strainers might be fun in the tub. My kids loved using small watering cans in the bathtub, as well as the occasional treat of blowing bubbles while in the bath. And in reverse, their favourite bath toys might be fun in a backyard wading pool or a large tub of water on a hot day.

If your kids do not have enough to move a set of toys outside, or can’t part with what they do have, consider checking out your local Used.ca site for people ready to give away or sell toys their kids have grown out of. This can also be a great idea if you recently gained access to a swimming area or just built a sandbox, or perhaps purchased a camper or cabin. A fresh round of toys might make all the difference.

The reverse can be fun as well! Bring the outside in, or let outside toys live inside a while before they go out and get dirty. My kids had a playhouse indoors for years before it moved out to the yard, and it got far more play in the family room than it ever did outside. We’ve also made use of small pop tents inside. A family room with a tent is a magical thing. Instant fort and instant playtime. They still love to set up air mattresses and sleeping bags inside to pretend to camp for a weekend.

Bending or breaking the rules and letting your kids use toys in new ways can help ensure they get as much play as possible out of them. Just be sure to warn them if a toy might get dirty and needs to stay outside!

Are you letting your kids use toys in unexpected ways? We’d love to hear about it!

Useful links

Used children’s toys in Halifax

Used children’s toys in Ottawa

Used children’s toys in PEI

Used children’s toys in Regina

Used children’s toys in Toronto

Used children’s toys in the UK

Used children’s toys in Vancouver

Used children’s toys in Victoria