The Great Toy Sort . . .

We spent yesterday evening sorting throught the twins' toys (and other stuff . . . ). We usually do a sort/organize/pitch/donate thing a few times a year and it's always very satisfying. However, it's especially enjoyable right now. First of all, we didn't bring much to Boston and have a fairly large space for the amount of crap we have and secondly, I've got time (year #2 of not writing lesson plans and loving it!!!!!). The sort is essential because along with the twins "regular" toys I'm a pack rat and save everything. The best toys are really toliet paper tubes, old boxes, chunks of styrofoam, used ketchcup containers - and we have them all! We play with them, build with them, paint them, and then theoectically, throw them away. So, when the toy sort comes along, I make a pile of old smushed wrapping paper rolls, old party hats, dismantled chineses yo-yos, and cut-up/drawn on post-its; AKA, "the garbage pile". I also make a pile of toys that we are ready to pass on. I then arrange all the keepers in neat piles on the shelves, sorting the doll clothes from the puzzle pieces from the doctor kit.

And then guess what happens? Collin and Cayla's eyes light up as they peruse the garbage pile, pulling out calendar scraps, flattened birthday hats, and pieces of styrofoam we used as bathtub. I'm sure most of you see an obvious, easy solution (especially Grandpa!): Do the sort when the kids are sleeping and throw all the crap away. But I keep thinking; what's the point of the wooden puzzles, dollhouses, and Potato Head dolls, when they just want to turn old pieces of styrofoam into babybeds, paint them with water, and then crush them?