Creative Uses for Children's Toys

Our younger son Judah loves safari animals. Zebras were a favorite for a while, and we seem to have an abundance of them around the house for some reason, from stuffed animal versions on down to those tiny little figurines that really hurt when you step on them in bare feet.

"What this, mama?" he asked me today, holding up a soft, plush Zebra.

"That's a zebra," I said, enunciating as carefully as I could to encourage him to pronounce it properly.

"NO!" he said, shaking his head. " 'Orsey."

"No, it's a zebra. Can you say zebra?"

He frowned, and said insistently, " 'Orsey."

He's determined that zebras are horses, because in his mind, if it's the shape of a horse, it's got to be a horse...of course.

At a recent family gathering, he glommed onto a young cousins two elephant toys (in a restuarant) and it kept him quiet the entire time (in the restaurant!). Actually, when it was time to give the toys back, he caused quite a scene because he really liked those elephants (which I thought was especially sweet, because it was a mommy/baby set), and was sad to have to part with them.

We were sad to see those toys go, too, thankful for anything that would cause enough of a diversion that we could actually enjoy an evening out. In public. With our toddler.

Afterwards, we searched high and low through toy stores trying to find that same toy set, but to no avail. So for his birthday, our friends went in search of elephant toys for him, and found two really cool specimens that even made sounds.

Now normally Judah loves toys that make sounds, but when big brother oh-so-helpfully demonstrated how they worked, Judah took one look at those things, and backed away, totally freaked out. Ever since Sunday, he has skirted around those elephants warily, and skedaddles if someone depresses the buttons to make their elephant sounds.

So today, in the middle of an extensive photo printing project, Judah kept climbing up on my computer tower to sit (on what he assumes is his booster seat) at my computer desk to play cars. The other side of the desk was wide open for this, mind you, but he likes sitting on that particular side. Normally I wouldn't worry, but today I was worried for several reasons, the main one being that I was using scissors there, and any mom knows you just don't leave scissors within a toddlers reach. Especially around electrical cords!

But after the third time of scolding him for opening my printer to put his cars inside (while it was printing!), I happenned to glance up and see one of the new elephants up on the top of the nearby armoire. In a sudden burst of inspiration, I once again removed Judah from his perch on my computer tower, and placed the elephant there, pressed the ear so it would make it's sound. Judah scrambled to get away, and has not climbed back up since.

Here is a picture of our very scary guard elephant.



We've decided that one's a keeper.

:: ::

On a side note, our friends included the gift receipt 'just in case', and so we went ahead and took the other elephant back tonight. We wandered through Toy'sRUs for a while, trying to determine what Judah wanted.

Which was hopeless, because that place is a major sensory overload for any kid, especially a high-energy toddler like Judah. It's like IKEA for kids. Waaaaay too many things to choose from. Judah tried one toy, then ran to try out the one beside that. And the next one. And the next. All the way through the store.

Even when I did find the very toy elephants that his cousin had (which a stocker was just putting on the shelves tonight after a recent store expansion) Judah took one look at the elephants, and backed warily away.

I'm afraid we've ruined him for elephants.

Meanwhile, big brother carted around a Buzz Lightyear toy strapped inside a box which kept it standing upright. He kept placing it in front of Judah in the aisle whenever we'd stop, hoping beyond hope that Judah would choose that toy. Because, you know, every young boy must have a Buzz Lightyear. And must love it as much as Jericho loved his. Judah did not take the bait.

Neither did we.

Here is a recent picture Jericho drew and posted on our refrigerator.


We are so onto him.