What? What do Educational Toys and Recycling Boxes have to do with each other?
Robin over at Pensive and I are in a Re-Cycling Duel.
Better known as S.P.E.A.R. Challenge 2007
Since neither of us are re-cyclers, we decided to put that at the top of our Alphabetical List of Things To Do for 2007. (Not a resolution, just on a list) In this post I have shared a bit of history coupled with some recent events that seemed to have a common thread.
Did you know that Robin arranges her spices and clothes in ABC order? Check out her "Weird Post."
Please join us in our efforts to begin organizing our trash. If you aren't a re-cycler, now is the time to get your trash in order. I do believe she mentioned prizes.
Having been a teacher for a quarter-of-a-century, many hours were spent researching the types of toys that would be most beneficial and educational in the up-bringing of our daughters. The practicality of the gift was also a key issue. Their toy box was a veritable mecca of Mensa-type items ranging from a marble run vortis, sets of toys to be sorted by shape and color, match-it puzzles, flashcards, figure-ground puzzles, Quercetti toys, doctor's kits, (a-hem, anatomy is important), an abacus, ant farms: Vitamins for the Brain. Not to mention, those items were kept in some semblance of order, whether the toys were arranged by "age appropriateness," "battery-operated," "size," "color," or "whatever," There was always a way to group and re-group them. The girls, on the other hand, seemed to store their toys with reckless abandon. They stored them anywhere but in the toy box or on the shelves provided for them. (topic for another post)
Fast-forward twenty-five years to grandchildren. The following photographs might explain. Please notice the very educational Leap Frog ABC and Numbers that actually sing in The Language of Phonics, arranged IN ORDER on the refrigerator. I know, I know, the "6" is upside down and out of order, but I've told you before I'm lysdexic. The set of letters at the top were very meticulously arranged by theHansMan.
...new educational toy purchased for our grandson...
...child sits in front of the very educational toy and plays with the box that the very educational toy came in, along with the packing material...
... in the next two pictures child has located another box with which to play... The ABC's and numbers are still undisturbed. (And, yes, the 6 is still upside-down and out-of-place.)
... child has now donned a pair of hot pink Crocs and found some styrofoam to add to the gaiety of playing with the boxes and packing material...
He stops just long enough from this educational play-time to pose and let GaGa know the Crocs are not on the wrong feet. (Please notice those precious hands.)
...boxes make children invisible...
... toys have been extricated from the toy box...now a boy box...
So, who needs this?
...when you can have this?
May I suggest when deciding what "toys" to buy for children, go for the boxes. They come in an assortment of sizes and shapes. You will save a lot of money and they make wonderful places to store the kids. Boxes don't need to be re-cycled. They need to be gift-wrapped and given as educational toys.
Most people re-cycle these days.
If you don't, would you like to join Robin and me for S.P.E.A.R Challenge 2007?
As she says, "It isn't easy being GREEN."
