The Hall of Fame-Worthy Stick.
A few months ago, the very low-tech, but nonetheless AWESOME stick was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame. That’s right, I said stick. It takes its rightful place among other perennial favorites, including the cardboard box and the 64 pack of crayons with the built in sharpener (of course!). To qualify for this honor, a toy must must exemplify three very important qualities: learning, creativity, and discovery. The stick certainly meets that criteria. It can be a sword, firewood for a shipwreck survivor, woven into the roof of a fort or a Fairy House, a magic wand, or a thousand other things a child can dream up. And each day, that same stick (or one just like it), takes on life anew and can be part of yet another scene of creativity and wonder only limited by a child’s imagination.
How many expensive toys can we say that about? How many toys that your kids “just had to have” are now abandoned in the basement, laying broken under the bed, or gathering dust on a shelf? More than a few would be my guess. My friend David over at The Good Human wrote a great post the other day called, We Must Stop Living Throw-Away Lives, that got me thinking about the stick and this subject all over again.
So, here is my challenge to you: stop buying so many toys. It’s pretty much that easy. Letting kids engage their imaginations takes a lot less stuff — plain and simple. It is also a great way to get them outside into nature’s toy store, which has much less marketing dollars behind it, but is a far better value all the way around. Leaves, rocks, sticks, acorns, creeks, trees, and good old fashioned dirt will challenge children to create their own games and worlds of wonder. These simple, natural items are the building blocks of great play and countless adventures, and are there at the ready. No plastic. No batteries. No blinking lights or buzzing noises. No rules, nor right or wrong way to play or adult explanation needed, which is as it should be.
If you are really in the mood to buy a toy or bicycle (which is also in the Toy Hall of Fame, PS.), check out yard sales, thrift stores, and your local “Penny Saver” paper. You will be surprised at the great things you can find, without breaking the bank or requiring additional manufacturing or packaging. Or, why not set-up a Toy Swap with friends and neighbors? It’s a great way to pass toys along and get something “new” for the kids in your world. As we all try and lead more sustainable lives, we need to take the concept of recycle, reuse, and reduce to new areas of our lives, so why not play and toys?
Of course, it’s OK to buy new toys for special occasions, but challenge yourself to simplify and buy less overall. Odds are your kids won’t miss it, and I know you won’t miss the clutter.
Now, if you will excuse me, there is a stick outside that is just begging to be played with. I would hate to disappoint it.
See ya outside! – The Grass Stain Guru
I love this advice! And you’re right, it does work. I pretty much opted out of buying toys–except a limited number at Christmas and birthdays and the very occasional splurge on sidewalk chalk or whatnot–when my third child entered the family. I took a look around our home and realized that with just two, we were already drowning in stuff, and if I kept it up with a third, we’d never crawl out from under! Then we moved, and going through all those old toys was torture–all the wasted money for things they barely used, all the waste in general. I gave so much away and vowed never to let it get to that state again.
The boys’ rooms are pretty spare now but they don’t seem to mind at all–in fact, it was amazingly easy to cut back on toy purchases: I just don’t take them to Target anymore (and I try to stay out myself so I don’t feel the “need” for more grown-up “toys”). They have a few favorite toys that they play with constantly, they play outside with whatever’s available, they read, they run around and make up games that require no toys at all.
Now that we have five kids I’m glad I got the picture when I did. If I’d kept up the acquisition of stuff at the rate I was back then,we’d not only be broke, but we’d have to move into a larger house just to house all the crap we weren’t using.
Sticks rule! I’ll still play with a stick even at the grand old age of nearly 40! But now it’s a toy for the cats. They chase it round and round and round. I end up so dizzy have to lie down on the grass for a minute!
But I still remember the joy of finding just the right stick for trailing along railings, or turning into a wand or sword or even a horse.
Sticks and stones may break my bones but sticks are great as toys – bring on the splinters!
Cool! I was just thinking about this the other day
I used to play with various sticks as a kid. Coupled with a length of string I could have hours of fun. Glad to see the Cardboard box also made the list.
Aw, I love that a stick is in the toy hall of fame! I hope there’s an empty refrigerator box in there, too!
Naturally, my peeps appreciate the good ol’ stick! It’s so easy for folks to get caught up in the more is better race. And, of course, more is just more. Viva sticks!
Cheers- Bethe
Here we seek out the rare(ish) and wonderful “y-stick” … that is, a stick with a fork that looks like a Y.
Seriously, though, hours of fun finding the best Y stick on a hike. Absolutely no clue how we started that one, but it seems to have stuck. 
Hurray for the Almighty Stick! I found 3 Y-sticks on a recent hike with my kids – did you leave them for us, Adam? Bethe you’re always great about giving perspective. This one will be a classic.
For the night shift: Sticks & Stones http://bit.ly/gjuuB Unlike the old saying… Sticks & stones really ROCK!
RT @balmeras: For the night shift: Sticks & Stones http://bit.ly/gjuuB Unlike the old saying… Sticks & stones really ROCK!
RT @balmeras: For the night shift: Sticks & Stones http://bit.ly/gjuuB Unlike the old saying… Sticks & stones really ROCK!
“A few months ago, the … stick was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame.” ’bout time too. h/t @balmeras http://bit.ly/gjuuB
"A few months ago, the … stick was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame." ’bout time too. h/t @balmeras http://bit.ly/gjuuB
Amen! I rarely buy my kids toys because I know they are much happier playing with sticks and rocks. I have tried to get relatives ot stop the madness as well. I am tired of havign the pieces to a toy they played with for 5 minutes before the went out back and started golfing with sticks. Thank you for this post!
I say we start a Y stick photo safari — since you will notice the pix I used is a Y stick and they have come up here twice!! It can be the #playoutdoors version of Where’s Waldo? Where’s the Y Stick?
Thanks Michele & Sharlene for the great comments! Cheers- Bethe
RT @balmeras JEJ Pls note I wasn’t being sassy (um,4 a change), I was referring to my Stick post today http://bit.ly/gjuuB to @TomVMorris
For the night shift: Sticks & Stones http://bit.ly/gjuuB Unlike the old saying… Sticks & stones really ROCK!
RT @balmeras: For the night shift: Sticks & Stones http://bit.ly/gjuuB Unlike the old saying… Sticks & stones really ROCK!
RT @balmeras: For the night shift: Sticks & Stones http://bit.ly/gjuuB Unlike the old saying… Sticks & stones really ROCK!
“A few months ago, the … stick was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame.” ’bout time too. h/t @balmeras http://bit.ly/gjuuB
One of my fave posts on kids & toys… http://bit.ly/hf92n #ecowed
RT @sproxy: The lowly stick inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. En garde! http://bit.ly/hf92n #ecowed
RT @GoExploreNature Nature’s toy store is FREE & priceless! RT @balmeras One of my fave posts on kids & toys… http://bit.ly/hf92n #ecowed
RT @GoExploreNature: Nature’s toy store is FREE & priceless! RT @balmeras One of my fave posts on kids & toys… http://bit.ly/hf92n #ecowed
One of my fave posts on kids & toys… http://bit.ly/hf92n #ecowed
RT @sproxy: The lowly stick inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. En garde! http://bit.ly/hf92n #ecowed
RT @GoExploreNature Nature’s toy store is FREE & priceless! RT @balmeras One of my fave posts on kids & toys… http://bit.ly/hf92n #ecowed
RT @GoExploreNature: Nature’s toy store is FREE & priceless! RT @balmeras One of my fave posts on kids & toys… http://bit.ly/hf92n #ecowed
RT @littlehumbugs @GoExploreNature Natures toy store is FREE & priceless! @balmeras One of my fave posts on kids & toys http://bit.ly/hf92n
RT @littlehumbugs @GoExploreNature Natures toy store is FREE & priceless! @balmeras One of my fave posts on kids & toys http://bit.ly/hf92n