# Is a 10 year old too old for toys



## buzfar (Jul 18, 2013)

Hello

I am a mom to twin boys who will be 10 next week. They still like toys, like to play with them, get new ones, ect. The issue is with my husband. He is convinced that they are going to be too old for toys at 10. He wants them to not only not get any more new toys, but to get rid of all the ones they currently have. Especially my one son, who loves stuffed animals. Some of his animals are just like they are alive to him, and he treats them that way.

I wanted to get other parents opinion on this. I think that if they want to play with toys and if they play with them, then fine. My one son LOVES Legos and cars, the other one stuffed animals and other toys.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Thank you


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## Linda on the move (Jun 15, 2005)

My 15 year has zillions of stuffed animals.

Both my 15 & 16 year still like Lego, and most the teens who come to our house do too. Once, a 17 year boy walked into our house, saw our extensive collection, screamed LEGO! And started building.


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## zebra15 (Oct 2, 2009)

My soon to be 13 loves toys. LEGO is all the rage here. Die cast cars, art supplies, etc.

When he was 10 he was totally into LEGO, board games, outside toys, (think nerf) and so on.

I can hardly wait to see what list my kiddo gives me for his bday and xmas.


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## KSLaura (Jan 22, 2007)

*I* still have toys! I have a whole bin full of childhood toys and stuffed animals. My husband (at 43) still has the teddy bear he got for his 1st birthday. It stays in our bedroom. He doesn't play with it or anything, but it seemed to be a comfort for him after both of his parents passed away. I can't imagine taking all toys away from a child! Even a teenager...


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## michelleepotter (Apr 8, 2013)

Too old for toys?? Why would he think that if the boys are still having fun? My 11yo son has a stuffed dog he got when he was 3 that he adores, and would be absolutely devastated to lose. My 14yo son still plays with toys, and so does my husband!


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## dalia (Sep 3, 2007)

Ages ago when I was visiting my family in Guatemala I brought a big bag of toys for all the little cousins since they don't have much. My grandmother (80s) opened the bag and spotted a Winnie the Pooh. She held and caressed it. Then I saw her hide it behind her back and say quietly in Spanish, "This one is for me."

Never too old for toys.


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## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

Remind your husband that all boys like their toys - they just get bigger and more expensive.


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## skycheattraffic (Apr 16, 2012)

When I was 12, my family emigrated overseas. We could only take luggage - essentially clothing. I had to leave all my toys and being 12 I never got any more for birthdays or anything. It kind of felt like I left my childhood behind and I missed having that outlet terribly. I was too embarrassed to speak up and ask for what I missed and my parents didn't have much income to spare. I wasn't ready for the transition and it was pretty rough. If the clutter or amount of toys is an issue, then ask your kids to let go of some of the less important pieces but please don't cut their childhood short.


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## cali2tx (Feb 19, 2013)

I probably wouldn't buy new stuffed animals for a 10-year-old but I wouldn't dream of taking them away. What does your husband consider age appropriate? Sneakers? Gadgets? I'd prefer to see a child play with Legos than play video games. Do your boys have other hobbies (card collecting, sports, music)? Maybe give birthday gifts for their specific interests instead of a toy, like binoculars for the nature boy, a team baseball cap for the sports fan, batting gloves for an athlete.

If your kids have plenty of stuff, I think 10 would be an appropriate age to switch from tangible gifts to celebrating with a special activity like attending a sporting event, going camping, to an amusement park, go-kart racing, laser tag, a concert or day trip.


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## McGucks (Nov 27, 2010)

Toys are, IMO, are only outgrown when the child (or teen or adult) initiates their passing them along

My 40 year old husband, who is emotionally mature and happy and healthy, enjoys playing with our 3 year-old's toys when he is spending time with him (most especially Legos).

Let 'em play!

I lost all my childhood toys due to a mom with a lot of problems. Part of my recovery as an adult has been finding the kinds of toys I had as a child and enjoying them with my children, husband, and guests.


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## zebra15 (Oct 2, 2009)

FWIW- my almost 13 yr old is currently have keylime cake ("Grinch cake") with 'the grinch' sitting right beside him. Singing the 'grinch who stole christmas'. So your hubby is more than welcome to come to my house and try to wrestle the grinch away from my 5ft3in size 9 shoe CHILD .... or he can ironically be the family 'grinch'.

Let them have toys, if they want toys for gifts, get 'toys'... they are only little once. Dont cut it short.


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## grahamsmom98 (May 15, 2002)

Ds is almost 15 and has a collection of Transformers, in all sizes, that would frighten most people. He must have over 150 of the things! Plenty of adults love the plastic creatures, too.

He's 5'10" and doesn't care what other people say about toys and perceived "proper" ages! When his friends come over, they go wild at the sight of his collection and we've never heard any of them say "You're too old for this!"

I know plenty of adults that collect dolls, glass figurines or teddy bears. One gal I know, collects big dolls and has named each and dresses them daily and they are all over her house and on the bed she shares with her husband. He is a very patient man....

Apparently, once you hit puberty, you can call them collectibles, not toys!!!

Let them play, time enough to live life as an adult. Savor the joys of childhood......


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## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

We only recently started going through stuffed animals here. My kids are 19 & 21. And no, not all of them were thrown out. Both kids have a few special ones that they have kept. Big deal.


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## michelleepotter (Apr 8, 2013)

I still have a couple of dolls leftover from my childhood. I used to have a whole trunk full, but they were destroyed when my garage flooded a few years ago.


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## ollyoxenfree (Jun 11, 2009)

My 17 y.o. still has lots of stuffed animals. She stopped buying new stuffies when she was about 13 y.o. or so. Her last few purchases were souvenirs from travels. She stopped making them (from old socks and fabric scraps) when she was a year or two older.

My 20 y.o. recently unearthed some of his old Warhammer figurines and had a few sessions with some friends.

When I see adults playing video games and on-line RPG, it seems to me that they are just high tech versions of make-believe with Knight-and-Dragon figurines, G.I. Joe dolls, or Lego. I guess it seems more grown-up if you aren't on the floor with dolls in your hands but I don't really see much difference otherwise.


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## contactmaya (Feb 21, 2006)

They want to keep their toys, let them keep their toys! Everyone has their toys, no matter what age.


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## Triniity (Jul 15, 2007)

I play with my kids playmobil and lego  and I sometimes buy some packages because they are just so cute! I want to play with them (not to talk about board games, and puzzles and stuff like that I LOVE that - my kids give me the opportunity to walk around at toy stores without looking weird....

never too old!


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## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

If you take the toys away, what are they supposed to do?


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## LaughingHyena (May 4, 2004)

I wonder if he's feel the same way if they were girls? Sad but I think there is an expectation that boys will give up their stuffed animals and so on but it's OK for a girl to have a collection on the bed (probably not played with in public though)

I tend to buy toys expecting them to last a while, so I would be thinking long and hard about how long interest in a particular toys would last, but I've been doing that since they were babies. I'll not be buying any more Duplo for my nearly 7 year old even though he still plays with it a couple of times a week, I suspect Lego will take over soon (and anyway I've been buying it for the last 8 years, I think we may have enough already) . I'm in no rush to take it away and force the Lego on him though.

I'd probably not buy new stuffed animals, but then again I have never bough stuffed animals and we seem to have loads, they just appear from somweher


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Too old for toys? I don't agree, and don't even understand the concept. As for Lego, I know people in their 40s who still play with it. I never got into it that much, even as a kid (I think my brother's skill intimidated me), but even I enjoy messing with it on occasion.

Stuffed animals...I know they have a "girls and little kids" vibe, but I see no problem with an older kid liking stuffies. I know that I have a stuffed dog that was given to me just after I turned 30 (by my bff, after my first miscarriage). Cuddling it helped me through some pretty rough nights, just after that miscarriage, and the next two, and my divorce. If I wasn't too old for a stuffed animal at 30, I can't see any reason why someone would be "too old" at 10!

I own a lot of books, a large set of pencil crayons, some colouring books, various word game/puzzle books, etc. Those are all for pure entertaiment and relaxation. They're basically my toys, and I'm 45.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *LaughingHyena* 


> I'd probably not buy new stuffed animals, but then again I have never bough stuffed animals and we seem to have loads, *they just appear from somweher*


Modern parenting in a nutshell. I like stuffies, and we do buy them occasionally, but the number of them that have popped up over the years is insane.


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## Minalas (Feb 24, 2011)

Here s my personal experience: My brother and I played a lot with playmobile, until we were about fourteen and sixteen years old. We kept playing board and ball games after that, but stopped with the lego/playmobile. Stuffed animals phased out a bit earlier, even though admittedly, my Teddy moved out of my arms at night only when DD moved in.
I also found that some toys, espescially legos got much interesting in my and my siblings early to mid-teens, because only then had acquired the skills to do fanciful and elaborate constructions


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## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

Am I reading the OP right? On their 10th birthday he wants to take away their toys?!?


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

10 isn't old at all! It absolutely isn't too old to play with toys. I agree with the PP who wondered if he'd feel this way about a daughter.

I'd be happy he was doing imaginary play stuff and not playing video games all the time. The imaginary play stuff is much healthier, and kids that age are very drawn to video games. I'd actively encourage the imaginary play, not try to shut it down.


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## Dela (Jul 8, 2013)

I'm gonna be stepping on LEGOs until I'm dead. With my children their entire childhood... by the time my youngest leaves home I'll surely have a grandchild or several, and so forth and so on! The day we put away the LEGOs is the day my inner child dies!


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## buzfar (Jul 18, 2013)

Thank you for all of your replies! I feel much better about defending the boys being able to keep their toys, and in getting ones that they will play with. Yes, they will be 10, on July 25th. I also think that if they were girls this would not be an issue. Thank you again!!


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