With the economic pressures caused by COVID-19 (and the decreased access to shopping opportunities), many people are taking a look at what they have, getting rid of what they don’t need, and finding new ways to use their existing “stuff.”
With this in mind, I’ve been spending a bit of time thinking about how to make old toys new again, and I’m sharing all my fantastic ideas with you today.
The best way to get kids excited about playing with old toys is to refresh their memories and make some of their old favourites visible again. It sounds simple, but it really works. If you have a bunch of books and board games in drawers, move them around and display them prominently on open shelves so the kids see them. It’s a wonderful way to renew interest in the toys kids haven’t played with in a long time.
Changing the “way” kids play with their toys is also a fantastic idea. For example, if you have a bin of toy cars, consider digging out a couple of pieces of Bristol board, taping them together, and drawing out roads for the cars to drive on. Painter’s tape on the floor is great for making roads too. It’s a simple idea, but kids will love it.
Another fun activity for artistically-inclined children is to repurpose old crayons. If you have a bin of broken and unused crayons (like I do), you can transform them into new and fun shapes that are more appealing to your kids.
To recycle old crayons, peel off the paper wrappers, break the crayons into pieces, put the pieces in silicon molds, bake (on a tray) in the oven at 300 degrees for approximately 10 minutes (until they are completely melted), then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. When the crayons are solid, pop them out of the molds to reveal NEW crayons. I made a bunch of LEGO-shaped crayons for my boys, and they are super-cute.
Moving indoor games outside is another way to reinvent old toys. For example, Yahtzee becomes a totally new game if you replace the regular sized dice with large foam dice from the dollar store and play it in the backyard. Setting up a tent in the backyard and filling it with toys, books and games is fun, too.
Old toys also make good quality supplies for DIY décor projects. Recently, I turned a bunch of my son’s old LEGO pieces into a really cute and colourful picture frame. I started with an inexpensive dollar store wooden frame, then painted the frame bright red. I used hot glue to attach pieces of LEGO to the frame, and now I have an adorable piece of DIY LEGO décor for my son’s room.
Custom monograms can also be made using old toys. Inexpensive wooden letters can be painted, and tiny toys (like LEGO, cars, puzzle pieces, etc.) can be attached with hot glue.
Reinventing and repurposing toys is a perfect way to get kids using their imaginations… and it’s a great way to save money too. Take a peek in your playroom, start sorting, get creative, and have fun!
Gina Bell writes the East Coast Mommy column. Follow her blog or contact her at [email protected]
