My son doesn’t have a lot of toys. I remember at least one closet filled to the brim with toys for me and my three younger siblings when I was younger. The image of toys littering the floor and extending out to the front yard was mostly true for my family. While I’m sure we embarrassed our parents (sorry Mom & Dad) we certainly did have fun with our siblings.
My son’s toys are not so cumbersome or numerous. They fit on a small area of the floor. He has a couple of stuffed animals and some colored plastic cups and rings. When we set him down on the floor though those few items surround him in an exciting and surprising way. While he is growing he is still very small and when he lays down next to his toys they truly do engulf him and his field of vision. His eyes are filled with these wonderful things that he simply stares at and doesn’t really know how to interact with yet.
He does get excited when the stuffed dinosaur or dog make noises and dance their way over to kiss him. If he’s being held upright he’ll wrap them in a hug and quickly bring them to his mouth to give them a kiss or attempt to eat them. He is enthralled by the magic of these inanimate toys moving for, talking to, and loving him.
I long for the day when he can create his own games, sounds, and enjoyment. He doesn’t necessarily need a lot of toys to do that. His playground will, however, extend beyond the four square feet of mat space filled with toys. It will soon include anything he can crawl to, and then walk or climb to, and eventually extend to playgrounds beyond the boundaries beyond our home. Right now, though, I’m overjoyed that he’s safely and happily in the confines of his four square feet of space with his Mom and Dad.