I'm always struck that when I flip through a glossy magazine's spread of a kid's space, or even many design blogs catering to kids, there's always a noticeable dearth of big plastic toys in the yard. Sure, it makes for beautiful pictures, but is it realistic?
I have to say that I'm guilty of having many of the large iconic plastic toys in my yard. Before I had kids I would walk by houses that were littered with toys and would sneer and say that would never be me. After all, what was wrong with these people. Why didn't they simply pick up the toys-- how lazy. Well, with kids of my own, I realize the difficulty in keeping the yard looking clean. (We do have a large plastic shed to stow the toys if we're expecting guests. But sadly, the rest of the time, much of the plastic crap just lays where it was last abandoned.)
Even though many of these toys don't fit into most people's idea of a beautiful landscape, I wouldn't trade them for anything. The joy my children derive from their water table, basketball hoop, ride-on toys, and countless plastic trucks make it all worth it. I know it's for such a short period of time.
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