When do you get rid of stuff your child just isn't into? Moms of girls esp since it's about DD

My DD is 6 and she has quite a bit of girl toys. She has 2 brothers so any girl stuff she has acquired is hers. This girl has a bin full of Littlest Pet Shop stuff and houses, Polly Pockets, Barbies, a dollhouse with tons of accessories, never touches it. (My 4 yr old son plays with the LPS stuff once in awhile though.)She has a whole bunch of My Little Pony stuff. I put it in a bin the the basement over a year ago and she never once has asked about it. She named her doll Waterbottle about 3 years ago LOL and played with it maybe 3 times. Doll cradle, dress up stuff...no interest. Mind you I didnt buy her all this stuff, she has received some from us and some as gifts.

I don't care if she's not into this stuff. Honestly I dont. I know my BF and I would play Barbies for hours and hours and I would have died and gone to heaven if LPS was around when I was a kid but that's me, not her. I really do try to be concious of what she is about and respect it.
She loves anything crafty or activity related and board games as well. Loves stuffed animals and dressing them up. She likes some girly stuff but loves to play with the boys although I dont really consider her a tomboy. My DS's friends love to play with her. She's so different than I was in many ways - I was painfully shy at her age and loved playing imaginary stuff.

But back to the actual Q - I wonder...is 6 too young to get rid of this stuff if she is not into it? To me, it doesn't sound like getting any older is going to ever make her want to play with her dollhouse so why keep it? I'd rather give it away or sell it an put the $ towards some other stuff she might like.

Thoughts?

Message edited 9/2/2010 12:55:15 AM.

Re: When do you get rid of stuff your child just isn't into? Moms of girls esp since it's about DD

I don't think it's too soon. A 7yo in our family has been giving Sarah her old Strawberry Shortcake and Disney Princess stuff since she doesn't like it anymore and knows Sarah does.

Re: When do you get rid of stuff your child just isn't into? Moms of girls esp since it's about DD

Nope, its not too young. I clean house all the time. If it has not been played with in a while, out it goes. Either friends or garbage. I HATE clutter. My girls also know that each time that they get a new toy, something has to go out.

Re: When do you get rid of stuff your child just isn't into? Moms of girls esp since it's about DD

I am going through the same thing. Only if I take it out, she'll play with it for the moment and then I feel too guilty to get rid of it. Everything is socked away nicely but when it comes out, man does my house get distroyed. And then i wish she didn't have so much crap until I clean it up again and then change my mind. I don't know. I think I am going to try and take away some stuff and move it to the attic. This way if she does ask for it, its not gone and if she doesn't in a reasonable amount of time, out it goes.

Re: When do you get rid of stuff your child just isn't into? Moms of girls esp since it's about DD

Not to young at all.

Since DS bday and xmas are about a month apart what we do is have him do a big clean up in August or September. We tell him that it's time to donate some of the stuff he doesn't want anymore to children who don't have toys. He gets it and really seems to enjoy doing it.

Occasionally if we have a yard sale I will let him put his stuff out and have him put his money away to save for a better newer toy.

He really likes both ways. He feels good about giving back and he loves to earn his own money.

DS is 7.

Re: When do you get rid of stuff your child just isn't into? Moms of girls esp since it's about DD

Re: When do you get rid of stuff your child just isn't into? Moms of girls esp since it's about DD

DD's birthday is Saturday and she will be 4. About a month ago, we "cleaned the junk" We had to make room in her toybox because she would be getting new things. Now, while she wanted to keep most things that I found in there, I did get rid of a lot of babyish toys that she never plays with anymore. I am not a fan of clutter...so if it doesn't all fit in the toybox, we have too many things I do have some large toys in the basement, but that's my general rule. I know many people who have toys and their houses look like TRU, but it's just not for me.

Re: When do you get rid of stuff your child just isn't into? Moms of girls esp since it's about DD

Thanks for the replies. The purging is definitely a necessary parental chore. I do it quite a bit otherwise I'd have nowhere for anything.

My thoughts about DD which were somewhere in the rambling original post are - if she's not into some of these things at 6 - there's no reason to assume she will be 7 or 8 and suddenly be a dollhouse girl, right? (or any of these other toys that she's not really into) so no reason to take up space with it. I have to think it out more with some of these things bc I dont want her to be upset if something is gone but I'm also not replicating a dollhouse full of furniture to replace one either.

Message edited 9/3/2010 5:35:58 AM.

Re: When do you get rid of stuff your child just isn't into? Moms of girls esp since it's about DD

I am going through this too! DD just turned 6 and no longer plays with dolls, Princess stuff, or the 2 beautiful doll houses she has. She has no interest, but it breaks MY heart to part with theses things. I think because I know she is my first, only and last little girl and it went sooo fast..