When kids outgrow games and books

[lovinmyboys]

Do you get rid of them? We have moved several times, so I have done a pretty good job purging. Dh grew up with parents who are probably not actual hoarders, but they definitely have lots of stuff they will never use. Dh really loves to get rid of stuff.

My specific problems are books and games. We read lots and play lots of games around here. My youngest is now 8 and has for sure outgrown some of our games, but I am having a hard time parting with them because I have good memories, I may play with future grandkids, and I still have some young kids in my life (but really not many). 
 

Ds8 (and even ds10) still have some favorite picture books, but I don’t think they would complain if they disappeared (although if I asked them they would definitely choose to keep them). 

Would it be weird for a family with all older kids to still have picture books and games like Outfoxed and Sleeping Queens on the shelf? Can I call myself a game and book collector and just keep them?

[Starr]

Yes you can keep them. I found as time went on I was able to give more away. Don't rush if you have room. 

[MercyA]

I collected picture books long before I had children and will continue to keep all our favorites until I am an old lady, God willing. 🙂 Picture books are a *perfect* thing to keep, wonderful to pull out and read to guests and grandchildren or just enjoy yourself! I also use them for co-op and Sunday School and to remind me of the best ones to buy for baby gifts! So many of the very best ones seem to go out of print, too. You are preserving beautiful things!

So, yeah, not weird. Like, at all!

I think many people keep classic and especially fun games, myself included. My parents and my husband's parents certainly did, and they're a great way to entertain us all. 

ETA: I have of course purged lots of picture books and games as well--if they're not special to you, no need to keep them. But we have two adults and one near-teenager in the house, and I still have about four full shelves worth of picture books and one large closet shelf full of games. 

Edited January 5, 2021 by MercyA

[Ali in OR]

I'm more likely to clear out games than books. But mostly just games we've aged out of like Candyland which was falling apart anyway. I will keep best-loved picture books forever. Sometimes I will look up how much it would cost to replace the first book I ever read (Emily's Moo) and it's hundreds of dollars. And I would love to still have my book for the memory of it.

[MercyA]

2 minutes ago, Ali in OR said:

I'm more likely to clear out games than books. But mostly just games we've aged out of like Candyland which was falling apart anyway. I will keep best-loved picture books forever. Sometimes I will look up how much it would cost to replace the first book I ever read (Emily's Moo) and it's hundreds of dollars. And I would love to still have my book for the memory of it.

Oh, I wish you still had it! There is one on eBay right now for $67. If I ever spot one at a garage sale or thrift shop, I will grab it and remember it's for our dear Hiver with the Beatrix Potter avatar! 

[Ali in OR]

Just now, MercyA said:

Oh, I wish you still had it! There is one on eBay right now for $67. If I ever spot one at a garage sale or thrift shop, I will grab it and remember it's for our dear Hiver with the Beatrix Potter avatar! 

Aw thanks! That's pretty cheap (but not cheap enough). I think I once saw it for over $400.

[MercyA]

@Ali in OR, did you know this book contains the story Emily's Moo?

https://www.amazon.com/Read-Yourself-Storybook-Golden-Books/dp/0307168247

[MercyA]

@Ali in OR, and here is another edition. This one has sold, but I bet you could find others. If you look at the eBay listing, they show some pages of Emily's Moo inside the book:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Children-s-Book-The-Read-It-Yourself-Storybook-Deluxe-Golden-Book-1971-/373146751028?nma=true&si=PGvBlG4AbogG%2FsvjxCOgK1drNew%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Just scroll down and click on the auction pictures. Much cheaper!!!

Edited January 5, 2021 by MercyA

[happi duck]

I keep favorites.  Like others I have used them with other kids and classes.  I appreciate the games and books I still have from my childhood.  I'll keep some from my kids and maybe my kids will appreciate it.  If they don't they'll still be meaningful to me.

[Shoeless]

I keep special games and books. There was one book I read to DS12 so many times as a baby that it fell apart. It took a couple of years to track down another copy, but I am so glad I have it again. 

[MercyA]

4 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

I keep special games and books. There was one book I read to DS12 so many times as a baby that it fell apart. It took a couple of years to track down another copy, but I am so glad I have it again. 

You're going to tell us what it is, right??? 

[Shoeless]

2 minutes ago, MercyA said:

You're going to tell us what it is, right??? 

It's a board book called "Mommy Loves Me". I impulse bought it at the grocery store when DS12 was a baby. It cost $5.99, which doesn't seem like much, but we were SO broke at that time, so it felt like this huge splurge. 

And he simply loved the book. We both knew it by heart within a few days.  I could never skip a page if I got tired of reading it; he'd turn back to the missed page, take my finger, and put it on the first word as if to say "No, start here".  ❤️ 

 

[busymama7]

I have always been so thankful for those items in houses when visiting (pre covid 🙄). I have a large family and it is rare that we have friends with the same range of kids.  If there are only older kids but they can pull out some things for the younger ones it is so helpful! Same with grandparents house. So my vote is keep for sure but a limited amount. 

[SounderChick]

I get rid of it all but I know I am exceptionally unsentimental.  I think it's perfectly fine to keep them if you are 

[klmama]

OP, keep anything you want to keep!  I still have lots of books and a few games from my childhood.  I even have a couple books from my mother's childhood!  If you want to keep outgrown books or games, there's no reason to chuck them, just because no one in the family is "the right age."  Think of the Konmari method - if it sparks joy, keep it.

You'll know when it's really time.  I just purged quite a few elementary and middle school items: about 75 books and 20 games, plus a bunch of toys.  Two of my young adult dc were home the weekend I did it, so I got their feedback before donating.  We still have about 3000 books, including the children's books they loved.  We still have the 10 games we actually like to play, plus a variety of long-lasting, quality toys younger kids can use if they come over (wood trains, blocks, Legos, puzzles, etc.).  Everything fits the space a lot better now.   

[J-rap]

If you have room and want to keep them, keep them!  

We moved to a smaller place, and given lots of stuff going on in our lives, I decided to get rid of almost everything we didn't currently use when we moved.  I did save about a dozen of our favorite children's books that our children loved, and maybe another dozen children's books that either belonged to me or my own parents when I was or child or when my parents were children.  We didn't save any games because by the time 5 young children went through them, most of them were beat up or had pieces missing.  Also, games just didn't feel as special.  Saving some special books was more meaningful to me.  I anticipate buying new children's games once I have grandchildren!

[Tenaj]

Because of our wide age span of kids, we ended up never getting rid of the younger games, toys and books and now I'm very thankful because we have 4 grandkids and another on the way.  It's wonderful to have an easy supply of younger stuff readily available.  I've passed some stuff on to the grandkids themselves which is also fun.  We didn't have much of a space issue though because of a full basement.  If I was cramped for space, I would have been much more conservative in how much of the younger stuff was kept.

[SKL]

If you want them and have space, I'd pick a few of the best and keep them for future grandkid visits.

Personally, I prefer to get rid of stuff.  I figure that if and when my kids ever bring grandkids home, I can find a few appropriate things at that time.

My nieces are the recipients of most of my kids' outgrown items.  Things that are too young for them go to various nonprofits that can use or sell them.  So far I don't recall feeling any regret over handing things down.  🙂

[gardenmom5]

I've gotten rid of some - saved some for little visitors. Will be getting rid of more.

[Clemsondana]

We've given away some things, but I love that my kids have enjoyed reading some of my childhood books.  My parents kept a closet with good toys that my kids played with.  My in-laws got rid of almost everything, and then bought, and gave away, things as grandkids came along.  It would have been cheaper to just keep things to begin with, but they like to declutter and they like to shop it works for them.  I have a basket of board books and a shelf of Seuss.  We've gotten rid of some of the fluff early chapter books and picture books that weren't favorites.  

[HS Mom in NC]

I have a designated amount of space for sentimental children's books and for keepsakes.  That's it.  Once it's full an item has to go out before another item can come in.

[Loowit]

When we moved a couple years ago I went through all the kids books on the shelf.  I took out ones that I cared about keeping, then asked each of the kids to go through the books I didn't have any attachment to to see if they wanted to keep them.  We ended up clearing one shelf of books.  We are down to only three shelves of kids books that they have outgrown but have sentimental value.  A few of the books are ones from when I was a child.  I was glad my mom kept them for me.  She isn't near as sentimental as I am, so she got rid of a lot of things I wish she would have kept.

I keep meaning to go through all of our books and see if we really need to keep all of them.  We have seven bookcases and I would really like to cut that down because they take up so much space.

[Amethyst]

We (I) did a lot of cleaning during lockdown. The bookshelves all got a good going-over. Some books got tossed, some are still on the bookshelves, others (especially ones that son no longer living at home might want) go boxed and put into attic. 

Games. Like you, moving has helped me thin things, but we still have too many games. Little by little we toss them out. Once every 6 months or so, dh and I say " let's tackle those basement shelves" and we last about ten minutes. Fill up one big black trash bag and say that's enough for today. We still play games together occasionally. Less and less for sure, but no need to throw them all out.  

[ScoutTN]

I keep all the picture books and a handful of the toys and games for much younger kids bc we have friends and neighbors visit. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Space is at a premium here, and I want to give space to what our kids are interested in now. We keep a small handful of things, but I don’t need to turn my house into an archive of the past. 

[Tina]

Dd is going into elementary education.  She just finished literature class, and she and I had a great time with it.  Each week she'd need a different type of book.  I'd name off a handful of books she could use and she'd go find them.  At least once, with Velveteen Rabbit, we both knew we'd had the book but we couldn't find it!  It was great going back through books which all the kids had enjoyed.  And her instructor was going to go find I Juan de Peraja.  Now her math class wasn't as fun. lol

Just trying to decide how much to move out myself.  May keep the classic literature tho.  And I am having a blast sharing good picture books with dgs.  Dd will probably use my library once she has kids.  Dil maybe not so much.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Tina

[PeterPan]

22 hours ago, lovinmyboys said:

I may play with future grandkids

My MIL saved games that were very special to her and it was a mistake. Rest assured by the time your grand kids come along the games will be long in the tooth. Very few games like that should be kept. I thought I had my electronic battleship from my teen years and I can't find it. THAT I'm sad about! But everything else, let it go on to someone else.

I will say though that 8 is a little young. Might they revisit the games in a year or two? I'm just used to ds, who is perpetually young. He'll replay games you thought for sure he'd outgrown.

But yeah, if you're sure, let them go, let them bless someone else. When my ds was young I went to the thrift store constantly, scavenging for games to use for him for speech therapy. It's why we have so many! I SO APPRECIATED that people were generous and dropping off nice things that had value. It can mean a lot to that person who shows up needing something.

[PeterPan]

5 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I don’t need to turn my house into an archive of the past. 

Yup, this has been my challenge. I had a thread on it, but it's very real. My dd is gone and my ds is growing. I look at spaces and have so many past happy memories, but the challenge is to wake up and make NEW ones! So we repurpose spaces and embrace it and move on.

[PeterPan]

8 hours ago, Loowit said:

I keep meaning to go through all of our books and see if we really need to keep all of them. 

Books are a lot harder!! I did some cleaning of books before Christmas and they're sitting in mounds and occasional boxes, waiting to be taken to the thrift store. It kind of gives me time to go through that regret, oops, pull it back out thing. I did some of that. But I think now I'm good. 

I've also realized I can have the "give to a friend" or "would use with the next child" standard. I was going through things and realizing I would NOT keep those things for another child (if by some miracle a 44 yo woman got pregnant) because they were just worn out or whatever. And then there was the well if my friend came and I was giving her a box with that stuff, would she be like WOW THANKS or would she cull and toss half? 

So to me, anything I'm keeping at least needs to pass the I would use it with another child test. If it is too worn out for that, then really just toss, let it move on. And if it has value but maybe not supreme value, then either toss or thrift store. And if high value, give to a friend or sell.

[JenneinCA]

I am ready to part with books and games but I don’t know how.  Just putting them in the trash seems horribly wasteful but I don’t want to deal with lots of people coming and going to pick them up either. I would love to have a place I could just drop the lot of them off at once.  
 

(Anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area want games and books?)

[klmama]

5 minutes ago, JenneinCA said:

I am ready to part with books and games but I don’t know how.  Just putting them in the trash seems horribly wasteful but I don’t want to deal with lots of people coming and going to pick them up either. I would love to have a place I could just drop the lot of them off at once.  
 

(Anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area want games and books?)

Here are the San Francisco area Goodwill addresses that are accepting items.  No furniture, though.