Toys 'R' Us

This morning, I went to an ECFE rummage sale.  I got there at about 8:25 (doors were supposed to open at 8:30) and stood in line among the hoards of moms, moms-to-be, and a few scattered dads who were mostly in charge of corraling small children or carrying heavy things like bicycles, exersaucers and play kitchens.

Once I made it into the school, there were 2 main rooms labeled "Clothing" and "Toys and Equipment".  Equipment?  I was shopping specifically for a Burley, which I think belongs in the "Equipment" category, so in I went.

I was stunned.  This room was absolutely huge and was filled to the gunwales with toys.  Every kind of toy you could imagine.  Young artist easels, play pianos, bicycles, boppy pillows, Lego wannabes, strollers, Bumbo chairs, nursery decor, plastic toys that made noise and lit up when  you pushed buttons, stuffed animals, bouncey seats, Fisher-Price toy cars.  Everything brightly colored and plastic, plastic everywhere.

I made one lap and didn't get a Burley, but spent $2.25 on:

1. Wooden "beads" strung on wires attached to a base
2. Fisher-Price stick with ring on it
3. Rain stick (A loved this at ECFE class this winter)

A great deal!  And, if I had been shopping for a stroller, I could have gotten a good one for next to nothing. 

But, all of this reminded me of an article I read in Michelle's blog.  And, I felt a huge desire for quiet.  And, for A's toys to be wooden.  And simple.  And quiet.  I want her to learn from them, not expect to be entertained by them.

These are things my grandma never had to consider!