Do you let your kids DO all of their toys Christmas Day?

[Anonymous]

I’m talking single use stuff: Lego set, kiwi crate, dig it up, crystal making kit…

Boys are 8 and 6 and asking to do it all and then promptly upset if/when we say no and encourage them to do something else that’s new: remote control cars, games, etc.

What do you do?

[Anonymous]

No. For Any single use or crafty thing they can choose one.

[Anonymous]

We don't give a ton of single use toys for this reason. If we have more than one, we'll suggest holding something for later with a specific incentive ("let's do that with PopPop when he get's here on Wednesday since he's the one who sent it to you") and encourage focus on toys/gifts that won't just be one-and-done.

[Anonymous]

We only give four gifts, which circumvents this issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. For Any single use or crafty thing they can choose one.

+1

[Anonymous]

We don't do many single use items. Lego sets are not single use here. They play with the built thing for a while once assembled and eventually the bricks become part of the big collection except for one special kit they wanted to keep separate.

We always open a group game early in the gifts so they keep playing with that and don't even open all the gifts today. When they get through that there's either a puzzle to unwrap that'll take another several hours or an outdoors activity (this year it will be a pickleball set or a Frisbee first, either one we'll go right outside to use it). With school break extended beyond new years we will be stretching the gifts out, lots of cheap but time consuming things like mad libs.

[Anonymous]

We let ours do whatever she wants to in the time available. Today that'll probably mean one of two LEGO sets, but if she managed to finish one and wanted to do another I wouldn't stop her. Anything that requires parent help would be a no, but that's because we're cooking.

[Anonymous]

Of course! When I offer, I don’t offer the single use stuff. But if the kid wants to, I say yes. It’s Christmas, so it’s a good day to not be so controlling.

[Anonymous]

He can use/do/play with anything he gets today. It’s Christmas, there are no rules or restrictions.

He only got one single use item though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m talking single use stuff: Lego set, kiwi crate, dig it up, crystal making kit…

Boys are 8 and 6 and asking to do it all and then promptly upset if/when we say no and encourage them to do something else that’s new: remote control cars, games, etc.

What do you do?

What's the point of gifts if you can't play with them on Christmas Day?!

[Anonymous]

The gifts are theirs to use as/when they like. No strings attached.

[Anonymous]

Yes - go crazy! That’s the whole point

[Anonymous]

Single use is not really our style.

[Anonymous]

They can play with anything they open, if there is time to do so. Why give gifts if you dont want them to use it? They probably wont be excited about it 2 weeks from now. All gifts are yours on Christmas day. The next day I clean up and organize and anything that didnt get played with i will store or save.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don't do many single use items. Lego sets are not single use here. They play with the built thing for a while once assembled and eventually the bricks become part of the big collection except for one special kit they wanted to keep separate.

We always open a group game early in the gifts so they keep playing with that and don't even open all the gifts today. When they get through that there's either a puzzle to unwrap that'll take another several hours or an outdoors activity (this year it will be a pickleball set or a Frisbee first, either one we'll go right outside to use it). With school break extended beyond new years we will be stretching the gifts out, lots of cheap but time consuming things like mad libs.

+1 they get to play whatever they want but even "single use" stuff doesn't usually get used up. Like they did a bit of their coloring book or clay molding or dino excavation or chem set or rainbow looms etc, but there's more left of it for another day. If they said they didn't want to do the rest in the future, that's a problem.

We are same on Legos - enjoy taking apart and remaking / mixing together.

The joy of Xmas day is getting to play/try whatever new fun things they got!