The toys talk about what they want to be when they grow up.
100 Toys Talks to Alexis Ralphs is a blog about kids toys and what they can do. The author, Alexis Ralphs, is a mom of two and she talks about her experience with the toy and how it affects her children. Read more in detail here: kids toys near me.
We meet Alexis Ralphs, the creator of One Hundred Toys, this week.
Tell us about yourself and your family
My wife and I reside in London with our four children, ages 7, 6, 4, and 2.
One Hundred Toys is operated from my house, and like other families, we are always balancing work and daycare. We have a lot of early mornings here.
What three adjectives would you use to describe your parenting style?
Tired. Grumpy. Impatient. Fun. Imaginative. Engaged
What is your child’s favorite toy right now?
Anything that isn’t from One Hundred Toys makes No. 1 son pleased. ‘Daddy, I want you to get me a toy, and I want it to be plastic,’ he remarked the other day.
The resident scientist, No. 2 son, is constantly experimenting. While he often has a toy in his hand, he intends to explore. What if I misplace it? Is it possible to drive it through water or mud? Is it possible to roll it down a hill? He’d be content with a stone or a conker if he didn’t have a vehicle.
The first daughter like soft toys, and her current favorites are a Maileg mouse and a Happy Horse lamb. Alternatively, she’ll seek out a quiet spot to’read’ in. But she prefers to play with the guys, even if it means becoming the bad guy in their game. They’re her favorite toys.
What is your all-time favorite toy?
Wooden blocks, according to the teacher in me, are the ideal open-ended toy because they are so flexible. But I didn’t have them as a kid; instead, I had LEGO, which I adored. It’s blocks in any case. But I believe I like LEGO since it comes with figurines and can be used to build miniature universes. Construction has always appealed to me, but there has to be some aspect of creativity and narrative involved.
Which of your childhood memories is your favorite?
Taking care of the plants in the greenhouse with my grandpa. The aroma of tomatoes on the vine and the warmth of the greenhouse appealed to me. With a greenhouse, you get a sensation of rapid development; things happen so much faster than they do outdoors in nature, so it’s wonderful for a kid to witness.
What has surprised you the most about your children and being a parent?
I’m not as excellent as I imagined I’d be at parenting. The offspring of the cobbler are said to be shoeless. Because I’m so busy (and sleep-deprived), I don’t have time to do all of the things with my kids that I’d want to. One Hundred Toys was founded with the goal of providing children with toys that will ask the appropriate questions when you don’t have time to.
Have you got any advice for other parents? Whether it’s about toys, education, or anything else
Your children don’t need any toys if you have the time; all they need is an involved adult and an intriguing setting. If you must purchase toys, keep them basic and open-ended; avoid one-trick ponies that offer little room for creativity and are discarded after five minutes.
Allow them to experiment and make their own errors. Set difficulties for them and let them fail. They will get the resilience they will need later in life.
Put yourself in your child’s shoes for a moment. Many of our expectations for our children are based on erroneous memories of our own childhoods. We may recall being able to read fluently at the age of four and wonder why our kid is unable to do so. If you have high expectations for your kid, go ahead and do so, but keep in mind that they are still young. They may just be weary, hungry, or neglected as a result of the new baby. Allow them room and approach them gently. “I am the adult, and I know best,” you may have to declare at times, but this should only be used as a last option.
Finally, is there anything more you’d want to say?
Asking excellent questions is the greatest thing you can do for your kid, maybe even better than letting them run free in a Rousseauian paradise.
- What were you thinking when you did that?
- What would happen if we went about it this way?
- If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
- If Henry had created the same item, how would he have gone about it?
Nothing is more essential than developing critical thinking skills. You can do anything with it. It’s a superpower and a path to happiness.
Here’s where you can learn more about the 100 Toys narrative and mindset.
