Today is a bad mood day - it's a billion degrees and I'm grumpy having wasted precious time making a failed batch of chocolate banana muffins. The recipe had an error in the ingredients measurement and they came out oily and inedible.

I'm also doing some frantic housework and clearing for the baby shower tomorrow and I've decided that some of the kids toys have got to go. (I am so much better at throwing out other peoples' stuff!)

Andy and I made this when Mark was 1. He was a strange child as far as toys went. He never used them in the way they were designed to be used and if truth be told, he wasn't really into most of them at all. We tried endless types, but all he really wanted to get his mits on was REAL stuff. So in the end we gave up. He spent many a happy hour emptying my kitchen cupboards, pulling all the CDs out of the rack and washing up (including the floor). It wasn't very relaxing play for the supervising parent though, so we came up with the latch board by raiding Andy's toolbox and ransacking the hardware shop. Mark adored it, particularly the 'twangers' which are springs designed to go on the skirting board so doors don't bump into them when opened.

Our friends were half fascinated, half appalled at the new toy - 'What IS that thing?'. But in our house it was the bees knees. Johnny is much more conventional in his toy tastes (and easier to please), so it's gathered dust recently. I'm feeling quite sad about it going off to the dump though - with a little more refinement, I think they could have caught on.

Comments

[tammie]

i love this crazy contraption!
such a great idea
my kids are huge fans of the twangers as well

[madmommy]

Please, please tell me you haven't thrown this out yet! My one year old would LOVE it! He, too, is not fooled by toys and only wants the real thing, is fascinated by cupboards, stereo knobs, and switches and latches. I'll pay or trade, whatever it takes! This is exactly what I've been looking for!

[Strikkelise]

I immediately recognized this as something for the rehab ward at a hospital. You know, where disabled children and people who have suffered a stroke can practice light switches and door knobs!
Heh heh.
But what a genius toy!

[Angela]

Well that's just cool! I think most kids would get a kick outta that thingamajig. 8-)

[Monica]

That is amazing! I've always wanted to do one for Luca (No 1 child)... he was the same (something to do with first borns perhaps?) he never watched tv until he was 2yrs old, he preferred real object to toys too. And if I could have a penny for all the time he dismantled the 'twangers' in our previous home.
Seeing all the comments, there's definitively a niche in the market ready to be exploited. Go for it girl!

[capello]

Hey, that "thing" is awesome. Does it turn a light on and off when you flip a switch? Griffin would be all over that right now.

[babybug]

that is neat! babybug would love all those gadgets, too.
forgot to tell you about the poopie-diaper-game for the babyshower :) will email you later.

[lindiepindie]

What WONDERFUL parents you were to feed this little boy the toys that he needed! I was an Occupational Therapist before I was a mom and I just love this toy! People have turned these kind of toys into money makers. Btw, I am not implying AT ALL that your little guy is disabled. :o) My sons would have played with this all day if we had had one when they were young.

[caroline]

I know what you mean about the weather - I am holding off making shortbread because I just know the butter will go funny.

My son would have loved that 'toy' - his idea of a good time was getting a little paper bag full of hooks, hinges, washers, etc from Robert Dyas. Now we are 6 it is Lego that is all the rage.

[Megan]

Who knew you were a genius?

[weirdbunny]

I beleive every child would love this. Talk about super duper!!!

[julieree]

how funny! My brother was the same way when he was small--my grandpa made a board for him that had all kinds of switches and latches and things. He loved it.

And he turned out fairly well (for a big brother), so it must be a mark of intelligence. Can't fool these kids with silly toys. : )

[Amy]

I L*O*V*E this! I hope you didn't really throw it out. What a terrific toy...and what wonderful parents you are to make it.