Toy Breaker

[Unregistered]

How do you deal with children who are so rough they break everything and/or break toys on purpose? I feel like I either spend money hand over fist or end up losing parents.

[Michael]

Welcome to the forum. Here are a few threads on Breaking Toys: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.p...=toy+-+destroy

[Thriftylady]

You say end up loosing parents, has this been several children? If so do you have a good interview process where you can weed out the bad eggs? I have found that in most cases, destructive children have a certain kind of parent.

If children are tearing things up and you have to keep replacing, you are not making money on those children you are loosing it. In that case you are better off without those families.

[childcaremom]

Are they breaking due to purposeful destruction? My answer is based on that.

I would be modelling appropriate play and monitoring closely until I felt they 'got' it. Even then, if they were continuously breaking toys, I would remove the toys from the area, slowly adding them back in. Alternatively, they would have to earn the right to play with toys properly. Having said that, I would be expecting to see some positive results within a short period of time and would not keep these dcks indefinitely.

Why are you losing parents? As Thrifty said, these might not be parents you want as clients, anyways.

[Blackcat31]

Are these specific kids?
A certain age group?
Or just kids in general?

Once a child breaks a toy here purposely they would be limited to soft non-breakable toys only until I've seen first hand that they can play with other toys without destroying them.

This type of behavior is a lot like biting for me.... one time is THE pivotal point and where I decide the child starts back at ground zero: soft toys, one or two at a time, under continuous supervision so that no more toys are broken.

We build trust and privileges from there.

[daycare]

wow... that stinks.

for a lot of children, they need for us to model and explain the expectations, making sure to set the foundation from day one.

If it were accidental I would say it's part of the business, but then again, you have to take a step back and look at how and why it's happening.

are you letting the kids create a huge mess and leave toys all over the place that they get stepped on or such?

are they playing with the toys the way they are intended to be played with? example the blocks are being used for building, not sitting on or for throwing.

how well made are the toys you are buying? I have bought sone cheap toys and you get what you pay for.

Also, how well do you screen the kids before they come?

[Blackcat31]

w

are they playing with the toys the way they are intended to be played with? example the blocks are being used for building, not sitting on or for throwing.

While I agree with the throwing part I disagree with the statement about toys being played with as intended.

I allow my kiddos to use their imaginations and blocks are hard and durable. If they want to sit on them, they are more than welcome to.

Right now, one of my little guys is using my toy kitchen as the "ATM" and he is the banker. I noticed him also have a curved block (from the block enter) under his arm. I asked him what he is using that block for. He said, it's his binoculars. He needs them to see if any bank robbers are coming.

As long as my kiddos are playing nicely and not aggressively or rough, they can play with any toy in any way they choose.

[daycare]

While I agree with the throwing part I disagree with the statement about toys being played with as intended.

I allow my kiddos to use their imaginations and blocks are hard and durable. If they want to sit on them, they are more than welcome to.

Right now, one of my little guys is using my toy kitchen as the "ATM" and he is the banker. I noticed him also have a curved block (from the block enter) under his arm. I asked him what he is using that block for. He said, it's his binoculars. He needs them to see if any bank robbers are coming.

As long as my kiddos are playing nicely and not aggressively or rough, they can play with any toy in any way they choose.

I should have been more clear.

as intended for play, for example I have the large yellow, blue and red cardboard building blocks that are used for all sorts of things, but the kids can NOT sit on them, they are not intended for that. they will break.

otherwise I agree, as long as the kids are PLAYING with them, I dont care how they play with them as long as it is respectful and with care.

[Blackcat31]

I should have been more clear.

as intended for play, for example I have the large yellow, blue and red cardboard building blocks that are used for all sorts of things, but the kids can NOT sit on them, they are not intended for that. they will break.

otherwise I agree, as long as the kids are PLAYING with them, I dont care how they play with them as long as it is respectful and with care.

[daycare]

I teach my kids this mantra..

think...

is it safe?
is it respectful?
is it responsible?

yes, this may seem like its hard to teach kids, but really it's not at all.

kid is jumping on the chair...I ask is that safe? No not safe
is that respectful? no, you need to take care of our chairs, don't break them.

I have two year olds that will say, billie is not respecting our toys. or billie is not responsible, he leave a mess.

it's actually very easy to teach when you give them the word and actions together and explain it every time an opportunity comes up.

[Unregistered]

I always get one child, or more, who just won't play nice. I model, but when I give them another option they will break it. Like another toy or say art supplies. Right now, I have one child who will scream until I give them they toys they want.

[daycare]

remove and redirect.

like pp said I would only provide solid or soft toys they can't break until they can show you that they can take care of them and not break them.

I would not give into a child screaming, redirect or if they are old enough to use words, I would ask them to use their words.