As sure as the sun rises each day, toys will come and toys will go. But when your kids get tired of their old toys, how do you prevent the scenario we’ll all familiar within in Toy Story? Old and broken toys getting discarded, ending up at the bottom of the toy box, or worse still thrown away. No matter their condition there’s always a way to do your bit for the environment whilst you scour your kid’s bedrooms. It’s possible to recycle old toys instead of letting them loiter in a cupboard.
After birthdays and Christmas, toy boxes become flooded with exciting new arrivals. Last year’s craze gets relegated to the back of the queue. Many toys have broken pieces and missing parts get forgotten about in the bottom of the box.
So if you are looking to de-clutter and you’re not sure as to how you should recycle old toys then here’s a few suggestions of what you can do…
Pass them on or sell
If your child’s toys are in good condition then why not give them a new home, rest assure that there’s a child out there that will cherish them.
Organise a local toy swap (maybe as part of a wider community jumble trail outside your house), or post on local free ‘selling or swapping’ sites. Talk to other family and friends
Donate them to a local charity, such as Oxfam or a children’s hospital.
Donate them to good causes abroad. Poverty Child will happily accept your good quality donations.
Nurseries and primary schools may also be interested. Primary schools are always hosting fetes, jumble sales and will need some prizes to give away, as well as having extra resources in the classroom
Ebay & Gumtree and similar websites are great for selling off old stuff. And you would be surprised as to how much you can get for them. Make sure to take some nice photos and be honest about any failings in your listing. Like you, buyers will appreciate your honesty, and you’ll get better feedback as a result!
What can I do with broken toys and games?
Most toys that are thrown in the bin can be simply repaired. You can even look to YouTube for tutorials and tips on how to repair them.
Some manufacturers will take back and replace pieces or even sell you what you need. Lego allows you to explore their world further by giving you access to search for hundreds of pieces. And from 6p a part, you’ll be sure to replace that missing piece that probably got sucked up by the hoover!
Can I recycle old toys?
Plastic toys sadly cannot be taken to your local recycling centre, as they won’t accept them and they won’t be collected as part of your household recycling schemes.
Wooden toys can be tricky to dispose of as many of them have been painted, varnished or otherwise finished so they cannot be recycled. If they are in good condition then pass them on.
Electronic toys with computer chips, computer screens, and other electronic components cannot be put on the curbside. Instead, they need to be recycled with other electronics. Find your local recycling centre here.
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