[crazygringo]

Except that kids tend to destroy things (the binoculars obviously, not a trowel), tend to be violent with and throw things (a real gardening trowel is heavy and could injure their sibling for life), and quickly lose interest in things (they forget about the $20 binoculars long before their lack of quality is apparent).

I mean it depends on the ages of your kids... but there are very good reasons most toys are cheap plastic. It didn't just happen accidentally. It's a feature, not a bug. (Except for landfills, of course.)

[drewboo]

It seems like the most responsible choice as a parent would be to buy fewer, more durable toys. But is that a realistic expectation?

[em-bee]

i don't know if it's a realistic expectation for everyone but i absolutely loathe getting new toys because with the exception of lego and compatibles and a few other constructable toys and plastic animal figures none of toys we ever got survived beyond a few weeks.

i once bet my son that the toy he wanted so badly would not survive two weeks. and if i won, he'd have to promise me to never ask for junk toys again, but focus on lego and compatibles.

the toy survived 3 weeks.

[drewboo]

That sounds like a great way to teach your son the meaning of value, nice work :D

[em-bee]

and it seems to have worked. we were looking at toys in passing. and when i pointed out the quality of the material of one particular toy that he was looking at, he agreed, and said he didn't want it anyways.

he may soon be ready for a new brick set then...