SBJ is just getting in the swing of actually playing with toys, rather than just carrying them around (one in each hand, one in the mouth). I find it fascinating to see what he finds fascinating.

My auntie and uncle recently delivered a toy car and wheelbarrow that were mine when I was his age, and passed down through siblings and cousins and now back. We’ve just been for a little visit to my parents, and the only toys we took with us, now that I think about it, were once mine: the car and the blue and red Tupperware shape sorter that you probably all played with too. 

Tupperware Shape-O (considerably cleaner and less scarred than our one).

We talk about toys a lot here. Too many? Too gendered? Too violent? Too untidy?! It’s not all fretting, of course, but I’d like to balance the thoughtful critiques with some toy celebration. A little start today.

If you have slightly older children, here’s an opportunity to get them in on the toy conversation.

Photographer Gabriele Galimberti spent 18 months travelling the world, capturing kids with their most prized possessions. The pictures are mindblowing.

Why don’t you take a look at the photographs with your kids? You could look up the locations on a map, talk about what they have in common with each of the kids and what they would want to be photographed with if Gabriele came to your house.

The whole collection, Toy Stories, and some commentary is on his site. Or you can see an article with a few key photos here to get started.

Maudy – Sibanda, Zambia, 2013, Gabriele Galimberti

Here are three of my favourites. I’d love to hear in the comments which ones you and your kids are most struck by, and what they’d choose to have in their photos.

Alessia – Toscana, Italy, 2013, Gabriele Galimberti

Tangawizi – Keekorok, Kenya, 2013, Gabriele Galimberti