I came upon this abandoned scene upstairs last week. At the moment I discovered it, as evidenced by shadow, the rainbow creation was resting in the windowsill. Serendipitous, don’t you think?

The boys have had this rainbow stacker for over five years and it is still in use. It dawned on me that simple toys (and things) just last. Simple things are uncluttered, unconnected, perfect for reuse. We have many other toys in the house, but some are strictly themed. When the boys play with Minecraft figures, that’s all they are. They are so distinctly Minecraft, they can’t be knights, pirates, Star Wars, or anything else. Yet these rainbow stackers can be used all the time because knights, pirates, Minecraft characters, or Star Wars guys might need ships or hideouts or hills. And man alive, wooden blocks! I can’t count the number of ways those blocks performed. Currently they are Minecraft islands, but previously they were Angry Birds courses, and before that Hot Wheels tracks. In fact, if I tried hard enough, I think I could link wooden blocks to their play all the way back to when they were toddlers.

As Dear Husband and I search for gifts for the boys this holiday season, I definitely need to pause and check the simplicity. I think we get our money’s worth when something is durable and simple. I’m leaning towards a schoolyard ball.