Do you let kids play with your toy collections?

[PoserBeachball]

Depends upon the child.
My ponies are nearly all G1s and the ones on display are in cabinets so they look as if they are 'look but don't touch' in the same way as my collections of vintage china and horse figurines do.

I've got a few ponies in the workshop that they can have fun with as long as that doesn't include damaging them further - but I'm happy to play along to keep up some supervision.

Same as others I'd be more concerned about effects of old plastic on kids - but this is a country household with mud and animals etc hence we have very strict rules about washing hands after playing so that would be discussed with the parents.

[SpaceButtPonies]

I'm sadly going to be one of those and say, No. I'm not a huge fan of children, I don't have any and honestly don't want one. I've had too many bad experiences where things that I treasured got ruined by children (mainly by my younger siblings and said friends)

[Koudoawaia]

Don't have kids and would never let any play with my collection. There are some in it that I used to play with as a kid myself but they are retired as collection pieces now.

[BubbleTea]

This is why I keep schleich horses around even though I don't collect them. As far as I know those things could survive the apocalypse.

[Honeycomb]

Wow, I'm so surprised to read all those comments here.
Obviously, to me there is nothing better in the world than playing MLP again, and yes, with a child. Just staring at them and cleaning them up is just not the same as actually enjoying them in play.
My ex-bf's niece got her first G1 from me when she was barely a year old, a manky Cotton Candy and another, I forgot. Ever since then, she loved playing with me. As she got older, I especially took the PE out of storage when she came over to play with me, we had so much fun together, and she knew how to take care of my ponies. We played with all of them, even my Mountain Boys, and none of them got stained or destroyed. Now she is 13, and I think last December when I was back home was the last time we actually played, I think she is getting too old now. It made me very sad that those times are over.
However, I am having a little one myself in a few months, and I definitely plan on playing MLP together when he or she is old enough, and I honestly can't wait!!! I have waited to play with them again ever since I felt myself too old to play with toys.

[Nemesis]

Wow, I'm so surprised to read all those comments here.
Obviously, to me there is nothing better in the world than playing MLP again, and yes, with a child. Just staring at them and cleaning them up is just not the same as actually enjoying them in play.
My ex-bf's niece got her first G1 from me when she was barely a year old, a manky Cotton Candy and another, I forgot. Ever since then, she loved playing with me. As she got older, I especially took the PE out of storage when she came over to play with me, we had so much fun together, and she knew how to take care of my ponies. We played with all of them, even my Mountain Boys, and none of them got stained or destroyed. Now she is 13, and I think last December when I was back home was the last time we actually played, I think she is getting too old now. It made me very sad that those times are over.
However, I am having a little one myself in a few months, and I definitely plan on playing MLP together when he or she is old enough, and I honestly can't wait!!! I have waited to play with them again ever since I felt myself too old to play with toys.

Aww... Those are my feelings exactly (granted that the child in question is as well-behaved as the one you describe!). When I was young, my mother would get out her old childhood toys and we’d play with them together (under her supervision; these were toys from the 1960’s!). Those are some of my happiest memories. If I ever have kids of my own, we’re going to have some epic playtimes with my vast toy collection. X3

Other people’s kids are a mixed bag, and I use my discretion to decide who plays with what. And kids who still put things in their mouth... Yeah, they don’t handle anything—for their safety as well as my collection’s.

(And if I may make a confession... I still play with ponies. I’m not terribly interested in things that just sit on shelves looking pretty (and giving me more things to dust), lol.

[Shaz]

I picked 'depends on the child'. I don't have any children in my life (I prefer cats ), but, honestly, if I knew some nice not-wildly-destructive children I think I would let them play with my toys. I always had such fun playing with my parents' and grandmother's toys when I was little, I would want another child to experience that .

I don't think I would bother to show my collection to children that I wasn't going to allow to play. Children don't really understand the idea of keeping toys and not playing with them (I remember I could never understand why you would shut a cuddly Ty beanie in a plastic case) and it's not an easy thing to explain. It seems unfair to say 'here's all these really cool toys....and you can't play with them!' I suppose some children might be happy just to look (again, depends on the child), but I think a lot of them would wonder why you were showing them so much toy goodness then denying them access to it. My grandmother used to say 'lead me not into temptation' i.e. if you don't want a child trying to play with something, don't show it to them! After all, to them it might seem like they are 'rescuing' the MIP pony from being shut away....

(And if I may make a confession... I still play with ponies. I’m not terribly interested in things that just sit on shelves looking pretty (and giving me more things to dust), lol.

Same here! Ponies are for playing with! My biggest problem with the idea of children playing with my toys is that they might want to play a different game from what I like to play .

[Nemesis]

(And if I may make a confession... I still play with ponies. I’m not terribly interested in things that just sit on shelves looking pretty (and giving me more things to dust), lol.

Same here! Ponies are for playing with! My biggest problem with the idea of children playing with my toys is that they might want to play a different game from what I like to play .

This is what we’re all feeling, deep down.

On a related note, I sadly do not let my cats play with my collection at all. They have a bad history of trying to steal my things and hide them, lol.

[Leave a Whisper]

Congratulations Honeycomb. Wishing you a healthy pregnancy and baby.  

To the group in general:
This was meant to be about toys period btw. Plushies, dolls, animal toys, Pokemon, whatever else one may collect.

[banditpony]

To the group in general:
This was meant to be about toys period btw. Plushies, dolls, animal toys, Pokemon, whatever else one may collect.

Ah. I thought for some reason this was in the corral and was pony related.

I'm still quite lax about someone playing with the toys/plushies in my collection. To me -- it isn't the age -- it's about how responsible someone else is. 

I think the only thing off limits is the BJDs (only for now, because she isn't able to understand the amount of care they need. ) and the Sailor Moon star locket... (Though she plays with all of the other SM wands/lockets).

My grandmother used to say 'lead me not into temptation' i.e. if you don't want a child trying to play with something, don't show it to them! After all, to them it might seem like they are 'rescuing' the MIP pony from being shut away....

I like this. For the most part my collections are in my room -- in my closet. Generally open when no one is visiting (so I can see them!), and closed when visitors are here (house looks "cleaner" and not cluttered, lol).

But I also have things like a giant bulbasaur on couch, and there's certainly things intermingled in the kids playroom. lol.

[brightberry]

I let my niece and her friends play with my ponies.  They were a little rough but it was heartwarming hearing them in another room having adventures.  They didn't do anything as bad as I did when I was little.

[nessa16]

Depends on the kid but I cringe inside regardless lol.  When my daughter is older, will have to follow some rules about my collection and I have toyed with the idea of placing a lock on the door.  That way, no one goes in without my permission. 

[vira]

i dont have any friends or family nearby with kids, but i think if i did it would be sweet to see a little one playing with some ponies like some of you have described! :-)

i think i'd pre-select a nice group of them thats okay to play with, and leave the more delicate ones at home on their shelves.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I have no children around who will play with my collections, but it depends? My Unicornos are definitely a no-no, but as long as the ponies aren't being thrown they should be ok? Even outside is fine as dirt will just wash off...

[juliepinetree]

I put depends on the kids. I have a 4 year old girl, and she got my g4's for play. She PLAYS with her toys. Adventures, fun and exploring. But she has been taught to ask to see my special things I have and to be gentle and is the same way with my friends special items she lets her see. Kids can be taught, just know the kid. As a parent, I know my kid and know what and how to tell her. She is respectful. Other kids, well, it depends on how they are raised.