Muktza Toys | Imamother

drez

Sat, Feb 06 2010, 1:57 pm

Just curios at what age people start taking away these toys on Shabbos. Or doyou never give it to them in the first place. Care to share your style...

shalhevet

Sat, Feb 06 2010, 2:03 pm

It's not a style - there are halachas when you should take away muktza toys (and what's called muktza; muktza for an adult isn't always muktza for a child); when you should tell a child 'no' etc. Also, what do you call muktza - an issur midoraisa (eg lighting a bulb) or midrabanan (eg ringing a bell) or something assur for adults to do (eg building some construction toys like lego).

In short, ask your LOR.

Ruchel

Sat, Feb 06 2010, 2:05 pm

Some take them away before shabbes.
Some take them away and give others, non muktse.
Some don't care until an older age.

I'm conflicted what to do. I don't want dd to associate shabbes with being deprived, but it bothers me. I often say ok, next shabbes I take them away, then I see or hear of very frum people being more tolerant and then I reconsider, etc.

drez

Sat, Feb 06 2010, 2:09 pm

Shalhevet, I was not planing to get so technical... I am just talking about all the toys that make noise and lights etc. We used to take the few toys away but now my 1.5 year old got a lot more and I am not sure when I should take them away. For the lights and other things I tell her no but she does not listen so for that I have to wait until she has a bit more understanding. The toys I can take away as I am in control but I am not sure if it is necessary yet, meaning I do not think it will give her a better understanding or any at all for Shabbos.

Ruchel

Sat, Feb 06 2010, 2:21 pm

The thing I found really hard to take away was a singing brochos book. She loves to listen to them and sing along, and "in spirit" it's perfect on shabbes. I think now she has understood on shabbes you can't do it.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Feb 08 2010, 11:13 am

Our electronics and coloring items are delegated to a top shelf always.
During the week, if the children are playing with them, the adults take them down. On Shabbos, they stay up there.

gryp

Mon, Feb 08 2010, 11:33 am

Let the batteries die and don't replace them. Smile

I go by when the child can understand the concept of not being allowed to play with something he plays with every other day of the week. I do put stuff away but if he somehow gets it down, I ignore it until he's done playing, and then kick it under the couch or something.

flowerpower

Mon, Feb 08 2010, 11:36 am

I barely have muktza toys. I only have some light and sound ones for the baby that is usually in the closet anyways and taken out when the baby plays with it. The muktza toys like remote control car are in the toy closet too. By age 2 1/2 I tell the kid muktza and by three am really strict they shouldn't touch it.

melbee

Mon, Feb 08 2010, 11:47 am

Right now I take away the lights and sounds toys erev Shabbos and put them in a cupboard. If he happens upon one, that's fine. I moreso am taking them away b/c it disrupts our Shabbos to have them on all the time, and DS has by now figured out how to turn them on all by himself. Currently he's the agreeable type though, and doesn't mind playing with his non-lights and sounds toys, and I'm hoping he stays that way for awhile. I'm also hoping to instate a "Shabbos toys" cupboard when he's older, so when we take away the every day toys that are muktza, we bring out special Shabbos toys and books. Hopefully that way it won't be an issue of "you can't have this on Shabbos" so much as "you get to play with these toys now". Since DS is only 11 months tho, this is far from being put into practice, and we'll see how it works out.

the world's best mom

Mon, Feb 08 2010, 12:44 pm

I wouldn't say anything to a kid under 3 years old, unless they want me to help them. Then I would say, "Mommy can't do that on Shabbos becaus eit's Muktzah." For a 3 year old, I might make comments like, "It's better not to play with that because it's Muktzah." Then I would look away, and it's up to the kid if she wants to stop or not. My 4 year old knows on her own when things are Muktzah, but if she would play with a Muktzah toy, I would probably tell her it's Muktzah and not force the issue.

natmichal

Mon, Feb 08 2010, 1:37 pm

Muktza was always out of reach or taken away. If asked for, I'd say sorry but it is not a good game for shabbat and offer another one.
Now, I don't even bother taking them away since at age 5 and 6.5 they know not to touch them (we had a few hiccups on the way but very few). Or we pu the toys away together (as in I ask them to give me the mukza things and they learn what is mutar and what not this way)
The kids will come to me when in doubt.
I never even offered rattles on shabbat to my kids as infants even though it's not a problem because this way I was never asked by them to rattle the toy, and didn't make people who don't know better rattles it for them either.
Somehow I don't think my kids ever felt deprived because of shabbat.
I think it boils down to how you present the whole situation.

Mama Bear

Mon, Feb 08 2010, 1:55 pm

I dont put away muktzeh toys. My older one is old enough ot understand he cant play with them, and my 18 month old - I dont give it to them but if he takes them out himself, he's too young to know otherwise.