So instead I try to take clues by observing what it is that they value (beyond the toys and books they prefer). What are some of the stand-out items that rank as their own little treasures?
Each boy has his own collection of treasures in the same relative location: on the dresser surface in their room. While individual items may change from time to time, in general the type of items remains pretty static unless an external force (generally parental-enforced clean-up) exerts influence.
For Helios, our older son, this is his current inventory of treasures:
- An elephant humidifier (granted, this would be here whether he wanted it or not but he really likes it)
- A box of tissue (ditto)
- A book night-light (encased in a black zippered sleeve, upper left) that looks just like Mommy's and often is snuck under the covers
- A Nemo flashlight to scare away the monsters and create hand shadow puppets
- A white paper sack that was colored to look like a puppet; its name is Poppers 2 (Poppers 1 having been worn tissue thin)
- A plastic iron-melt airplane made at after care
- His harmonica, a gift from his paternal grandmother and grandfather just before a 10-hour flight across the country (yup, what you're thinking is exactly what we thought too)
- A token for the Loof Carousel in Spokane, WA
- A children's booklet of prayers, gift from school
- A Junie B. Jones, First Grader book (his favorite series right now)
- A Tigger wrist slap bracelet and purple airplane, both gifts from Aunt Elspeth
- A "bug's eye" loop from after school 'Mad Science' class
- A monkey head toy (how to describe this?) gifted from Uncle Thog
- A Zhu Zhu pet, train, camera, and magnifying glass from Grandma Jane and Grandpa Mel
- A Mickey Mouse playing soccer puzzle and Tic Tac Toe game, gifts from the Easter Bunny
- Shrinky-dinks, products of a project with Daddy
- Winnie the Pooh toys, harvested from Mommy's chest of treasures
- A Valentine's fuzzy head sticker with heart antennae received from a kid he likes at school
- An oyster shell given through the fence by the girl next door
- A penguin humidifier and tissue box
- Elmo slippers (Christmas gift from Santa two holidays ago and still fun to wear)
- Half of a Christmas ornament that plays "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" to put him to sleep
- His trophy from his first basketball season at the YMCA this year
- A Thomas the Tank engine watch
- The two current favorite books that he's working on memorizing: "Watch Out Mr. Rabbit!" and "Dr. Seuss's ABC"
- His "explorer" hat
- A thin version of Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, retained from his Easter chocolate bunny
- A flashlight to scare the monsters away
- Various cars from Pixar's "Cars"
- A Zhu Zhu pet and its car, gifted from Grandma Jane
- A Winnie the Pooh slap it bracelet from Aunt Elspeth
- Pieces of a game received from the Easter Bunny
- Parts to a Lego construction vehicle, presumably stolen from his brother's closet and thus far unnoticed
- A pine cone (behind Elmo) from a recent preschool field trip
Though the selection may change somewhat as new treasures are acquired and old ones retired, each one is appreciated separately with a story behind it...and always noticed if repositioned without prior consent.