I didn't want to say anything "negative" when this was first posted, but something has been nagging at me regarding this.

Just *why* is it so much better for kids to play with "proper" toys than it is for them to use what they can find along with their imagination?

Just *why* should kids be going to school and playing games rather than working?

My kids have a room that's *full* (to the point where it's hard to walk through sometimes) with toys from birthdays, Christmas, or just because Grandma saw something on sale. They hardly *ever* play with these toys. The most fun I've seen them have recently was playing with a couple of sticks in the woods or playing with seaweed and shells on the beach?

Why do we feel we need to shelter our children (as did the Gautama Buddha's parents) from the "realities" of this world? Isn't that just setting them up for a future crushing disappointment?