Brooms and Mops Make the Best Toys
March 17, 2007 by Lei
Filed under Children's Toys
When my son was around three-year-old, there was nothing he liked better than to follow the housekeeping staff* around with his mop and broom. Even now, he likes to keep his set in the corner of the living room just in case an emergency clean-up is required. And that’s pretty much all the time!
Who knew these types of housekeeping toys can actually be collectibles. In Bend Weekly, Linda Rosenkrantz gives a history of housekeeping toys that’s fascinating even to this mama who’s a nigh awful housekeeper.
Brooms existed in this country from the time American Indians showed the early settlers how to make sturdy brooms from birch sapling branches, sometimes using wild grasses for sweeping. In 1876, the carpet sweeper was invented by Anna and Melville Bissell, and by 1890 it had somewhat superseded the humble broom. Miniature examples of both, sold singly and in quite elaborate sets, were popular with little Miss Homemakers who liked to emulate their stay-at-home moms.
By the way, my son’s favorite hand vac was this Barney Clean Up Vacuum
What’s your child’s favorite housekeeping toy?
*We lived in a serviced apartment in Vietnam at the time.
Tags: vietnam, children, kids, toys, housekeeping, chores, family, parenting, fun, vacuum, brooms, mops
We have this little stick vacuum that the kids love to use. If you hand it to our son, he turns it on by himself and chases the crumbs all over the kitchen and dining room in a very serious manner.
He’s not so good with the brooms though. He was happily sweeping away the other day and accidentally bopped his sister in the eye with the end of the stick. He loves the big broom, he’s just not so good with it.
Mike: You know those big brush brooms you use for cleaning the garden? Those are perfect for kids because they’re really stable and you just push. My son loves to help clean-up his grandparents’ garden.
Speaking of vacuuming, I really need to do some housework. *sigh*