WHAT A KID REALLY WANTS IS... A BIG BAG FULL OF PLASTIC!

Driving home from elder daughter’s swimming lesson, I spotted a huge (plastic) bag of stuff outside a nearby house with a label on which read “FREE”. Plastic-senses tingling, no sooner had I deposited a chlorinated child at home than I strode out to salvage the sack of as-yet-unknown bounty. A glance was enough to show there was a fair bit of plastic fun to be had, and an opportunity to redistribute some used plastic that might otherwise get chucked in a black bin. Grabbing the bag, I lugged it home and brought it to the little Redacters.

“Now girls,” I began, “there are some toys in here, but we won’t necessarily be keeping-” That was as far as I got before the raptors descended.

“Let me pass you the things out of the bag one by one,” I suggested.

“Nah, tip ‘em all out on the floor over here,” commanded Mother Superior. She’s a bit unpredictable about when she likes being tidy, y’know.

Cue a good hour or more of happy mini Redacters exploring a whole range of nearly-new toys and books!

End result – a few new (old) toys for the kids to keep, a few broken items thrown regretfully in the black bin – but a whole lot more to take to the charity shop to raise money and find new homes.