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Do you still have any of your toys from childhood? And, if you have them, are they in closet somewhere, or displayed in a creative way? There is something touching about saving what was once important to you, even if you don’t have children or aren’t even planning on having children.

My parents kept some of my toys in their attic for almost 30 years. I’m glad they did; it was heartwarming to see my daughter play with them. Until age 6 or 7, my old fashioned Barbie with the puffy blond hair and Stewardess outfit did just fine. Then my daughter realized that Barbies no longer change their clothes; parents just buy more Barbies. Poor puffy haired Barbie dropped low on the totem pole behind Mermaid Barbie and the Brat doll (who didn’t even have feet). Such is the way with new inventions…

So what have I done with such remnants of my youth? Well, it’s not exactly like we’re living in a toy store, but I put some items out now and then to add a little humor, and perhaps you can adapt these ideas to do the same with your possessions.

1. If you have a child-sized chair, stash it in a corner of a room, add a cushion, and then sit a doll on top of the cushion. Young guests will be drawn to that corner, and it could add just the whimsy you may want.

2. Small animal collections, or even horse statues, might fit on one of your shelves, especially in a workroom or office. Group like materials together, such as a collection of Beanie Babies and arrange them to be all sitting up or facing the same way.

3. If you have small toy fish, you can create an underwater scene by gluing them onto poster board that’s been painted in blue and green swirls, then attaching small seashells along the bottom, and framing it. This may work well in a bathroom.

4. Two or three similar stuffed animals (either by type or color) can also add lightheartedness where you need something different. Tie strips of material around them as scarves in the winter, and let them don sunglasses in summer.

5. If you display mini-cornucopias around Thanksgiving, see how children’s plastic fruit or vegetables look when displayed in it; they may or may not be too small. Another option is to arrange the fake food in small bowls around displays of pilgrims and fall items representative of the harvest.

6. Horseshoes and old game boards can be hung on the walls of game rooms or finished basements, and blocks can be set besides standing books, like book ends.

7. If you or your child has a collection of really small novelty items, you could consider making them into refrigerator magnets. All you need is a bunch of old advertising magnets, cut into 1 or 2 inch squares, and some heavy-duty glue. Find the flattest space of each object, glue the magnet piece on, and let dry overnight.

8. Old checkerboard or chessboards can be painted over with fanciful designs to become conversation pieces.

9. Consider hanging one or two shelves just for those special objects that you would like to have within sight, but don’t want to be in the way, such as past souvenirs, flags, or trophies-even if silly.

10. Bulk a large amount of small colored balls in a jar, place a collection of different playing cards in a basket, or drop several dozen marbles into a glass vase.

11. If you have older kids, they may be amused by “toy wreaths” using items from their earlier youth, such as a forgotten collection of plastic reptiles, bugs, dinosaurs, snakes all hot-glued onto a twig-wreath.

12. Another use for old toys could be a small Christmas tree decorated with a few strings of colored lights and model cars, small plastic novelties or tiny animal statues.

Finally, as mentioned a few weeks ago, cute centerpieces can be made by using toys arranged in seasonal themes.

Add a bit of panache to your surroundings with well-loved items from the past. You may not feel like a kid again, but you may just feel wonderment at life once again.