Boxes, spatulas and the other unusual items your kids love

You can buy every toy and educational gadget in the store, but your toddler will more than likely develop an obsession with the cardboard box it came in. Am I right?

My daughter used to sleep with the remote control and my youngest shuns lego and blocks in favour of curtain rings and an old plastic tub I used to keep my Epsom salts in. A photo posted by a dad on Reddit sparked a hilarious conversation about the strange and unusual household items small children take a shine to. Lucas' dad wrote: "My 11-month old son, Lucas, watching laundry go while holding his beloved spatula. He hasn't put the spatula down for more than a few seconds in 5 days." The picture sparked comments from many parents who identified with the spatula obsession. One dad said: "My daughter loved her spatula. She would drum on everything and chew the other end. Then she hit me in the balls with it 6 hours after my vasectomy." And he wasn't alone, another added: "Yea, my kid has a knack for turning anything into a beat-stick. Actually, more like a whack-dad-in-the-balls-stick." Another poster said: "My almost two-year-old, too, is obsessed with spatulas. We were walking by a restaurant that had a fake dog out front. My son went to pet it and the hostess asked "what do you think the doggie's name is", so which my son replied "Spatula!" Surfrock66 admitted: "We have ALL the expensive baby toys...light up things, button things, little tables, little carts...so far, his favorites have been Sophie, the spatula, and the dog's old tennis balls. Everything else has been mildly amused at for a few days then ignored." Daddy-to-be Untoku was taking notes: "About to have a son. Shall now invest in spatulas. Spatulae? A spatula." BecauseFrog added: "He has a kindred spirit - I know a kid (13 now) who's nickname is Spatula because as a toddler his security item was a spatula. Apparently, he carried it everywhere for about two years!"

Another had a slightly odder story to share: "My younger brother carried around a VHS tape (not a specific one, he would just grab one daily off the shelf) and held it with him all day and then would go to sleep with it." Does your kid have an unusual favourite toy? Let us know so we don't feel so alone.