They share with Woody the fear that they might be replaced in Andy's play. The toys anxiously await news of Andy's birthday gifts. The deployment of small army figures sent out to scout the birthday party and to bring back the news to the rest of the toys is a very clever touch. Their actions show how seriously the toys take their role in Andy's life. They do not want to be discarded, abandoned, or not played with by him.
Children learn a great deal about social relationships through their play.
In the film there are strong conflicts between good and evil. It is hard to watch Sid, the next door bully, damage his toys and then those of his sister. This kind of destructive behavior can unfortunately extend to sibs, pets and other children. Play, a natural part of children's inner life, must be appreciated, observed and handled appropriately. If a child does something consistently destructive in their play it is essential that parents find out why so they can assist the child with whatever the problems may be.