Has this ever happened to anyone else? You have a child pick up a mushroom and he/she starts towards the food bin. The child then becomes distracted (mine started spinning - close to the fire) and suddenly the mushroom is gone! What happened? Did she spin so hard the mushroom flew out and landed in the fire?!

Children often forget to look where they are going when they are running about, so they bump into things and may drop what they're carrying.

In more realistic terms, I think what happens is that at the time when the mushroom/collectible would have disappeared off the ground, or shortly thereafter, it also disappears when the child is carrying it. Ordinarily, they can get it where it's going with plenty of time to spare, but if they get "stuck" someplace, it's more likely.

I've had it happen even without them being stuck, though, most often when a child is trying to get a collectible from the very bottom of the screen all the way to the research hut. Very frustrating.

That happened to me when my child was carrying the last stone needed for my collection

Fawn

sometimes when i make a kid pick up a pebble in a certain place she just drops it. i usually hold her over the fire for punishment

Holding them over the fire for punishment??? Isn't that a bit drastic LOL??

I also trap them on the piece of land in the pond. they can't leave until either A)they become 14 or B) I decide to take them off

wow cruel i like it lol now i can teach mines a lesson and my things disapear and then once reapeared later