The Ultimate Guide to Toy Rotation
Has your child ever stood in a room filled with toys and said, “I’m bored”? Toy rotation is a simple solution to this common problem. Most children have too many toys and feel overwhelmed by choice.
In toy rotation, instead of having all the toys out at once, you divide them into smaller, more manageable groups. These groups are then switched out every so often, keeping the toys fresh and interesting. Since there are not as many toys out, children are more likely to dive deeper into meaningful play instead of flitting around from toy to toy and playing superficially.
How can I start toy rotation in my home?
Step 1: Planning- Think of all the play spaces in your home and the purpose they currently serve. What would you ideally like to see? For example, you may have a space dedicated to art projects and another dedicated to dress up.
Step 2: Declutter- Before setting up the toy rotation, you’ll need to declutter what you currently have. Go room by room and toss, donate, or recycle toys your child is ready to part with.
Step 3: Get your bins- I like the kind that are clear and can stack. The number of bins you need depends on how many toys you have and how much space is available to store them. I like to start with 3 bins in each space, and you can add or take away as needed.
Step 4: Time to sort- Starting in the first play space, sort all the toys into the different bins. You can group them according to themes if you like- i.e., all the cars in one bin and all the animal figurines in another. Repeat this step in each play space.
Step 5: Store away- Choose one bin from each play space to be the first bin out. Store the others away- stacked in a closet, in the garage, etc. Label the bins so you know which location they came from. For example, “basement- 1”.
Step 6: Highlight the first box- Set up the toys from the first box in a way that invites your children to play with them. Try placing each item on a low bookshelf for easy access and displaying them as they would be in a store instead of leaving them in the storage container.
Step 7: When to rotate- Rotate the boxes in a way that is manageable for you. You can rotate them daily, weekly, or monthly. When you get out the next box, your child will be so excited to see what is in the box! Old toys become new again, and they will naturally be engaged because they haven’t had access to those toys in a while.
Step 8: Next Level- If you want to take your toy rotation to the next level, you can create themed seasonal or monthly boxes to highlight different times of the year. You can also create Quiet Time bins and Busy Boxes with engaging activities for your child to play with independently when you need a break!
Tame the toy clutter and watch your children’s imagination soar!
