Do you ever feel like your kiddo just has too many toys? And they don’t actually play with a majority of them?
They could be scattered across the house, maybe half in one room and the rest in the other, or they’re all getting jumbled together during clean up and who knows which toy goes with which anymore.
This is a problem I have been running into recently. As we clean up from the holidays and try to make room for new toys and gifts, it has been feeling a bit overwhelming. It seems like a good problem to have, right? My kid has too many toys! For me, it doesn’t feel like a good problem because my son isn’t actually playing with them.
Parenting Hack
Here’s a parenting hack I recently learned: Toy rotations!
Rotating your child’s toys is a great way to keep them interested. For a child, having so many options can become overwhelming. And that’s something we can identify with as parents, too.
I started trying to implement toy rotating in my own home, and I ran into a bit of a speed bump right off the bat.
The first step is to clear out a space where you can keep the toys that are not currently in rotation. Obviously, this is where I ran into trouble. I don’t have a large apartment and storage space is definitely limited. So, where would we keep the toys my son isn’t currently using?
Finding Space
I went through the top shelf of his closet, but even after finally parting with a few things that we don’t use anymore, there still wasn’t enough space for this specific project.
Then I remembered that I had a single set of lockers (one on top of the other) that I had gotten at a thrift store and had been storing in a family friend’s garage until I had a good use for it.
This would be the perfect thing because he can’t reach the top locker. And if I need more room for toys out of the rotation, I could put a lock on the bottom one.
I am a huge proponent of utilizing your local thrifts, purchasing used items when possible, facebook marketplace and other sources. You never know what you can find!
Sorting Rotation Sets
Once the problem of where to store the out-of-rotation toys was solved, it was time to decide which toys will go where. I found it helpful to sort the toys into bins or bags and label each for easy identification. It can be good to try to have each rotation include different types of toys, such as building sets or blocks, sensory and pretend play items.
How many toys should be in rotation at a time? If your little one is under three years old, try starting with six to 10 toys. You may want to leave out one or two favorites that serve as comfort items for your child. Make sure to place the toys that are in rotation where your child can easily get to them.
Keeping Kiddos Engaged
As you begin this process, take note of your kiddo’s interactions with their toys. If they seem to be completely avoiding one toy in the rotation, maybe switch it to another. If you see your child dumping everything out and mixing them together, it could be a sign you need to take a few toys out of that rotation to condense the number of options.
You can switch the rotation every week or couple of weeks. If your little one seems bored of this rotation a few days early, go ahead and switch! You make the rules.
The purpose of rotating is to encourage more focused and independent play. And if we parents have a bit less clutter around the house, that’s just an added bonus!
Sophie Hamel is a freelance writer and works in advocacy for victims of interpersonal violence. Her son is two-and-a-half years old.
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