Do you feel like your child’s toys are taking over your home? Are there toys littering every room, sprawled on every floor and crowding every corner? Toy clutter is overwhelming for parents and children alike.
When too many toys are out and available for play, it is hard for a child to know where to start. When the child becomes overwhelmed they may play with a toy for only a few moments before moving on to the next one. Often, the child seems to wander around or may aimlessly dump buckets of toys on the floor and just walk away; and the already tired parent ends up in a constant cycle of cleaning up.
The way to conquer toy clutter is by rotating toys. Parents leave out a small amount of toys and put the rest away to rotate in at regular intervals. At first, getting into the groove of toy rotation will require some extra work, however, it will payoff for children and parents alike!
How to get started:
1. Leave out a small number of toys from different categories (books, puzzles, vehicles, blocks, etc) so your child has a variety of toys to play with.
2. Put the toys to be rotated into a bin or baskets and place them where the child cannot access them.
3. Set a day (ie. Saturday mornings) when you will rotate the toys.
4. Always leave out the absolute favorite toy your child loves and plays with daily – their favorite stuffed animal, car, etc.
Benefits to limiting the number of toys:
1. The child spends more time with each toy which helps increase their attention span.
2. The child learns how to use the toy successfully which helps boost their self- esteem
3. When the toys are rotated back into play they feel like brand new toys which saves money.
4. There are fewer toys scattered around the house which makes happier parents!
~Written by Joan Llewellyn-Burns, M.Ed., Developmental Therapist
When too many toys are out and available for play, it is hard for a child to know where to start. When the child becomes overwhelmed they may play with a toy for only a few moments before moving on to the next one. Often, the child seems to wander around or may aimlessly dump buckets of toys on the floor and just walk away; and the already tired parent ends up in a constant cycle of cleaning up.
The way to conquer toy clutter is by rotating toys. Parents leave out a small amount of toys and put the rest away to rotate in at regular intervals. At first, getting into the groove of toy rotation will require some extra work, however, it will payoff for children and parents alike!
How to get started:
1. Leave out a small number of toys from different categories (books, puzzles, vehicles, blocks, etc) so your child has a variety of toys to play with.
2. Put the toys to be rotated into a bin or baskets and place them where the child cannot access them.
3. Set a day (ie. Saturday mornings) when you will rotate the toys.
4. Always leave out the absolute favorite toy your child loves and plays with daily – their favorite stuffed animal, car, etc.
Benefits to limiting the number of toys:
1. The child spends more time with each toy which helps increase their attention span.
2. The child learns how to use the toy successfully which helps boost their self- esteem
3. When the toys are rotated back into play they feel like brand new toys which saves money.
4. There are fewer toys scattered around the house which makes happier parents!
~Written by Joan Llewellyn-Burns, M.Ed., Developmental Therapist
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