How Toy Rotation Saved Our Sanity: A Simple System to Reduce Clutter and Boost Kids’ Playtime
Children’s toy collections can grow very quickly – something I experienced firsthand after my son’s first birthday. He already had no shortage of toys, but after his birthday, it was out of control! We were storing his toys in an open wooden truck, but eventually we started running out of space for everything and I started to notice that he was only playing with the toys right at the top. His attention span was also very short and he didn’t engage much with each toy before moving on to the next one. As an A-type mom I was also just really struggling with the constant clutter of toys. I started researching and came across the amazing idea of toy rotation. We have implemented it into our home and it has been a GAME CHANGER!
What is toy rotation?
Toy rotation simply means displaying a set number of your child’s toys at a time, and storing the rest for them to play with at a later stage.
How to set up a toy rotation (this approach is best for kids under 3/4)
The basic principles of toy rotation are simple. Firstly, have some kind of open shelf to display the toys on. Your child should be able to see each toy and reach each toy. Display 8-10 toys at a time. Make sure you have a wide variety of toys displayed at a time (for example, don’t display 10 puzzles or 10 cars). Rotate these toys every 1-2 weeks (although we have even gone 3-4 weeks sometimes when life is busy). That’s it!
Benefits of toy rotation
- Each time you rotate the toys and bring out new toys (even if they have played with them before at some stage) it is so exciting for them! Kids love novelty.
- Limiting the number of toys you have out can promote focus – this leads them to engage with the toy for longer and can help them to master individual skills. When there are too many toys on display, the variety can be overwhelming and they often flit quickly from one toy to another.
- Rotating toys makes it easier to keep things tidy (big win for mom!) What we have also recently noticed with our son is that he has started packing his own toys away, as each toy has a designated spot that is easy for him to see.
- It promotes boredom! In a fast-paced digital world that thrives on instant gratification it is healthy for our kids to learn how to be bored. Boredom fosters creativity!
- It creates more useful, usable space in your home.
- It is a sneaky way to teach your kids appreciation for everything they have.
- Depending on how you choose to rotate the toys it can end up saving you a lot of money. Old toys, when hidden for a few weeks, quickly feel like new toys all over again! Buying new toys regularly is not necessary.
Some other handy tips and tricks
- When setting up your rotation initially it is helpful to gather all of your toys in one place. Throw away toys that are broken, donate what you feel can be donated, and categorize the rest. The categories you choose are completely up to you. Some examples include cars, dolls, puzzles, fine motor toys, gross motor toys, fantasy play, electronic toys and building toys.
- The storage of toys is also up to you. You can buy clear plastic bins, place one toy from each category into a bin, number them and rotate a whole bin each time for a Pinterest-perfect setup. Or you can use random tubs and containers you already have lying around the house, chuck whatever toys will fit into the container and make it up as you go with each rotation. It really doesn’t matter! All that matters is that you have some idea of how you have stored your toys and a system that works for you and your family.
- Rotate toys while your child is asleep or not at home. It helps limit tantrums if they don’t know where the unused toys are stored (TRUST me on this one).
- You don’t need to rotate every toy every time. Favourite toys can stay for weeks at a time! If you notice your child is losing interest in a toy, it’s time for a swop. If you notice a toy has not been played with for 2-3 rotations, it’s time to donate it. We chose not to rotate books or art supplies and have those accessible at all times.
The rotation may sound like a lot of work, but once you have figured out your system, it is a pretty seamless process – and the squeals of excitement when he comes through from his room and notices the new toys are worth it every time! Try it – I can promise you you won’t regret it!