Toy Rotation

Kids get bored so easily, especially toddlers. You can provide them with all of the toys they could ever dream of and they will still get bored and want to watch tv or play video games. They’re attention span is so limited at these young ages that it’s hard to keep up with them. Add in their relentless amounts of energy, we almost feel doomed as parents to keep them entertained.

This is why I have introduced a toy rotation in our home. This is where you rotate their toys to keep things fresh and exciting, while not breaking the bank with trying to get them new and improved items to keep them interested. By selecting a collection of toy options available for play and the rest tucked away into storage, you are creating new and exciting playtimes within your own home. I get very overstimulated by clutter and mess, and so my first instinct is to get rid of half the stuff that is always the culprit of creating this feeling, but that is not fair to my children. A mess means they were having fun, so I needed to find a way to balance their entertainment and my sanity. This just works.

Now, if you are like myself and do not have a lot of storage space in your home to house the rotation pieces, consider rotating the toys to different play sections within your home. We keep toys on our main floor in a basket, in each of the kids rooms, and then in our basement playroom. By rotating toys by location, it can stimulate new fun within the new environment. My toddler always notices when things have been changed around and will play with something he neglected previously, all because it has been brought to his attention after a little while.

This can also show you what your kids are not playing with and it may be time to consider donating those items. If they are always ignored, or tossed to the side, they are not using them or enjoying them and maybe another family would love to have it and make good use of it. By reintroducing toys they already have, they are gaining new life with my kids and earning their keep. I try to change things up once a week, usually on Sundays, to start the week off with new things to play with.

We always keep staples out, like building blocks, balls, puzzles and cars, but sometimes I change up the amount of these items that are available or change the location in which they can be found. While we do other activities and crafts and go out when we can, the winters can feel long and the kids get bored and they need to place their energy somewhere. Toy rotations are just another way to try and implement newness to a day or week.

Melanie xoxox