OT: Rotating toys

[tcmata]

I have seen on a few threads on this board about rotating your kids toys to keep the clutter down and get them playing with their toys more. I really NEED to do this. Can you tell me how you all go about this. Do you just go through all of the toys and put some in rubbermaid containers to store somewhere? How many do you leave out? How often do you rotate them? I have a DS4 and DD1 and am overrun with toys! DS is not a rough kid and all of his toys are in great condition. I guess my first step is going to be to weed out the toys that DD1 has "outgrown". I need to find my sanity!!

 

[SLDL]

It is so funny that you posted this today! Just yesterday I went through DD3's rubbermaid tub (it's a really big one) that I keep in her room. We had not been through it in a while & it was like Christmas!! I told DH that I should have saved all the $$ I spent on Christmas & just sat that box of old toys out.

To answer your question, when the kids are not around (b/c you know every toy will immediately become their favorite toy!), fill up one or more rubbermaid containers (those new huge Ziploc bags are also great) and hide it away for awhile. Keeps the clutter down & it will be like opening a present in a few weeks/months!!

 

[riley2008]

We did this the day after Christmas again this year. I used two Rubbermaid containers and filled them up with things the boys still play with, but haven't in maybe a month or so. Around spring break, I'll pull them out and exchange out toys. I'll do it again in the summer (when a change is needed) and again at their birthday in September. Keeps us on top of the clutter and toys. Also, if I discover that the toys I pull out are interesting, they quickly go away permanently (resale or give-away).

This time we put away the Playmobile stuff and some Fisher Price Imaginex stuff. (I'm really hoping the Playmobile stuff holds interests when we get it back out - I don't want to get rid of it.) I am looking forward to one of these days to put away our GeoTrax for a while - I'll be glad when it's gone.

 

[las3888]

I keep DS's toys in those new ziploc bags, or various boxes, etc. and stuff them in closets and/or decorative straw cubes. So, legos all go in one bag, hot wheels in another, etc. Of course, there are some really big toys that I just can't do that with. Smaller toys and misc. things get thrown in a misc. bag (I have many) these would be happy meal toys, etc. (these end up being particular favorites because of the huge variety of stuff in them).

I am feeling proud because after cleaning up from post-Christmas, my family room doesn't look like a preschool room anymore, but it does take discipline to take out and put away each toy after playing with, plus he doesn't thoughtfully get to choose what he wants to play with (unless he knows), it is usually me putting something out that he "hasn't seen in a long long long long long long time." He does enjoy this though, and I can honestly say that we play with just about everything on a fairly regular basis.

One wouldn't want to look in my closets though...for fear that an avalanche of toys might come crashing down!!!

Good luck!

 

[tcmata]

Thank you for the tips! I definitely agree that even a toy that hasn't been played with becomes a favorite if they think you are taking it away. So, good idea to do it when he isn't around! I know that just coming off Christmas, there are so many toys that he is overwhelmed and ends up not playing with much. So, this is definitely needed! Although we tried to keep it under control, our kids are the only grandkids on both sides and everyone feels the need to go way overboard.

So, tomorrow we are getting some totes that will fit in one of the closets upstairs and I'll get started. I'm actually excited about doing this! It will get his interest up and help me regain some space!! Oh- and I agree about the closets. I cleaned up all of the upstairs but warned by DH to not open closets quickly lol- those will take a little more time to go through!