Toy Rotation

My kids played with a new toy for a while and then the toy would sit, unused, for long periods of time.  One experienced mom I knew gave me some great advice!  She told me to rotate out the toys.  Put some away for a while and then bring them back out. The kids play with them like they’re new! Or maybe more appropriately, like an old friend they haven’t seen in a while.

This idea is a perfect fit for our special kiddos for a couple of reasons. First, they stay in the same phase of toy play for a longer period.  The lite brite may be appropriate for them for years, but if it is there all the time, they stop seeing it.  They get bored with it, just by its presence, but if it goes into a closet for a while and then gets featured on the shelf, they may just pick it up and start playing with it again.

Second, our kids can sometimes get in a rut.  Rotating the toys each month (or on any random schedule) helps them to be flexible about their environment. It lets them learn that they can play with whatever is available that day. This prepares them for life’s fickle finger of fate: a broken toy, weather that doesn’t allow access to an outdoor toy, toys that need to get donated or a toy with a missing piece that can no longer be used.  Any of these scenarios might happen, so it is great to prepare your child by building their flexibility around playtime.