As I said last week, we keep his toys in a small suitcase. When he needs a larger place to keep them, I'll probably find a larger suitcase. Why? My son is in the early stages of toddlerhood, so he has yet to figure out how to use a zipper effectively. I keep his toys in the suitcase and the suitcase zipped. In the mornings, after breakfast, we go to the suitcase together, and he picks out two toys. Then I zip the suitcase closed.
Right now, those two toys are enough to keep him amused for the day, in addition to regular household items (one of our chairs is a favorite amusement). In the near future, we'll probably change out the toys after nap time.
I can already hear the confusion: How will this help when he figures out The Zipper? The point here is not to restrict his access to toys indefinitely, but to change how he thinks about his toys. I'm trying to instill in him some self-restraint. We're also learning about cleaning up before starting something new, and he associates getting out new toys and putting away old ones with spending interactive time with a parent. And in terms of my own control over the situation, I can hear that zipper from two rooms away, so I will know about unauthorized access. Most importantly, though, is the look on his face when I open up the case. He's thrilled to see all of his toys again. Sometimes he'll choose the same ones he picked the day before, but usually it's something different, and he'll fondle many of his toys in the process, remembering why he likes them so much.
So even if this system doesn't work for you, I think it's a good example of frequent toy rotation. Bottom line:
- Limit the number of toys that are allowed to be out at once
- Rotate toys frequently
- Get toys out and put them away together when your child is young
- Limit the number of toy changes per day
Works for me! For more tips and tricks, check out Works for Me Wednesday over at We Are THAT Family.
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