Your #1 Tool for the Season of the Toddler: Toy Rotation
You’ve probably heard of toy rotation before, but here’s a quick review anyway…
Toy rotation models after the Montessori concept of the “prepared environment,” an idea that curating a child’s environment in an organized, thoughtful manner will stimulate their learning experience overall (1). Just like us, kids can be overstimulated by too many choices (AKA, too many toys to play with) and if you’re a busy mom like me, I bet you’re no stranger to the occasional sense of overwhelm with toys. They multiply on their own, mysteriously filling baskets and shelves in the night. Not to mention the many found treasures of nature - rocks, shells, feathers, and more - that would cover every surface if your little tot had their way.
In this post, we’ll go over toy rotation, how to start a toy rotation method if you haven’t already, and how to keep it simple. If you are thinking, “what the heck, I can’t think about toy rotations until I can declutter,” don’t worry!--I will provide a decluttering crash course at the end of this post.
What is wrong with too many toys, and why organize your kids’ playroom to begin with?
In today's consumer-driven world, it's easy to accumulate an overwhelming number of toys. As I mentioned above, too many choices can be counterproductive. Just like having an overstuffed closet makes it hard to choose an outfit, an excess of toys can lead to decision fatigue for children. Clutter and mismatched toys contribute to toy fatigue, where children lose interest in their playthings and become bored quickly. Toy rotation is a simple–yet effective–strategy to combat this toy fatigue. By limiting the number of toys available at any given time, children are more likely to engage deeply with what they have. This practice encourages imaginative play, enhances creativity, and supports independent play. Additionally, toy rotation simplifies clean-up, reduces clutter, and balances novelty without the need for constant new purchases (2).
I cross-reference several other sites for information on how to get started, and I include my own tips and tricks for the process as well. I’ve named all additional resources at the end of this post. Now, without further ado:
Reasons you may want to get on the toy rotation train:
You think your kid grows bored with their toys quickly
Your child does not seem to engage in play for longer periods of time
You are overwhelmed by the amount of toys in your home
You want to try something that could help your child play with more focus
You want to try out one of the tried-and-true Montessori concepts
How to Start a Toy Rotation:
#1 Declutter and Organize
Begin by gathering all toys, including books, and sorting them into categories: keep, donate, and discard. Organize the kept toys by type or function. This step sets the foundation for an effective toy rotation system.
Tricks:
Equip yourself with shopping bags, baskets, or bins to sort your materials, and have a marker and sticky notes handy to keep track of your categories.
Make sure to remove the donations from your home (your call whether your kid can be involved or not) to make the space you’ll need for the rotation to work.
DO NOT INCLUDE FAVORITE TOYS in the toy rotation. If your child has favorite items, those can be separate from the rotation and can continue to revel in its special status.
#2 Group Remaining Toys
Make subcategories with the remaining items that you are keeping for your child to play with. You may be left with subcategories such as “books,” “blocks,” “musical instruments,” “action figures,” “puzzles,” “cars,” or “animals.” There’s hundreds of types of toys, so this list could really go on.
Note:
Most toy rotations keep between 8-10 toys (or toy types) out at a time. Choose your first 8 (either at random or with careful curation) and then set the rest to the side for temporary storage.
#3 Store “Out-Of-Rotation” Toys
Select appropriate storage systems for toys not currently in rotation, such as storage bins with lids or cardboard boxes. Store them where your child does not see or have access and ensure they are convenient enough for YOU to access for easy rotations.
Note:
Toy rotation frequencies vary. Many say to rotate toys every week, however some say every few weeks. I usually give rotate every 3 or so weeks. I notice Max really get excited about the toys and books when I rotate them - there is a real sense of novelty again!
Pick a time frame that you think works for you and change it as you adjust to the system and work out the kinks.
#4 Display Current Toys
Arrange a limited number of toys in the play area, ensuring it remains tidy and inviting. A clutter-free space promotes focused play and skill mastery.
Tips:
A major principle of toy rotation is that your child has easy access to everything in the current rotation–make sure you have some low shelves or bins that your child can access on their own!
A major benefit of simplifying the setup of your child’s current toys is that it becomes much easier to manage and cleanup and makes it more likely that your little one will be willing to help!
#5 Implement the Rotation
Monitor your child’s engagement with the toys and adjust the rotation frequency as needed. Keep the process flexible to accommodate your child’s changing interests and developmental stages.
Tips:
If you notice certain toys do not get much attention even when it is “novel” in the rotation, time to donate that toy! It’s likely that your child has outgrown that plaything.
Make sure you do the physical rotation of the toys when it makes sense for your child. Some children do not want to see toys going away and will get upset, which means you must move in the shadows!
What supplies you may want for a toy rotation:
Effective toy rotation requires some essential supplies.
Large bins
Suitcases
Cardboard boxes
Oversized buckets
Labels
Labeling your toy and book rotation containers ensures you can easily find and rotate toys when needed.
For the toys on display, consider using small, child-sized trays or bins for your child to easily grab and collect what they need and eliminate some back-and-forth time. For books, consider facing the covers out toward the child so they can choose books they are interested in.
Additional Tips and Tricks For Toy Rotations:
Remember to give your child access to their favorite toys as long as they are engaged with them. The rotation is the extra boost for playtime.
Once interest wanes in a favorite toy, then you can downgrade it to the rotation.
Adjust the frequency of the rotation based on your child’s interest levels.
Do not hold your toy rotation and storage to standards of perfection–life ebbs and flows, so do your best when you can!
Regularly declutter toys and extra accumulated kid items (party favors, rocks and other treasures) to make room for the new.
Buy gently used toys or be open to receiving secondhand toys from friends and neighbors –it’s good for your wallet and the planet!
Have any friends that have kids the same age as yours? See if they’re interested in toy swapping every now and then (just don’t forget to return them!)
Save some toys for special occasions like birthdays, holiday celebrations, or even when you have certain visitors (ahem, the loud toy your brother gave you). Holiday themed books and toys can be packed with your decorations for that season.
As a professional organizer, I already knew I wanted to use toy rotation once I became a mom.
I know… I had a bit of an edge on this one. Because my profession had already taught me the value of simplicity and order, I was determined to maintain that lifestyle after I had my first kid. If you’re a mom reading this, I bet you’re already shaking your head–life as a mom is not easy.
It’s not always perfect, so if you are going to try to implement or reimplement a toy rotation, make sure you don’t hold yourself to impossible standards, they only get in the way!
Adopting toy rotation requires effort but brings immense benefits. It enhances your child’s enjoyment and learning, saves money, and maintains an organized play area. By starting and maintaining a toy rotation system, you provide a structured yet dynamic environment that fosters growth and creativity. I know I’ve embraced the process, and my payoff is watching my child thrive in their play.
Last but not least, a crash-course on decluttering a play area:
Equip yourself with sticky notes, a marker, empty bins, paper bags, and trash bags. The bins are to sort things you’re keeping, paper bags are for recycling/donations, and trash bags are for trash and soft/textile donations.
Gather all items into one area (can be a ginormous pile on the floor or somewhere slightly more comfortable)
Begin sorting items into piles and removing donations and refuse into the proper bag for donation, recycling, or trash.
Once you have piles of subcategories, go back through each pile to see if there’s anything else you think you would like to donate/clear away.
Finally, pick your first set of toys to be on display (about 8-10 toys total, perhaps a couple from each subcategory). Stow the rest in storage bins and ensure you label them and keep the subcategories separate and easy to manage.
Does organizing your playroom sound like a BIG job? No fear–we love professionally organizing playrooms!
And we’re here to help! Check out our services page to get acquainted with how we work, or book a free phone consultation today. If you like the sound of installing a toy rotation, we would love to help realize your dreams of a simple playroom with the flexibility to swap things around when your kid needs it!
Additional Resources
Thanks to the following sources for providing extra wisdom on this post’s topic:
Kuschner, D. S. (1981). The activity of young children: A comparison of the ideas of Montessori and Piaget (Publication No. 8118011) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts Amherst]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. https://www.proquest.com/openview/49dbf3f4055ba5c4068e61a1d9f0cb2b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Kathleen, Jamie. 2023. “The Art of Toy Rotation.” Lucie's List. https://www.lucieslist.com/the-art-of-toy-rotation/
Hidlebaugh, Ema. 2024. “Toy Rotation Categories didn't work, so we did this instead! — Minimize My Mess.” Minimize My Mess. https://www.minimizemymess.com/blog/toy-rotation
“10 Steps to Implementing a Toy Rotation System.” n.d. Joyful Abode. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://joyfulabode.com/implement-toy-rotation-system/
Noland, Kailee. n.d. “Toy Rotation: A Step by Step Guide — The Movement Mama | Developmental Support in Babies and Toddlers.” The Movement Mama. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://themovementmamablog.com/post/my-step-by-step-guide-to-toy-rotation
“Montessori Toy Rotation - How Often, How Many Toys?” 2019. Montessori Method. https://montessorimethod.com/toy-rotation/
“Montessori storage and toy rotation -.” n.d. The Montessori Notebook. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://themontessorinotebook.com/montessori-storage-and-toy-rotation
