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Creating a Toy Rotation System

Creating a Toy Rotation System

Posted On February 13, 2013

Ever feel like your kids have a whole room of toys, but nothing to play with?  It is like the childs equivalent of Mummy’s wardrobe!  Full to the brim of stuff but when it comes time to use anything you feel like you have NOTHING!

We are lucky enough to have a “room” dedicated to toys.  and Yet they seem to either alwasy ply wth the same toys or struggle to play with anything.  So earlier this year we created a plan.  I wanted to try “Toy Rotation” .  This system can be as basic and complex as you like.  This has been a system that has always operated in childcare centres and classrooms as the toys/resources/books change depending on the season, unit being taught/interests of the child. Here is how we did it…….

Firstly I decided that some items needed to be out at all times.  We went with…..

  • Dolls/Prams
  • Play Kitchen
  • Books
  • Basic Lego
  • Toy Cars
  • Play Dough
  • Collage
  • Drawing/Tracing/Colouring

1. Create a Catalogue.  With all the other toys I created a toy catalogue.  I used a table with the following headings and wrote the name of each toy underneath it.  This is time consuming but trust me after you write this list you will be amazed at how many toys your child really has!

  • Construction (Blocks, mobilo, Lego, Duplo, Connect a blocks, Train Set, straws)
  • Imaginary/dramatic (Farm Animals, Dinosaurs, Little People, Hospitals, Schools, Restaurants)
  • Puzzles (Magnetic, Peg, Floor, Latch Board)
  • Games (Board Games, Card Games, Games of Skill, Games of Chance, computers)
  • Fine Motor/Manipulatives (Threading, Lacing, Pegs, Drawing Boards)
  • Learning (Leap Pad, Leap Frog Letters, Magnetic Numbers)
  • Busy Bag (Small indpendent activities)
  • Books 
2. Now you need to make some decisions
  • How often will you rotate the toys?  For me it was weekly in the school holidays and fortnightly during school term.
  • How many of each category will you put out to keep them interested for this length of time?
  • Where will you store a) the items they can play with b) the items for rotating?
3. We are using this old “Collage Trolley” from my classroom.  This trolley has also been used a second change table when the children were babies!  Any old change table, bookcase, set of shelves, basket system will do!!!
From Top to Bottom for this particular week we had
Busy bags – These are independent activities in a small bag.  These are primarily aimed at Little Miss A who is nearly 3.  I will show you whats in them next time!
 
  • Fine Motor – Large buttons and shoe laces for threading
  • Book Basket – Valentine’s Themed books
  • Puzzles – I have a great little stand I got form Big W – On it I have 5 “general” puzzles.  On the top is a magnetic, dress the Ballerina puzzle and next to it is our “latch board”
  • Fine Motor/Constrauction – Peg Board (this one was from Kmart for under $15)
  • Imaginative Play – Schools!!!  I put the leap frog letters in here and they have been playing “schools” with them!
  • Large Construction – Basic wooden blocks with a container of “city” blocks and car track.
These have been out for a week and a half and tmrw I am hoping to change them over in time for the weekend!
We have used 3 different places to store the other toys under the stairs, on the back of the large bookshelf and in our Trofast/Expedit system in the playroom.  I hope to share that with you next week!
So what do you think is Toy Rotation an option for you?