After the excitement of unwrapping all those gifts on Christmas morning, how can you make the thrill of all those new items last?
Organising your Christmas toys
This article explores the different ways in which you can organise your child’s toys so that they never get bored of them.Decide what categories you would like to divide the toys into. Some of the categories I have organised my children’s toys into include:
- By toy type: lego, duplo, kinex, dolls, transport, dressing up etc
- Season boxes: place toys that are appropriate for each season. Toys for summer-water table toys, outdoor toys, outdoor chalks etc
- Theme boxes: movie character toys, fantasy characters, animals, sea creatures,
- Colour boxes: organise random objects according to colour-a red box, blue box etc
- Independent boxes: include toys they can play with on their own.
- Garden boxes: include outdoor toys-for water,digging,ball games, etc
- Craft boxes: include any materials you may need for crafting activities.
- Age: especially if you have a variety of ages in your family. I have a box set aside for toys appropriate for under twos.
- Board games and puzzles
Once you have decided which categories you want to create, you will need a few boxes. Coloured or clear plastic boxes with lids are especially useful and come in various sizes. Label them according to the categories you chose.
After about a week has passed ( or when you notice that the initial excitement has worn off) take any new toys and place them in the appropriate boxes.
Now here is the secret. ONLY make a few boxes at a time available. Pack away some of the boxes and each week or two rotate the boxes so that the children don’t tire of them and have a renewed interest when the boxes reappear. Every few months, check each box and make sure the toys have not become muddled or that pieces are not missing. Clear out the boxes and change the groupings so that different combinations of toys appear in the boxes which will encourage your child to play with them in different ways. Also remove any broken toys or any that you would like to get rid of.
This may sound like hard work but it is a good way to ensure that the toys are appreciated. It allows you to keep track of toys especially smaller items and makes tidying up easier. This is also helpful for you to keep track of toys your child has outgrown. If a specific box regularly gets neglected, you know it is time to find them a new home!
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I am a preschool and primary school teacher and mum to 3 children. I have been involved in education since 1997 and have trained in a variety of educational specialist areas. It is with this expertise that I write articles to help parents and educators provide quality learning experiences for the children in their care.
