The bedroom is overflowing, the boxes are full, and still your child says: "There is nothing to do." Many parents know it, especially after birthdays and before Christmas. The question "can children have too many toys?" is asked often, and the answer is not a number. Here is a simple method you can use this week: rotation.
What is toy rotation?
Rotation means that only part of the toys are out at a time. The rest is packed away in boxes in a cupboard or in the attic. After a few weeks you swap, so some come out again. The idea is not new, and it costs nothing. It is your own experience that decides whether it works for you, so treat it as an experiment.
How to do it, step by step
- Take all the toys out in one place. It looks bad for ten minutes, but then you know the full picture.
- Sort into three piles. What your child plays with every week. What your child rarely touches. What is broken or no longer used.
- Involve your child. Your child can help choose what to save for later. It helps to say that nothing disappears for good.
- Pack one or two boxes. Put what your child rarely uses in the boxes. Write or draw on them so your child knows what is inside.
- Set a date. After two to four weeks you swap. If your child misses something, it comes out straight away.
What gets played with most?
Look at what is still used again and again. For many families it is the sets that can be used in many ways: blocks, figures, building and role play sets. Toys with one function are often explored quickly and put away. This is an observation from everyday life, not a scientific claim, but it can help you sort. We have written about open ended playif you want to know more about toys without an answer key.
Make it easy to keep order
- Have fixed places for what is out, so tidying up is quicker.
- Use open boxes rather than lids, so younger children can tidy up themselves.
- Let building projects stand for a few days if there is room. Then your child can return to the game.
After Christmas and birthdays
Before Christmas it is a good idea to make room. Go through the rotation in November, so there is space for the new things and your child does not have to choose between old and new on the same day. Ask grandparents and family to choose a few good gifts rather than many. See also our guide to Christmas gifts for children.
Fewer things, more possibilities
Rotation is not about having less at any cost. It is about giving toys a chance. Crateit makes wooden toys that children assemble and colour themselves, and that can be rebuilt when play changes. A set can stay out for a long time because it can become something new. See wooden toys from Crateit. The sets arrive uncoloured and are coloured with markers.
Three small rules that make it easier
First rule: Start small. Choose one area, such as building toys, and pack half of it away. Second rule: Wait a week before judging. Children need to get used to the selection being different. Third rule: Keep the adults in the family in agreement. If someone takes the box out every day, the rotation loses its point. Tell each other what the plan is, and stick to it for a couple of weeks before judging whether it works.
Frequently asked questions
Can children have too many toys?
There is no right number. Ask yourselves instead: Is there play, and is there room for it? If the toys lie untouched in piles, a rotation may be worth trying.
How often should we swap?
Many choose every two to four weeks. Find the rhythm that suits your child and your everyday life.
What if my child protests?
Let your child choose what is out, and say that the stored toys will come back. Start with a single box.
Should the stored toys be kept forever?
No. If something has not come out after several rounds, you can consider passing it on. Decide that together with your child.
See Crateit Town, a wooden town that can be rebuilt and grow set by set.
