Simplay3 Blog

Toy rotation is a concept that has generated a good deal of buzz in recent years. Many parents are adopting the practice for its wide variety of benefits. For toddlers, toy rotation allows them to play in a more meaningful way, for a longer period of time. Some occupational therapists suggest that with too many options for play in front of them, toddlers could become overwhelmed and not reap the benefits of play. This method alleviates that by not only giving them the power of choice, but also the ability to focus on the same toy for longer. Toddlers also learn through repetition and can discover new ways to play with the same toy if it is rotated out and then back in. For parents, this gives you the opportunity to donate toys that aren’t played with often, maintain a clean space more easily, and help determine which toys are best for your child’s development. Below we have some tips for starting a toy rotation if you are interested in using this tactic in your home.

• Deciding on when to start rotating toys is dependent on the child- as long as they are able to move on their own to grab and hold their toys, you should be good to implement this, but every child will be different!
• Pick an assortment of toys with a variety of purposes (sensory play, fine motor skills, etc.) and place them on a shelf your child can reach. A benchmark of ten toys is best, but you can give or take a few depending on how your child plays.
• Put all other toys in a closet or somewhere out of reach and out of view.
• As your child plays, pay attention to what they play with the most and how they play. This can help you determine which toys to bring in next. 
• Rotate toys as needed. This should be no more than once a week to avoid meltdowns, but it can be anywhere between one week and a few weeks. Some weeks you can even rotate just a couple of toys out, while others it may be more, it will depend on what your child shows interest in.
• Try to do this rotation when your child is not around, keeping favorites out and in the same place so the change isn't as obvious to them.
• Books can be rotated in the same way if your toddler likes to read, keeping your at-home library easy to maintain! The Cozy Cubby Reading Nook is at little ones’ level, making it the perfect space to rotate books in and out.

Here are some resources we found helpful in learning about toy rotation:

https://www.mysidekicktherapy.com/blog/articles/3-benefits-of-toy-rotation 

https://www.greenchildmagazine.com/rotating-toys/ 

https://www.emersonrehab.org/blog/2017/4/19/tips-for-childrens-toy-rotation 

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