Making Sense of Toy Mayhem
Wondering how to sustain your children’s interest in the toys they received over the holidays? And what to do with the many many toys they have now? Here are some organizational tips for parents:
1. Allow them to choose or request specific gifts.
2. Get more durable toys with more pieces.
3. Consider electronics and video games.
4. Be organized.
Karen Houle said she holds a yard sale each spring to get rid of older gifts. It allows her to make space for the next round of toys.
“Around November, I go through the kids’ closets and pack up the toys they don’t play with,” she said. “Some of the toys, the kids would play with for a few weeks and move on to something else.”
5. Use plastic storage bins to keep loose cars and smaller toys together.
6. Restrict certain areas for specific toy storage, i.e., a closet for board games.
7. Rotate toys from one room to another.
Have any other suggestions?
Norwich Bulletin, January 1, 2006
Technorati Tags: toys, kids, children, organizing, holidays
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POSTED IN: Children's Toys
3 opinions for Making Sense of Toy Mayhem
Deb
Jan 2, 2006 at 1:25 pm
Minimize the number of similar toys. One puzzle is great. Two puzzles in theory means two kids can play pleasantly without fighting. Six puzzles just become a mine of pieces strewn across the room.
If anyone has more luck with convincing relatives to limit the toy-buying/gift-giving to one or two great toys instead of a Santa Sackful, maybe they can share their secret!
Dirty Butter
Jan 2, 2006 at 2:40 pm
I, too, would thin out the girl’s toys in November, but I also put up a box of their NEW Christmas toys for later. They never liked it when I did it, but they were always tickled when I could bring out something entirely new a few months later. This may have worked because their birthdays were a long way away from Christmas.
Lei
Jan 2, 2006 at 8:57 pm
Deb: Aren’t all toys great? :P
Dirty Butter: Ooooh. I still have some goodies in the “magic cabinet.” But they’re a sort of openly kept secret. If my son were taller, I’m sure he’d be getting them out on his own! LOL
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