Toy rotation: the toys we don't rotate
Patty Beekwilder
We rotate toys in our play area. This keeps it organized and inviting. I regularly rotate the toys the children aren't playing with. But there are a few toys that are so beloved that I don't rotate them, and I'm sharing those in this blog post.
What is toy rotation?
Toy rotation means offering a limited number of toys in the play corner or toy cupboard. Store the rest out of reach of your child(ren). When your child stops playing with something, rotate it for other toys you've put away.
How often do you rotate the toys?
For me, it depends on how much the kids enjoy playing in the play corner and how much we're home. In the summer, we spend a lot of time outside, so I only rotate the toys every four weeks. In the fall and winter months, we spend a lot of time inside, so I usually rotate them every two weeks.
Do you rotate all the toys?
No, I only put away the toys they're no longer playing with. Sometimes a toy leaves the toy cupboard after just two weeks. Some items stay there for years. So you don't have to rotate all the toys every time.
Toys we don't rotate
We have a lot of beautiful and sustainable toys at home. A mix of toys I make myself and wonderful brands like Grapat, Grimms, Stapelstein, and Connetix. There are a few toys the kids never tire of and that never leave the play area.
- Sensory bean bags – I made them three years ago, and they've been a hit ever since. It's no wonder they're also my online store's best-selling toy. They were recently in the attic for a week, but within a few days the kids were asking for them, and they quickly found their way back into the play corner.
- Schleich animals – I bought the Schleich animals three years ago, and the children use them for role-play. They also regularly take them to the bath and use them in the kinetic sand.
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Play Silk – I painted my first play silk two years ago, and it hasn't left the play corner since. In my opinion, it's the most beautiful open-ended toy there is. I even wrote a blog post about the countless ways to use play silk . I started by painting a small size (55x55cm) and later larger ones (90x90cm) for even more possibilities.
- WeRock balance board – Chloe received a wooden balance board for her 2nd birthday. We recently celebrated her 4th birthday. It's been in the play corner for two years now. We use the balance board in a course, like a bridge from the sofa to the coffee table. Or it's a slide down from the coffee table. Since I made a balance board mattress , the children use it even more for role-playing or reading a book.
- Doctor's kit – we received the doctor's kit as a gift when Olivia was born two years ago. I can't remember a mommy day or weekend when I wasn't a patient.
- Stapelstein – Since Sinterklaas 2021, Stapelsteins have been adding to our play corner. And we've loved them for the past year and a half ! Incidentally, all the children who come to play here are instant fans of this wonderful open-ended toy.
- Connetix – last but not least. These also ended up in our play corner for Sinterklaas '21, and we're building with them endlessly. Our children don't build with blocks, but they do with these magnetic tiles. Every day for a year and a half .
These are the beloved toys that have a permanent place in our play corner. You can find all these items in my blog: our top 10 open-ended toys . I do vary how I present them. Sometimes I'll have all the colors and sizes of play sides in a large basket. Other times I'll choose a small basket with just the smaller play sides. Sometimes the Connetix ball track is downstairs as a supplement, and other times just the basic set.
