Okay, friends. It’s time to get practical!
I am all about finding easy, manageable systems that set our home up for success. Now I am definitely not an expert at this, but we have found a few things that really work for our family. For the next few weeks, Toddler Thought Tuesday will be centered around our routines and systems that have worked for us. You might find some things you already do, some things you’d like to try, and some you know would never work for you. Take what you would like and leave the rest – this is not one size fits all!
A Few Thoughts on Play
I like to call us “Montessori-inspired.” I don’t remember how I found Maria Montessori’s philosophy of learning, but I knew before we had Simeon that this style of learning could work for our family. Montessori learning is very heavily play and practical life based. It involves setting up spaces that set a child up for success in gaining independence. We have taken several elements of Montessori-style learning and incorporated them into our home. The biggest ways we do this are through independent play in safe spaces and opportunities to practice practical life skills.
The more I watch Simeon play, the more I find it to be true that “Play is the work of the child” (Jean Piaget). When children play, they learn. They have steps and processes they go through. Unless necessary (and there are times it is necessary), they should not be required to stop their play until they have seen it through to completion. The environment a child plays in can make or break the process of play. The question becomes, how can we set up the environment around them to allow them to play freely and not be overwhelmed?
Toy Rotations
Toy rotations will probably not be a new idea to you – so many mamas use toy rotations. We have found toy rotations to be the most effective way of setting up our play environment and have been using one since Simeon was about 6 months old. There are some different ways of doing toy rotations, but here’s a little look into what has worked really well for us.
- A Toy Shelf – We use a simple 8-cube organizer for our toy shelf. We like that an open toy shelf allows the current toys to be neatly on display. Everything is visible and orderly, which makes it easy to access and see what options are available.
- No more than 8-10 toys – We try not to have too many toys out at one time. We have found that Simeon plays longer and better when there aren’t too many options available to him. It also helps keep our space a little bit neater. I don’t rotate on a specific schedule – I just observe what Simeon has lost interest in and what types of play he’s enjoying and rotate as necessary. Some people would say we still have too many toys available, but we like this number!
- A Yes Space – I learned about setting up a “yes space” when reading The Montessori Baby and The Montessori Toddler books. This is essentially creating a room where our children can play freely without worry of danger or things they might break. We use our living room for this, but I hope that one day we’ll be able to have a dedicated playroom. We spent time baby/toddler proofing and readjusting as needed.
Also included in our play space are an art cart, an easel, and a bookshelf. I am not a fan of arts and crafts, so I leave things out that are easily cleaned up, like crayons, Play-Doh, and stickers. I save the messy stuff for when I’m feeling extra inspired and extra patient. I also try to rotate out the books, though they always seem to multiply!
Our Favorite Toys
When I’m thinking through what toys to add to our collection, I always try to think about toys that are going to last us a long time. I look for high-quality toys and lots of open-ended toys that we can use during many stages of childhood.
As a general rule of thumb, we avoid electronic toys – no lights or sounds. For one, they annoy Mama. But I also feel that there is more learning to be had when Simeon is actively engaged in manipulating a toy, not just pressing buttons. I realize that this is not how everyone operates, and Simeon loves the occasional electronic toy.
We use the Lovevery play kits, and they are pretty much the only toys we buy for Simeon. Most of his other toys are gifts. The Lovevery play kits get shipped to our house once every three months and are age and development-based toys. They help keep our toy rotation fresh and are always right in line with his developing skills. They are also high-quality and will last through multiple children. Magdalene will get to play with her first Lovevery toys handed down from her brother very soon!
I Have a Toy Rotation, Now What?
We have found that this set-up of our environment fosters independent play in Simeon. I try to give Simeon time every day to play with his toys by himself. I might be reading, working, or feeding a baby during that time.
Simeon is an extremely independent child, so he does this very naturally. To help push him along, I try to make sure that I rotate toys once I notice he’s disinterested. This way he continues to find interest in his play shelf. I will sometimes give an example of something he can play with, but once he starts, I try to stay quiet and let him build, create, and imagine on his own.
I love to watch Simeon play and try to figure out what processes are going on in his mind. His play is purposeful and creative, and I can learn a lot from it. I love to join him in it, too!
How do you set up toys for your children? What is your favorite part of watching them play? I’d love for you to share in the comments below!