We've been having trouble teaching John how to clean up his toys. Even though our children (intentionally) own fewer toys than a lot of families, it is still overwhelming for John at the end of the day when the den floor is strewn with dozens upon dozens of little things. One viable tactic is for us to become even stricter and more forceful in "motivating" him to pick up. Another tactic is to get rid of even more toys, or rotate them out of use by putting a portion in the attic. A third tactic, which is what we're trying right now, is organizing the toys by genre into small bins and instituting some kind of guidelines about how many things the kids may have open at one time. We're not sure how that part will play out, but I'm envisioning that John may open only one or two bins for playing at a time, then will have to put those away in order to open another bin he wants.
This is our new "reading nook." The children are loving it. John asks me to sit down on the bean bag and read books to him, one after another. Even Mary plunks down and pours through the picture books.
John likes to climb into the basket of blankets and call it his "nest."
You can see the various bins in the open cupboards beneath the television. Right now the closed cupboards are locked and full of DVDs but it is a future option to move the DVDs elsewhere and use those cupboards to hold more toys or toys we want to be temporarily out of rotation.
This chest holds dress up clothing: right now mainly hats--fireman's, sheriff's, train engineer's--but I'm sure it will come to hold girlie dress-up clothing in another year or so!
This is our new "reading nook." The children are loving it. John asks me to sit down on the bean bag and read books to him, one after another. Even Mary plunks down and pours through the picture books.
John likes to climb into the basket of blankets and call it his "nest."
You can see the various bins in the open cupboards beneath the television. Right now the closed cupboards are locked and full of DVDs but it is a future option to move the DVDs elsewhere and use those cupboards to hold more toys or toys we want to be temporarily out of rotation.
This chest holds dress up clothing: right now mainly hats--fireman's, sheriff's, train engineer's--but I'm sure it will come to hold girlie dress-up clothing in another year or so!
Great job, Katherine! I love the reading nook! My solution is a somewhat inelegant plastic tote in the living room that once doubled as a piece of luggage for hauling stuff between Bethel and Anchorage. It's nice to see the rest of the world has access to nice storage units though... reminds me that it's out there! :-)
ReplyDeleteYou have a hamster beanbag? I'm jealous.
ReplyDeleteI like your neat and organized containers. I've seen pictures on other blogs of containers or shelves labeled with a picture of the type of toy so the children put that/those toys in that bin/spot.
A reading nook! I want!
ReplyDelete