This is one of my favorite organizaitonal tips for families with young kids. This gives them the "organizational bug" that will last them a lifetime...guaranteed! I also find that children are more content with what they own when it's not all thrown into a room and messed up. I'd hate to wrap a present or make a craft when all of my stuff is thrown together into several boxes mixed with tools & winter clothing! If it's just too messy they don't even want to try and find what they want to play with either.
Organize your kids toys and belonging into groups. They can be either all the same types of objects or themes. Examples would be blocks, little vehicles, doll clothes, dinosaurs, or Leggos. Purchase lidded containers in your preferred sizes, taking in to account what you will storing in them. Place a pile of the toys on a table and take an aeriel view of them. Repeat with the rest. Have your photos printed and then tape them to the front of the box with packing tape. Cover every surface of the photo with tape. Place toys inside and voila!...your child is organized!
I started this when my kids were really little. This method teaches them #1 we value and appreciate what we have so we take care of it #2 that everything has a home #3 that I can always find my favorite toys because I know right where they are! The photo on the front helps them to know what goes exactly in the box, especially children that can not read yet. When my kids were able to read I replaced the photo with written words. The possibilities are endless, really. We have boxes down stairs right now that say Leggos, Ello, BB Guns, & Nerf to name a few. And as a collection grows, say Nerf guns, you get a bigger box, create a new label & save the smaller box for something else.
~This also works well with the development of a child. They can learn to play with one box of toys and stay focused on the playing-at-hand. In the older child is also creates spontenaity. "Let's have a Nerf war!" Ok...we know exactly where everything is!
~This block box is the only original one left. These blocks belonged to my nephew who is in his early 20's now. They were passed to my kids, that's when I made the box. Then I passed them back to my sister whose kids play with them today. Lots of Ruff kids teethed on those!
2 comments:
I am in total agreement with the clear boxes! I put picture stickers on the boxes as well as toy boxes for things like dress up clothes and toys too big for little boxes.
Oh and Steph, I think you need to watch HSM, HSM2 and possible 3 (oct 24)to get ready for your Disney trip. I think it's a must - really, I do. I am soooo jealous - I miss Mickey!
I think these blocks were actually Todd's and Dave's first - I didn't know wooden blocks were available back in the Dark Ages...
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