| There is a chore in my home that brings out | | | | Some suggestions for Toddler and Preschool |
| the procrastinator in me. This particular | | | | Toys |
| chore is so big and so difficult, that I | | | | |
| create new tasks just to avoid starting the | | | | - Puppets |
| dreaded job. What could be so bad: My | | | | |
| toddler's bedroom - a.k.a. fighting the | | | | - Activity tables/centers |
| battle of 'too many toys!' | | | | |
| | | | - Sorting boxes |
| The problem doesn't arrive from a lack of | | | | |
| organization or space to put things, but from | | | | - Snap together Blocks - Leggos |
| just too many toys in the first place. His | | | | |
| room, when tidy, looks like a little toy | | | | - Puzzles - up to 5 wooden pieces |
| store gone mad. My husband built custom | | | | |
| shelving just for the toys and books, with | | | | - Figures for dollhouse, farm, etc. |
| varying shelf sizes to accommodate different | | | | |
| types of toys and sizes of books. However, | | | | - Dress up clothes |
| when I take a close look at the contents, | | | | |
| it's obvious that there's lots of 'stuff', | | | | - Trucks and wagons to haul things |
| but little thought went into most of it. | | | | |
| | | | - Housekeeping and shopping toys |
| How should you select and organize your | | | | |
| child's toys? Choosing quality kids' toys, | | | | - Sewing cards |
| selected by their developmental stage and | | | | |
| abilities, is the first step. Most toys have | | | | - Buttoning, zipping, snapping dolls or |
| a recommended age on the package to let you | | | | boards |
| know the appropriate age group. Take cues | | | | |
| from you own child to guide you in whether he | | | | - Preschool age games like Memory and Candy |
| is ready for a certain toy. | | | | land etc. |
| | | | |
| Make sure that the toys you're buying | | | | Most importantly, choose toys that stimulate |
| actually "do" what they are supposed to. If | | | | your child's mind and that create learning |
| puzzle pieces aren't cut correctly, your | | | | experiences. Provide an adequate amount of |
| child will get angry and frustrated when they | | | | toys for your child. Don't do as I have and |
| play with it. I've recently made the mistake | | | | overwhelm your child with too much 'stuff' |
| of buying a puzzle that was supposed to be | | | | causing both of you to become frustrated. As |
| appropriate for ages 18 months to 3 years, | | | | we all know, most little kids have a more fun |
| only to find that the pieces were very | | | | playing with the box the toy came in while |
| difficult to place, and my son became upset | | | | the new toy sits idly on the floor. Now it's |
| every time he played with the puzzle. | | | | time for me to stop procrastinating and fight |
| | | | the battle of 'too many toys. |