How it works
Sort your children's toys into bins by type. Put a few bins on the playroom shelves and store the rest in a closet, a garage shelf or under a bed. Every week or two, swap one bin: return one to storage and bring a rested one out. Some toys, such as books and a favorite comfort toy, stay out all the time.
The board below shows a six-bin plan. Three bins are out at a time, and one changes each week, so every bin gets three weeks out and three weeks of rest.
out on the shelf back from a rest resting in the closet
6 bins, 3 out at a time, 6 weeks shown. Each week one bin goes back and a rested bin comes out.
- Week 1: start with Building, Pretend play, Vehicles
- Week 2: Puzzles out, Building back in the closet
- Week 3: Art and dough out, Pretend play back in the closet
- Week 4: Small world out, Vehicles back in the closet
- Week 5: Building out, Puzzles back in the closet
- Week 6: Pretend play out, Art and dough back in the closet
Setting it up
- Gather all the toys in one place, including the ones hiding in bedrooms and the car.
- Remove broken toys, toys with missing pieces and anything your kids have clearly outgrown.
- Sort the rest into groups by type of play: building, pretend, vehicles, puzzles, art, small world figures and so on.
- Split big groups so each bin is a manageable size. Two building bins are fine.
- Choose how many bins stay out at once. Three or four suits many families.
- Label each bin and store the resting bins somewhere kids can't easily reach.
Mixing types in each set
Try to have a mix of play types out at any time: something to build with, something for pretend play, something quiet. The plan above does this by placing different types next to each other in the cycle. If your child spends every day with one toy, such as a train set, it can stay out permanently and sit outside the rotation.
A smaller plan for toddlers
Toddlers often do well with very few choices. This plan uses four small bins with two out at a time.
out on the shelf back from a rest resting in the closet
4 bins, 2 out at a time, 4 weeks shown. With four bins, each one is out for two weeks and rests for two.
- Week 1: start with Build, Pretend
- Week 2: Move out, Build back in the closet
- Week 3: Quiet out, Pretend back in the closet
- Week 4: Build out, Move back in the closet
How often to swap
Weekly works for many families, but there is no rule. Some rotate every few days, and some every month. Watch your kids. If a bin sits untouched for days, swap it early. If they're deep in a game with one set, leave it out longer.
When a child asks for a resting toy
Rotation should make play easier. If a child asks for something in storage, you can bring it out and put another bin away in its place. That keeps the number of toys out the same. Asking for a specific toy is a good sign that the system is working, because it shows the child remembers and wants it.
What to watch for
- Toys your kids never ask for after a few cycles may be ready to pass on.
- Toys they always want can move into the "always out" group.
- New birthday or holiday gifts can go into the rotation too, so they don't all arrive at once.
- Keep sets with small parts in lidded bins, especially if a baby shares the space. See the safety checklist.
Where to store resting bins
A closet shelf, a high cupboard, under a bed or a garage shelf all work. Use bins with lids so dust stays out, and label the ends so you can see what's inside without opening every one. In a small home, the small-space guide has more ideas.