Every parent has come across a situation where they entered their child’s bedroom to look around and then quietly left to avoid dealing with the mess. Guess you have felt it too? Having such emotion is quite common.
On the other hand, if you are looking forward to approaching the kid’s toys with Montessori philosophy, then you are at the right place. Rotating toys holds the key as it comes with multiple advantages including making the child play with the toys more actively.
Also, it will allow them to be a part of independent cleaning and will appreciate what they have in life. However, the question that remains is how to rotate the Montessori toys in the first place.
Tips to Rotate the Montessori Toys for Your Child
It may feel overwhelming to rotate the Montessori toys for the child but is not impossible if you follow the tips listed below.
Start with Observing
The first thing you must know while rotating the Montessori toys is that it is okay to take your time and make informed judgements. This is the same even if you would be tempted to get in and cleanse right away. Get yourself a notebook and a pen and then sit in a calm environment.
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Make sure not to interact with the kids at this time as it might distract you. Chances are you may end up watching them play more rather than being attentive to the task you are about to complete. Remember to observe for a few days before making any quick decisions.
Make Sure to Assess
For many, this is unarguably the most unpleasant step. This is why it is recommended to take this step when the kids are away or asleep.
After this, start with spreading out all the toys of your children on the floor and set aside any item that needs to be donated, recycled or thrown away.
When you go through all the toys of your child at once, it gives you a clear understanding of what they have and a better position of what to set up in the given optimal space.
Begin Preparation
Once the assessment is done, you must begin to prepare. And during this step, you need to concentrate on the environment itself alongside the needs of the child as they mature and develop with time.
In simple words, try to think what they need right now, then picture the area you believe will work best for them.
For example, Toys that are not in use might be hidden away in a closet or in baskets on high shelves. While a clean and spotless area is suggested ideally with light colours and soothing lighting for the remaining sets.
Time to Select
This part may be fun for you to carry out. In this step, you need to think about the toys that your child has and which ones they would like the most right now. To make the process easier, you can pick only a handful of your child’s toys to carefully arrange on the shelf rather than all of them.
As time goes by, you will get a better understanding of the selection procedure, which will vary depending on their age and how much time they spend at home. Just keep in mind that less is more.
Guide Your Child
Invite your children in to witness the changes once the space has been prepared. All kids, except for infants, should be able to clean up after themselves. There is no doubt that this may need occasional modelling and reminder.
But having a less cluttered play environment will make cleanup easier for your child after the fun. You should assist your youngster in the cleanup procedure for the first few days at the very least. Make sure they understand that toys must be placed in the location from which they were originally taken.
Repeat the Process
After following the above steps, you would be done with the procedure of rotating the Montessori toys. However, the rotating of the Montessori toys needs to be done every once in a while which is why you must repeat the same process over and over again when needed.