Help!!! I need help with toy control!

Krista - posted on 01/17/2009

When my son was little he had mountains of toys (4 sets of grandparents) I had to do something. I purchased 2 laundry baskets, 2 large totes, and 2 kids shovels. First I put the favorite toys in the 2 laundry baskets and put them in the area he played in. The rest of the toys went in the totes and were stored away out of site. The shovels were for clean up when it was time to do so. We each took a shovel and shoveled them into the laundry baskets. If one of my friends children were over playing they were each given a shovel for clean up time. Change out the toys from time to time. It's just like christmas when they see the toys they haven't seen in awhile.

Try the clean-up song.................Clean-up, Clean-up
Everybody everywhere
Clean-up, clean-up
Everybody do your share.........and repeat.

Bev - posted on 01/16/2009

I am telling you... Chore Chart. Make it part of their daily lives. Eddie is beging to climb in mu lap right now. I told him nope. He has to pick up his blocks first. He won't get a sticker on his chore chart tonight if he doesn't pick them up or if he hesitates too long. Maybe I'm mean, but it seems to get the job done... most of the time anyway.

Rochelle - posted on 01/16/2009

Target and simiar stores sell childrens storage racks with colored plasitic tubs. Take pictures of you kids toys (dolls,trucks, trains) and post one on each tub so they know where each thing goes. They can each be responsible for picking up certain colored tubs or you can only allow certain tubs to be brought out at playtime.

Summer - posted on 01/16/2009

All posts above are great ideas, and I would like to add that around each birthday and holiday that presents are given that you go through the toys and give the ones they dont use or rarely us away to the needy or younger family members or get rid of the broken toys that seemed to take up the bottom of the toy box. My mother is did this 'in silent' until we were old enough to let go of the toys and then later we helped her go through our toys, knowing it was going to someone who didnt have any toys at all. I started this with my son, too. When he turned one, I gave all his infant toys to his baby cousin and threw away all the unusable or broken toys that cant be past along.

Teresa - posted on 01/16/2009

First of all.. If there is too many of them then hide 1/2 of them in a plastic tube in the basement (or storage area). Trust me.. they won't miss them. That way every few months you can switch them out. But if they have a few favorite ones.. don't hide those.. :)

Clean Up, Clean Up.. every body do your share.. We just keep singing that over and over.. I think it came from a kids show, but don't know who or what.. lol

I always turn it into fun and games. They like that at this age. I'm finally past all games.. and into.. whoever can do the most gets something special (and they don't know.. but for some reason they all win :) I have 4). Soon as they figure that part out.. I'll have to change it again..

Good Luck

Nikita - posted on 01/15/2009

Make a game out of picking up the toys so it's fun for them. When it's time to clean up I tell my 2 year old it's tidy time. We race around to pick up the toys, I help to make it funner for her and then once everything is cleaned up I usually give her a treat like a bowl of fruit or something like that. Also I would suggest you get rid of any toys they don't use anymore, I usually ask my daughter what she wants to give away to kids that need it. This also teachs them the value of giving as well as cut down on toys. Hope this helps you.

Nikita - posted on 01/15/2009

Make a game out of picking up the toys so it's fun for them. When it's time to clean up I tell my 2 year old it's tidy time. We race around to pick up the toys, I help to make it funner for her and then once everything is cleaned up I usually give her a treat like a bowl of fruit or something like that. Also I would suggest you get rid of any toys they don't use anymore, I usually ask my daughter what she wants to give away to kids that need it. This also teachs them the value of giving as well as cut down on toys. Hope this helps you.

Jessica - posted on 01/15/2009

I keep a large laundry basket in our living area and at nap time and the end of the day everything left over just gets "shoveled" in there - if you stress too much about having them in the right spots at this age you'll go crazy!  But I do also encourage my son to help pick up whenever he's in the right mood or if he's just throwing things in anger (he's only 15 months, so I don't stress it yet).  And I agree if it's a toy with lots of parts (especially little people or megabloks) that it gets put away before another one comes out.  Toys like this go in bags and there's only 1 "bag" allowed open at a time - much easier when they can't open zippers yet!! LOL!!

Brenda - posted on 01/15/2009

Here's a similar one to the one I have.  it is from melissa and doug - good company, long link!  It is interchangeable and not too complicated for a 4 or 2 year old.  This fall my son will be getting one too!!

http://www.target.com/Melissa-Doug-Magne...

Brenda - posted on 01/15/2009

I use a behavior or responsibility chart with my daughter, who is 4 and a half, (you can get a magnetic chart from Target).  It lists several chores or responsibilities that you want your child to focus on.  I usually target 7 or 8 behaviors ( cleaning up, helping out, making bed, getting dressed, etc) a day.  Be sure to include some behaviors that she is already doing well and then focus on one or two that you want to improve.  We review each night how the day went.  This way you focus on the positive and not the negative.  When she helps out and does clean up she can get a sticker or magnet on her chart (it is reusable)  and then work toward earning a prize/reward of some sort.  My daughter likes to pick stickers from the store, or a small toy, or even a consumable treat sometimes!  I agree also with rotating their toys (I also have a 16 month old that gets bored with toys easily).   One more thing:  check out this website to get the focus off of you always having to tell them to pick up their toys, clean up their rooms, etc.  www.housefairy.org  She is awesome!  In fact she just "visited" our house today!  I will try to find a link to the behavior chart and post it later.  Hang in there~

Dana - posted on 01/15/2009

We have not mstered this yet, but we do use a couple techniques that might help you. First, we try to limit the number of toys available to our daughter by rotating them. We will put a batch of toys away for a little while and then bring them out after a few weeks and put away another batch. The other thing we try to practice is that our daughter has to put one toy away before moving on to another. Mostly we apply that to toys with lots of parts (buckets of blocks and things like that). That one is a little harder, but sometimes the desire to get to the next toy is enough motivation for her to pick the toys that are already out.

Deana - posted on 01/15/2009

Make cleaning up the toys part of play time, and let them know you are proud of them for helping even if it's just 3 to 4 toys to start with. Also, only keep the toys oit that best suit your childs age. Put some up for a while tha they like but dont play with all

the time and get them back out in 2 or 3 months. Last thing get rid of any toys they

never play with. It will help you as well as them from being over wellmed with to much stuff. I did this twice a year when my kids were younger. I did this after Christmas and

birthdays. I hope this might help you.