WITH SPRING COMES SPRING CLEANING, AND YOUR TODDLER’S TOY ROOM MAY BE MOST IN NEED AFTER A LONG WINTER OF INDOOR PLAY. USE THESE TIPS AND TOOLS TO HELP MAKE ORGANIZING AND STAYING TIDY EASIER FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILD.

As the weather gets nicer, it’s a good indicator for us to start to pack up our winter gear and toss out the outgrown clothes, decor, etc. It’s also a great time to start digging around your child’s play room. After a few months of not being able to play outside, there are bound to be some casualties in the toy bin. Broken items, missing pieces, and more than anything, a huge mess.

Follow along with these steps to make cleaning out and organizing your toddler’s play room a breeze!

Sort Toys Into Labeled Piles

With all the various toy options these days, there are so many genres to sift through. Start by making piles for dolls, vehicles, play pretend props, building blocks, etc. If your child has specific toy brands, such as My Little Pony, they may need their own dedicated pile.

While you’re in the process of doing this, take any broken toys and throw them in a trash bag. You don’t want small pieces of plastic that your child could choke on hanging around. Plus it makes more room for the good toys in storage!

Along with broken toys, keep an eye out for toys your child no longer plays with or has outgrown. These can go in a donation pile that you can give to relatives with age-appropriate children or your local children’s shelter. Kids burn through toys and are constantly getting new, so getting rid of the ones they won’t miss will make a big difference in organizing. Plus if you donate, they’ll be going to new, loving homes in need!

Purchase Toy Bins And Kid-Friendly Labels

There are many different options for toy bins. The most effective are typically hard shell and stack-able, but choose whatever option is best for your home. Keeping them kid-accessible is important as well, especially if you’re wanting your child to participate in toy clean up. Make sure your child can reach them safely.

Along with proper bins, labels that are easy for your child to read and understand make a big difference. These PeeWee Peel Labels suggested by Worth Writing For have the toy name, plus a photo or color your child can associate with that toy group, so your child can easily identify the correct bin.

Put It All Together And Apply Clean Up Time

Final step is to put all the toys in their correct bins. It would be best to do this with your Child so they also learn which toys go in which bins. Point out the color, the picture and the names so they can associate them with the item.

After everything is neat and tidy in their bins, try to reinforce clean up time after play time and have your kids put their toys back in the right bins. You may want to check on them every now and then to be sure things aren’t getting out of hand, but with consistency, your child should learn the proper place for their toys in no time!

Teaching your child responsibility at a young age is important for personal development. It also teaches them to take care of their things, which will help both of you in the long run! The play room will always have some level of chaos, but hopefully these tips will help make it a little easier for your home.

Avoid Sending Toys To School

While your child may have that favorite toy they bring with them everywhere, we ask you keep them at home to prevent distractions and lost items in the classroom. Finally, please do not send your child’s “favorite” of anything (blanket, lovey, etc.) that he or she cannot live without for a night. Sometimes, these items accidentally find their way into bags that do not belong to them, and it might take a little time to track it down. For this reason, always label EVERYTHING!

We appreciate your cooperation.