Parenting Tips

Helping Children Manage Their Toys

Wow, kids today certainly do have a lot of toys. Big toys, little toys, games and sets with tons of pieces... many of our children have so many toys that it can be difficult to walk through a room after a busy day of play. While children should learn to pick up their toys to avoid injury to other family members and to avoid losing toys, the task can be a bit overwhelming, especially for little ones.

There are some ways to make things easier. First, a large toy box should only be used for large toys. If all the toys go into the box, your children will likely empty the entire toy box looking for specific items. Instead, keep sets with lots of pieces, or small items like Lego's or Matchbox Cars, in smaller containers. Even if you then place the smaller containers into the toy box, at least everything is separated. Your children can simply remove the box that contains the items he or she wants to play with, and return everything to the proper container when finished playing. It makes for neater rooms, happier moms and dads, and happier children because they won't lose important items so often.

Another step is to help children get into the habit of putting away one thing before getting anything else out. If he or she is done playing Lego's, they should all be picked up before your child brings out another toy or game. It will take some effort on your part at first. You will need to remind your child often, but soon things will become much more organized.