Everyone knows how much kids love to scatter their toys, especially when they are into play. At the same time, even an evil housekeeper will not force them to collect these items. Parents often give up, after which they themselves crawl every day on the carpet, folding what they have found, and their dear child at this time sits and watches this laborious process from the side. What to do in such a situation? Where to store toys? How to teach your baby to order and make life easier for yourself?
Let's consider systems for toys, given that the organization of their storage depends directly on the age of your child.
Up to 1 year
Storage of toys in the nursery until the moment the child walks should be out of his reach. The kid needs to give them out during the games. At the same time, mom should have easy access to all toys.(for example, get a rattle when changing clothes). At the same time, the baby’s play space will need a minimum set of teethers and educational toys.
2 to 5 years
For a child, you can leave toys available that he is able to remove himself. First with help, then on your own. It is dangerous for children at this age to be left alone with small parts, especially with building blocks. These toys are best hidden on the top shelves.
The next feature of this age is the constant change of hobbies. Toys that interested the child only a week ago are now completely unclaimed. All the same, when looking for something interesting, they will be out of place. You should take advantage of this feature. It is not necessary to throw away annoying items, they can simply be put in a container or box and put away (on the mezzanine, in a closet, a chest of drawers for storing toys, a storage room or on a balcony). A few months later, the baby will again perceive these toys as a novelty. The following items can then be removed.
At this age, it is important to teach your baby to put their things away. At first, let it be one box or basket for toys, where he puts them together with you. Then he will begin to do it on his own, after which he will acquire more difficult skills.
From 5 to 10 years old
There are more and more varieties of toys. Experience in sorting is required for cleaning. At this age, a child can be taught to get what is necessary for the game, and after it, immediatelyput everything away in a chest of drawers for storing toys.
Over 10 years old
During this period, the child already refuses many toys, while the rest can clean up on their own. Invite him to take part in choosing places to store these items, for example, organizing a special cabinet for toys.
Storage rules
The following rules should be observed:
- It should be easy to see where everything is. In this case, in search of the necessary, the baby will not start to get things with which he does not plan to play. When it is very small, they can be transparent containers, whatnots, transparent hanging sections. As soon as the baby begins to learn to read, the containers can be signed with him.
- The smaller the toys, the smaller the storage capacity. If a lost toy or part is found using the “turn everything on the floor” method, then in this case it will be much easier to put everything back.
- Things that the baby has outgrown must be removed or given away. Broken toys that are not used by the child in play should be thrown away.
- Put the toys in the same place each time.
- Try to arrange things so that the storage of toys in the nursery is located exactly where the baby plays. Next to the table, put paints, toy foods and children's dishes - near the toy kitchen. A bedside table near the bed is needed for toys that the child takes before going to bed. Store separately items that can get dirty: all kinds of sets for creativity, drawing. For them, you need to purchase a transparent plasticcontainer.
- The toys your baby plays with the most should be within sight.
- Baby doesn't like to play in his room? Limit toys that you can take with you. Put them in another container. They will be easy to put into it after the game and put away.
- If your baby goes to a kindergarten where teachers teach children to put their toys away, pay attention to how they are located there. You will probably find ideas that interest you.
Storage Furniture
A low toy cabinet, a shelving unit and a bedside table under the window can always be used as a place reserved for games. Actually, like a window sill. Make sure that the window cannot be broken or opened by yourself. When the baby grows up, you can leave the games in the same place, while replacing the toy box with a closed one.
Drawers located under the bed remain a very popular solution. The same rule applies to them - the larger the toys, the larger the box will be. Build shelves, but not high. The space below is used as a garage - you can roll cars into it, and place toys and books on the shelves on top.
Place a sliding plastic or wooden herringbone pole from ceiling to floor, on which you can hang soft toys - both convenient and beautiful. Purchase a bag of plastic small rings. Sew them to the ear of all soft toys. Now they are easy to hang on this "Christmas tree", only within the reach of the child. Or attach to the walla strip of Velcro at the level of the baby's hands and stick or sew Velcro to the back of all toys. Now baby can attach it to the wall.
Things that are in the yard can be kept in a large plastic container with a lid. There is another interesting system for storing toys for this case - sew a bag out of synthetic mesh so that the things stored in it are clearly visible. Make a drawstring at the top.
Hang a hammock in the corner of the nursery. There you can put things that will be easy to get.
Interesting storage options:
- old stroller;
- small suitcases;
- clothing bags with zipper or drawstrings;
- a box with a film top so that the baby, without opening it, can see what exactly is in it;
- baskets attached to the wall;
- inflatable plastic pool for a child can accommodate a lot; it will be interesting and easy for the baby to delve into it, looking for the necessary toy;
- plastic dish tray is ideal for books - the baby can quickly sort through them;
- plastic baskets or wicker cart with small wheels;
- diaper boxes;
- several plastic ice cream containers can be glued together so that they look with a hole in one direction, and then painted; put the structure sideways, like a bookcase, and store craft material or small toys in the cells;
- chest for storing toys with a lid that hasretaining mechanism or removable, rounded corners and edges on the metal chest and no burrs on the wooden chest, as well as ventilation holes located on the side walls and lid;
- draw or cut out from a magazine an image of a thing that should be in this place; glue to the drawer so that the baby can immediately find out what is contained there or what should be put away.
Crates
A plastic box for toys, painted in rich color, looks aesthetically pleasing, while performing several functions. You can easily put toys in it, and at the same time, to make it easier to find them, make appropriate markings or inscriptions together with your child (mark with different pictures, colors).
Buckets
If the size of the balcony allows, a system for storing toys can be organized here too: we take several plastic or metal buckets for this, paint them, place signs on them indicating what is in them. To save space, plastic buckets can be fastened together in the form of a pyramid: for example, the first layer is three buckets, the second tier is two buckets, at the top of the pyramid is one with toys. In this design, it will be possible to add balls, cubes, cars, small toys, a designer and other little things that are pleasant for a child. The pyramid will also look great in an empty corner of the nursery.
Washed boxes and baskets
No toy storage system is complete without drawers. Wickerbaskets will also be a great helper in this matter. You can even, if you wish, decorate simple cardboard boxes with ruffles, ribbons, beads, glue them with multi-colored cloth, you can weave baskets from newspapers or vines, and purchase finished products in the store. In any case, such boxes will bring order and variety to the interior on a nursery rack.
Hammock
Interesting, right? A hammock may include a rather unusual system for storing toys. In the room, you can hang it so that the baby can get the necessary items out of it. It can also be attached in the corridor by placing toys in it that the baby plays with outside.
Canvas
If you know how and love to sew, you can sew a whole canvas from pieces of fabric or mesh, which is suitable for storing toys. To do this, we cut out a rectangular fabric, sheathe a cardboard frame with it, so that the storage place on the wall hangs evenly and does not deform. We sew the same pockets and a loop - it will be convenient to store cars, dolls, small toys here. It is also quite possible to make such a model from polyethylene: it will have the advantage that the baby will accurately determine where and what he has.
Linen bags
These pouches, arranged side by side on a door or wall, are also great for storing various children's treasures. Of course, you can buy one large "storage", but it's really possible to sew it with your own hands. Soft baskets look presentable, while being very roomy. In case you are on your ownsew them, you can decorate the basket together with the child with an inscription or a beautiful appliqué.
Wire baskets
Wire old baskets, string bags can also be used in the nursery. The main thing is to create a fun composition. Such products are often arranged in a chaotic or checkerboard pattern. You can decorate them with multi-colored paints, as well as attach funny drawings and signs. Some brave parents also attach boxes to the ceiling like garlands - this is definitely not a standard solution, but it is very practical.
Crates or boxes
If you have old crates or boxes, why not give them new life? They can be put on wheels and allow the child to put all his toys there. The advantages of such products are their mobility, while you can decorate them as your soul desires. In general, you can buy such boxes in the store - it is quite possible to find them.
Furniture
Now consider the furniture, which should also be beautiful and practical. At the moment, furniture with various drawers, shelves (for example, a plastic chest of drawers, 5 drawers in which are translucent, allowing the baby to see what is in them) and transformer models are very popular. You can also store toys rarely used in drawers. You can attach a “wall” to the bed, in which to organize a storage of toys and a library.
Work area
A work area with a toy rack located in it also has the right to exist:the child will grow up, his interests will change, some toys will be replaced by others.
Suitcases and chests
You can use an old suitcase and a chest as a basket. They are ideal for storing toys, and they will fit well into the room, especially if they are touched up and updated. The kid will feel like the owner of a pirate treasure chest.
Puffs
The ottomans, equipped with a reclining seat, also fit perfectly into the child's room: it is an additional place for the baby's friends, as well as storage for children's books, designer, coloring books and other gizmos.
Thus, with the help of improvised means, it is easy to reorganize the space, using it functionally. At the same time, their little owners will also like these storage options.
