Frugality with Toy Rotation

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I’m sure most of you have heard of toy rotation. Basically, it is keeping some toys stored away and every so often, rotating what toys your children have out available for them to use. It was something we did often at daycare. It was great to help keep the kids engaged. But did you also know that it can help save you money?

Kids get bored with toys after a while. It is tempting to just buy some new toys or activities. But why do that when you can just rotate your kids’ toys instead? There are multiple ways you can go about doing this. Some ways are more planned than others. I don’t tend to think too much about doing it.

 

The Toys

Abby’s toy kitchen, food, and doll crib and stroller are always out. She uses them daily, especially the doll stuff as that is what she uses with her special bear.

I make sure that there are always “toys that go” in the toy box. Cars, trains, tractors, anything that she can push around. I also make sure there are always dolls and stuffed toys.

I try to keep only one loud toy out at a time. This tends to rotate between her laptop and her singing puppy

I also rotate between her Little People barn and house. Once in awhile, they are both out at once but usually just one or the other. Same with her blocks and Legos. Typically only one of those is out at a time.

Large toys are on rotation as well. If her rocking horse is out, the sit and spin are put away and vice versa. The slide comes and goes when needed.

Other than that, I don’t have a real plan for what toys are out.

 

The Storage

I have nothing fancy for this. I’d like to have some actual plastic storage boxes but for now, diaper boxes work. Plus, using diaper boxes I already have is a lot cheaper than buying storage boxes. I keep them on the top shelf of Abby’s closet where she can’t see or reach them. This helps with “out of sight, out of mind.” It makes bringing those toys out special. It makes those toys seem like new toys.

 

I do the toy rotation about once every 6-8 weeks. I used to try for once a month but it just didn’t work well for us.  Six weeks is about when Abby starts to get bored and eight weeks is when I usually go “Oh, yeah. I haven’t done a rotation in a while.”

We do still add new toys every once in awhile as she grows and her developmental skills need something more challenging. But mostly, the rotation helps us from having to buy new toys more than a couple times a year. It also cuts down on clutter as her main playing area is in our living room. With our budget and frugal lifestyle, toy rotation is definitely a big help.