Toy Rotation - Frequently Asked Questions

What is toy rotation?

Toy rotation is switching what toys you put out for your child, it can include changing how you display and set out toys as well.

Why should you rotate toys?

You certainly don’t have to do toy rotation but it can be a great tool for keeping your child/baby interested in the toys they have, and help them focus and not be overwhelmed. I have noticed that the longer I have a certain toy out, the more it gets overlooked. I have also noticed that when too many toys are out, baby actually plays less. The same theory goes for displaying and laying items out in different ways. It is not necessary but can be a tool to keep your child engaged, and for older children can give them ideas for how to play with their toys.

How often should I rotate toys?

It is up to you! I use toy rotation as a tool to keep my baby interested, so I look for clues that she is becoming disinterested in what is out. For a baby, every 3-7 days can be a good benchmark, but you may find you like to switch out a few toys at a time more frequently. There is really no rule, I like to experiment and adjust based on baby’s moods!

How many toys should I put out at a time?

This will likely depend on your play space and preference, we use part of our living room so I don’t keep a lot out at once. We also don’t have tons of toys! I typically put about half the toys out, and I cycle between “hacks” to keep activities interesting as well. Right now half our toys is about 5 items (which usually have multiple pieces, like puzzles or baskets of felt foods), a basket of balls, a few board books, and sometimes I also have the play gym out.

How many toys should I have?

I don’t think there is a “should,” I personally prefer fewer, higher quality toys that are open-ended. I will make a post soon about open-ended toys, but essentially they are toys that can be used in many different ways, fostering creativity and learning. An example would be blocks, balls, stacking toys, pretend food, etc. An example of a toy that is not open-ended is a plastic tambourine that makes noises and has flashing lights. I have both of these, so no shame at all! We just use toys like the tambourine for car rides or stroller rides, but don’t find that our baby is interested in toys like that for long when she isn’t confined.

Should I switch out all of the toys?

Again, up to you! If your baby or child has favorite toys that they use all the time, keep them out! I always have balls out because we use them in so many ways. Maybe your baby has a favorite stuffed animal or teether or set of blocks. Great! Leave it out, and if you want to you can change up how or where it is set out. When you rotate toys you can rotate everything out at once, or a few items at a time, whatever works for you.

Do I need a specific layout for the room?

No! But you may find that placing toys in a couple locations is better for your active baby or encourages them to crawl, walk, etc. Lately my 10.5 month old loves standing so I flipped over a 100 L storage bin and put toys on top of it so she can stand and play.

What sort of toys should I provide?

This will depend a lot on your babies age, mobility, development, etc. I am coming out with toy guides for every age soon to give you some ideas. Some staples that are great to have are puzzles, blocks, balls, a car/truck, a baby doll, a stacking toy, and scarves or silks. Also see above regarding open-ended toys.

Should baby play independently? How long?

From research and my experience, I have found it is normal for baby’s attention span to be 2-3 minutes on average, and that it is common for babies to want their caregiver to be with them, or within sight. Check out my blog post 5 Ways to Prolong Baby Play for tips to prolong play. Toy rotation is a tool for prolonging independent play that may work for your child.

How should I incorporate activities?

Focus on using activities to help you, not make your work harder. You may find you like lots of sensory play and hacks to occupy baby, or that they are an occasional tool for when you just need something to occupy baby, and toys aren’t doing the trick. I recommend rotating hacks and activities in a similar way to toys to keep baby’s interest. I would recommend incorporating sensory play, especially messy play and water play when possible because it is so great for learning and development. Bath time and outside play are perfect examples that don’t take much prep or cleanup, you don’t have to do “creative” or photo-worthy play.