by Leigh Goessl

Created on: February 21, 2008   Last Updated: May 27, 2009

Do your kids ever complain how bored they are? Do they play with their toys only to discard them off to the side because they quickly tire of them? Are they wandering around the house looking for something new to occupy themselves with?

If this scenario is occurring in your house and your kids are becoming more enamored of the shiny new toys they see on television, you might want to consider trying toy rotation as an alternative to purchasing new toys. Toy rotation is an easy way to keep things fresh in the toyboxes and a means to delight your children with something different.

How often do you see your kids wander over to the toy box and empty its contents in anticipation of finding something exciting? As they half-heartedly sift through their toys, they see the same old things and after a while turn their noses up at them. Next thing you notice they decide to focus on a shoelace as a fun alternative. You might even wonder what the point of having toys is because the kids seemed more entertained by stacking cans, sitting in cardboard boxes and pulling at those shoelaces.

Toy rotation is a good solution to this problem. There are many terrific benefits to rotating the kids' toys from time to time, and switching out groups of toys every so often keeps your home more orderly. Additionally, your kids will be charmed every time you switch out the toy box and fill it with something "new". Toy rotation is not only an excellent way to keep your children content, but you'll be more likely to keep some of the hair you've been pulling out trying to keep the house tidy.

Essentially what it comes down to is kids don't necessarily dislike their toys, they get bored with the same items. Envision embarking upon a long road trip. Before heading out the door you instinctively grab a few CDs from your collection in anticipation of hitting radio "dead zones" on the highway. You reach the zone where the radio stations peter out and pull out your handy CDs.

With great dismay you discover you forgot to change out your tunes and you're stuck with the same three CDs you brought along on your last trip. Listening to the same music over and over can get boring. Kids pretty much feel the same about playing with the same old toys.

Toy rotation also yields other benefits. A good periodic toy change-out often results in a tidier home. No one likes to clean all day long, and with small children constant pick-ups are usually a given. If you have toddlers, they likely go on daily hunts

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