Montessori Toy Storage Solutions
Montessori children learn through play. They develop independence, creativity, self-control, and problem-solving skills. But how do you store all of these toys without making a mess?
Montessori toys are designed to encourage creative play. However, most toy boxes are not designed with this purpose in mind. Instead, most toy boxes are big containers where parents put everything from diapers to Legos inside, making cleaning up after playtime a nightmare.
The best way to organize your child's playroom is by using a system that allows them to find their toys easily and keeps them organized. This guide will guide you through the things to consider for Montessori toy storage.
Purpose Of Montessori Toy Storage
The main reason is to keep toys organized is to encourage creative play and independence. With a Montessori toy shelf, you can also set up a method of rotating toys in and out of the storage areas following a schedule.
This is especially true for babies as they develop quickly, so storing toys that follow a development timeline in this manner is ideal. In addition, it's a great way to keep your children from getting bored with their toys.
Different Types of toys storage
Montessori toy storage requires shelving up to three shelves high. On each frame, you can include:
- Shallow transparent bins
- The toys themselves
- Woven baskets
- Wooden boxes
Four Important Steps To Follow For Montessori Toy Storage
Montessori storage is a great way to keep your toys organized. To ensure you follow Montessori guidelines, here are a few tips.
Visible Montessori Storage
From birth, babies start to map out their home environment; therefore, it is crucial that kids can see everything clearly. Shelving units can be used for more visibility.
Accessible Toys Shelf
A kid's shelf is a great way to store toys. An accessible toy is one that your youngster can take off the shelf on their own and play with without help from an adult. Montessori shelves are good for easy accessibility.
Separate Toys
Toys ought to be organized so that a youngster can distinguish between one activity or toy to another. It can be challenging to identify the components of each toy when there is a pile of toys jumbled up together. Placing toys in a separate space will help them to place them correctly.
Choose Curated Toys
Curated means toys that are suitable for your child's age and interests. Toys should be organized by difficulty level from left to right and should be age appropriate for your child.
How To Get Started On Montessori Toy Storage
If you have decided that Montessori toy storage is right for you and your child, here is how to get started organizing your child's toys.
Storage Style
Choose a storage style you prefer, such as horizontal or vertical storage for the room.
Organize Open Toy Shelves
Open shelves are modern toy shelves that make your toys look clean and your space tidy. Organize your open shelves and ensure they are easily accessible to the kids.
Center of Attention Point
It is essential to create a focal point as it inspires the kids to play and imagine. It also encourages autonomy as they have a central place to see what they want to play with clearly.
Choose themes
Storing toys by theme is a great idea as it helps kids to place things back in order according to their theme pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the benefits of having a Montessori toy storage?
Montessori toy storage is a great way to organize your children's toys. It gives them a safe and secure place to keep their toys. They also learn about organization and self-control while playing with their toys.
1) It makes putting things back where they belong part of the activity, adding to the fun.
2) Teaching kids to keep things clean is easier when everything has a place.
3) This way, kids can see all of their toys and won't lose or forget about their favorites at the bottom of the toy box.
4) It's easier to find out what your child is interested in and keep them engaged by getting more of those.
5) Smaller pieces are more likely to stay together, which makes toys that come in sets last longer.
How do you store toys on a Montessori shelf?
There should be breathing room between the toys on the Montessori toy shelf. It needs to have a clean, simple look. The goal here is to avoid the child feeling too much pressure. Toys should ideally be organized by set and placed on separate trays.
The child can then make the connection that the items on the tray all come from the same set. Therefore, whenever children play with one of these items, please encourage them to return it to its proper place on the tray before they play with another item.
Even if it only sometimes works, the idea should eventually sink in and be effective as kids become older.
What is the significance of Montessori play shelves?
Montessori's approach to child development focuses on providing children with an environment where they feel safe and secure. It provides them with fewer distractions and fewer choices than traditional approaches. This helps promote creativity and deeper thinking.
Organization
Children under the age of 6 are said to be in a "Sensitive Period for Order." This means that they learn better in an orderly environment. For example, they are more likely to use something if they know where to find it when they need it. The Montessori shelves help the child meet their need for order by giving them a clear place to put their toys away.
Freedom
"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed," Dr. Montessori said. Children want to be like the adults around them, so they want to be able to do things on their own. In addition, independence helps a child feel good about himself or herself and gain confidence.
The Montessori play shelf is made so that even the youngest child can get to his or her toys as soon as he or she starts to move. For example, the toys on the low Montessori shelf, which is at the child's level, encourage the child to crawl or walk to it.
Options
Having options helps children feel more in charge of their lives and builds their confidence. This is another benefit of the Montessori wooden shelf.
The Montessori play shelf gives a child clear and limited choices. When kids start making choices at a young age, it helps them learn and makes them better at solving problems and making choices as they get older.
What do you use for storage in Montessori?
You can use wooden boxes for storing toys. They are durable and easy to clean.
You can also use wicker, rattan, or woven baskets that are shallow enough for the toys to be visible easily.
Lastly, if you have a small number of toys in play at one time, you can store the excess elsewhere and place the toys for this rotation directly on the shelves.
What is a Montessori shelf?
A Montessori shelf is open, low, and best when constructed from natural materials such as wood or bamboo.
They are made to enable children to play with their toys and access materials without the need for adult assistance, which is one of the primary goals of their design.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, if you have children, Montessori toy storage is a great idea. It allows you to organize their toys into categories based on age and interest level, which makes finding the right toy much easier when they're ready to play.
Plus, it keeps everything neat and tidy, and engaging, which means fewer trips to the toy store. Learn more about Montessori toy storage and other helpful information geared toward developing a well-rounded and inspired child with us by following this link.