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terrydoo73
24-03-2010, 11:11 AM
I mind twin boys who will be 2 in April and their cousin, a little girl who was 4 past in December. The boys come 3 days a week Tues Wed and Thursday and little girl Mond to Friday. Problem I have at the moment is the toys I can put out on different days.

I cannot let the boys have the lego - it goes in their mouths and I am scared they will swallow it, the train track cannot be set out because they break the joins, the hairdressing box is not put out as they trail the hairdryer around the floor cracking it against the furniture, games as well because their are too many small pieces and the list goes on. I end up with about a dozen boxes of toys which I cannot put out until the Monday or Friday and I am getting fed up with it. I don't really want to give these toys away as they interest my other little mindee and I keep thinking one day they might be able to play with them. Problem is where do I store these other toys. I have been able to keep them stacked on window sills as I have the deep type but lately they have started to climb up onto the window sill and I am frightened they will hurt themselves. They use every means possible to get up - I have the 6 box cubby hole storage system on wheels which they have pushed over and climbed up onto! I don't really want any other rooms used as a storage for toys but it is getting impossible to bear.

I do have a shed outside but it is full of outdoor toys in boxes so when we go out there I don't want to have to bar its use either.

Does anyone else have this problem and what do you do to get around it?

Minstrel
24-03-2010, 11:23 AM
Ok i agree with not putting the lego out as it is a choking hazard for them. I thnk the other things can be worked out by teaching them and getting tough.

Does it matter if the joins in the train track get broken? How will they ever learn to be gentle and careful with it if they are never allowed to play with it?

Climbing up on the furniture is not acceptable and as soon as they do it you need to lift them down with a sharp No.

If they drag toys around so they might get broken then ask them to be careful with it or you will have to put it away. If they don't stop them do as you said and remove the toy from them.

hth

terrydoo73
24-03-2010, 11:45 AM
The joins in the train track - well then the rest of the track cannot be used. They have a tendency to throw the thing to one side and then it is a case of "accidentally" walking all over the pieces if you understand what I mean. All the wooden pieces for my dolls house have been broken in this way and to be honest I am fed up with it!

They are very rough on the toys that I have and I have stopped replacing for toys for this reason.

I have tried the method of telling them to be gentle or I will put away - hence why I put toys away now before they come!

There are loads of books too which have been ripped to shreds already, plastic chairs which have been thrown and broken or stood on and broken .... the list is endless.

You can see how frustrating it is to me and everyone I have talked to in my local group just doesn't believe that this could be happening even if I sit with them and do one to one all the time - they are so quick in destroying things and before you look around the other one is doing something else they shouldn't!

suzyblue
25-03-2010, 08:55 AM
I know what you mean. I work so hard in providing a vast range of good quality resources but all they do is rip the postesr off the walls, rip the photos and labels off the boxes, stamp on toys, rip books etc. Im quite disheartened at the moment wondering why I bother. I spend my weekends looking out for good resources and building up a wide variety to ensure I am able to deliver the EYFS and then Monday morning they break everything. I cant allow free access to the toys as I have a little boy who is going through a very destructive stage and its rubbing off on the other two. I can only suggest getting out a few toys at a time and trying to direct their play a bit and keep them focused but its hard to do that all day. As soon as I answer the phone or the door mindee runs to destroy something! GRRRRRR!

Heaven Scent
25-03-2010, 09:54 AM
I don't mean to be critical but where are you while they are doing this? If you are in the room with them you need to be interacting with them at this age and showing them how to play with different toys etc. I know you cannot be in the same room with them all day long but if you have to go to the kitchen to prepare a meal or something then take them with you and strap them in a chair and give them toys to play with there or some play dough - but it sounds as though they would not be ready for this just yet as you may end up spending hours trying to get it off all your walls and ceiling once dinner has been prepared.

While you are busy talk to them and sing songs while they are safe in their chairs - they can get down again after dinner and you will have kept them safe and in one place where they can concentrate on toys you give them - you will need to keep changing the toys they will get bored otherwise.

They should not be damaging your property - they need to learn to respect it and if they have not reached the stage where they can use them without ruining them then you need to teach them how to do it and you may need to be really firm - but give lots of hugs and praise when they do well so they will not become afraid of you. If they are allowed to behave like this at home then parents have a huge problem but it shouldn't be your problem so teach them. Once they learn you will be able to leave them in the room playing nicely for longer and longer - so long as you can hear them - I bet at the moment you fear turning your back for a second - you need to be able to go to the loo etc and know they are playing safely.

Some children are just like this and they just need a little training or re-programming as it were - good luck!!!

funemnx
25-03-2010, 01:49 PM
I know what your going through at the moment, The little 'uns can be really tough on toys! I've got a shed in the garden which has some shelves for the boxes of toys, but also some space for ride-on toys. At the end of the day everything goes back in the shed (my own children are adults now). Last summer I threw or gave away half of my toys, as I realised I just had too much stuff and they didn't get played with. The small lego went and I only have Duplo now. I get out 1 or 2 boxes at a time, duplo and cars or animals. If the trains come out, they play with just the trains ect. Roll on the good weather and they can play outside more! Also I take mine to a different Toddler group every morning, by the time we get back, it's lunch and sleep time, so less distruction that way too :)

terrydoo73
25-03-2010, 01:58 PM
I don't mind you being critical. I do interact with them but as soon as you have the attention of one the other one is running off doing something that you just cannot see. I constantly am picking up toys just to ensure they do not stamp on them etc. I have tried the technique of putting them in the chairs in the kitchen with me but they just do not settle - shouting and throwing toys. I am nearly at the point of just having a bucket of broken toys and letting them play with these rather than anything else!

This morning one of the twins had pushed the 4 cubby hole system I have on wheels over to the radiator and was up on top before I could even get to him. As soon as saw me he jumped and my heart was in my mouth waiting for him to hurt himself. Yes they are allowed to destruct at home and I just think it is in their nature. I have seen glimpses of them being very quiet and playing with bricks or cars but it is short lived. When I do go to the toilet and there is no noise I know they are up to something! I have tried to work out the trigger times and which twin is worse than the other but they copy each other so it is hard to do this.

I have started to take them out most afternoons for a long walk hoping to tire them out but it just seems to make them more hyper than before. Yesterday when I came back in I locked the playroom door so they only have access to the living room and hallway without any toys in the hallway. I pulled out a bucket of toys from the cubby system in the living room and started to play with them - next moment one of them is on top of the sofa trying to climb up to the windowsill! My couches are pulled well away from the walls to prevent them doing this but guess what - they have started attacking the wallpaper now. Even though you say no once to them you are continually have to repeat it and it is really annoying. I have had to use 2 fire guards to protect both fireplace and the tv system as they pull the leads and ariel. I know I should be more firm but get so frustrated at times - just wondered if anyone had any techniques I could apply in this situation. Only time I seem to get a break is the time they sleep which at present is only 3/4 hour in a 10 hour day with them!

karen m
25-03-2010, 09:25 PM
poor you ,you must be exhausted,sorry but i would allow 1 toy each for maybe 20 min,then show them how to put away nicely and get them to choose another 1 each, again for about 20 min,tidy them away and maybe have a story with them both sitting with you on sofa then maybe some songs.maybe then a drink and a biscuit,start over again with choosing a toy and gradually let keep toy out for a bit longer ,story time a bit longer and so on hope this helps a bit:thumbsup:

suzyblue
26-03-2010, 11:16 AM
Im sure its an attention seeking thing, its just thats is negative attention. The mindee I have is going through a stage behaving like this. He is the youngest of 3 and has very busy parents that both work long hours. I think your twins are doing the same, trying to get attention even though its negative its still attention.

terrydoo73
26-03-2010, 11:01 PM
So glad it is Friday! Today was awful - by the end of the day the twins were just chucking toys all over the place. I lifted them out of the playroom and set them on the couches in the living room. I closed off the playroom and they were left with the 6 boxes in the living room. I am seriously considering doing this next week as I just cannot handle their wandering about and destroying everything. It is not that I am against them having access to all my toys but I just don't think it is working. Problem is at present I cannot see what they are really really interested in because they just seem to flit from toy to toy. I only have the twins next week Monday to Thursday as well as my daughter. I am really hoping that I will be able to cope!

What I keep going back to is my inspection visit last August - she put down on the recommendation that my children should have more access to my toys - she felt my playroom was brilliant but was rather annoyed that the children weren't in there using it ie had access to everything. I am definately going to tell her in no uncertain terms this year that I have tried this and it doesn't work for me - I do rotate the toys in the 6 hole cubby system so they do have plenty of access - there is another 4 hole cubby system usually in the hallway too so I think having 10 boxes is about enough??

I am starting to see the twins at 23 months understanding what I am saying even though they are not talking to me yet and I think it is as you say - they want my attention and I need to be firm but fair, meaning no when I say no etc.

Mouse
26-03-2010, 11:42 PM
So glad it is Friday! Today was awful - by the end of the day the twins were just chucking toys all over the place. I lifted them out of the playroom and set them on the couches in the living room. I closed off the playroom and they were left with the 6 boxes in the living room. I am seriously considering doing this next week as I just cannot handle their wandering about and destroying everything. It is not that I am against them having access to all my toys but I just don't think it is working. Problem is at present I cannot see what they are really really interested in because they just seem to flit from toy to toy. I only have the twins next week Monday to Thursday as well as my daughter. I am really hoping that I will be able to cope!

What I keep going back to is my inspection visit last August - she put down on the recommendation that my children should have more access to my toys - she felt my playroom was brilliant but was rather annoyed that the children weren't in there using it ie had access to everything. I am definately going to tell her in no uncertain terms this year that I have tried this and it doesn't work for me - I do rotate the toys in the 6 hole cubby system so they do have plenty of access - there is another 4 hole cubby system usually in the hallway too so I think having 10 boxes is about enough??

I am starting to see the twins at 23 months understanding what I am saying even though they are not talking to me yet and I think it is as you say - they want my attention and I need to be firm but fair, meaning no when I say no etc.

What a hard day you must have!

I think I'd be tempted to go back to basics & be quite restrictive with them. I would shut them in one room with you & have a very limited number of toys. Move the cubby system out of the way as well, so they can't climb on it or get more toys out. Sometimes there is just too much for the children to do & they can't concentrate on any one thing. You can help them by limiting the number of toys you have out.
Try to get a bit of control with them there, then expand things a bit (ie. get out another box of toys, then give them more freedom round the house etc). Start by trying to get them to play with the few toys you have out, or put all the toys away & try singing with them. Build it up slowly & move on when you feel they are ready.
It might take a bit of time, but you'll hopefully get to the stage where they play happily in the playroom without causing total chaos :thumbsup:

angeldelight
26-03-2010, 11:52 PM
What a hard day you must have!

I think I'd be tempted to go back to basics & be quite restrictive with them. I would shut them in one room with you & have a very limited number of toys. Move the cubby system out of the way as well, so they can't climb on it or get more toys out. Sometimes there is just too much for the children to do & they can't concentrate on any one thing. You can help them by limiting the number of toys you have out.
Try to get a bit of control with them there, then expand things a bit (ie. get out another box of toys, then give them more freedom round the house etc). Start by trying to get them to play with the few toys you have out, or put all the toys away & try singing with them. Build it up slowly & move on when you feel they are ready.
It might take a bit of time, but you'll hopefully get to the stage where they play happily in the playroom without causing total chaos :thumbsup:

I agree

Poor you hope you get it sorted out

Have a nice relaxing weekend

Angel xx

haribo
27-03-2010, 09:02 AM
i really feel for you :( i looked after twins who were the exact same -i had to look at the ages to make sure it wasnt the same pair ! luckily i was covering for another c. minders holiday so only had them for 2 weeks but i almost had a breakdown:blush: .. i never got to grips with them . their mum was a bit dizzy and i think they just ran riot at home . their c. minder warned me what they were like and she even gave notice not long after even though the money was great . cant really help but one suggestion -have you got room for a ball pit where they can throw the balls safely to get the throwing out of their system and restrict the other toys a little . i used to get them on the park everyday with a ball . also gave them plenty of crayons and paper -it didnt matter if they broke them and threw paper everywhere and they did sometimes sit and experiment ( not for long but it helped !) i hope it gets easier , they do learn that what is allowed at home isnt tolerated by others -i am very firm anyway and find a loud NO often stops them in their tracks if its something they dont hear very often at home . good luck :)

sweets
27-03-2010, 09:30 AM
what a nightmare! if i was you i would put them in a room away from the toys and just give them a few to play with and change them a couple of times during the day.

i personally dont believe in this free access to toys business! i found that children just get everything out and dont really play with anything. my toys are in the room that the children play in but are in non see through boxes, i get a few out for the babies and young toddlers in the morning and the 3\4 year old come in and choose what they want, they know where the stuff is more than me! i'm always looking in all the boxes for items but they always point to right one. when they have finished with the set they are playing with they ask to change it which i gladly do but the first set of toys have to be put away first. My DO wants me to labels on my boxes but i'm not going to as theyt are in my dining room and i dont want my house looking like a nursery and i also think it confuses the children as they will be able to see everything and its just to much to choose from.
i said to my DO that i would do a photo album of toys so the children can see all of them but its something ive never seem to have got round to! lol

jo f
27-03-2010, 11:53 AM
I try to leave toys which are not accesible to little uns for when they are asleep or sit older kids at dining room table. It is difficult as we are over cautious of risks, but at toddler groups varying toys( not lego) of different stages are accessible.
Its a hard one!