how to set up a montessori toy shelf
I swear I’m almost done with all of these intro blogs! The last thing I wanted to talk about was how to set up a toy shelf. If you haven’t read my post on toy rotation, you should catch up on that so we’re on the same page :) Honestly, the toy storage is way more intimidating than setting up the toy shelf. Once you have all of your toys organized, it will only take 10-20 minutes to rotate out toys and create an Instagram-worthy shelfie. I will share our toy storage soon- I am actually very proud of it 😎 There are six simple rules to follow when setting up your baby’s shelf.
RULE 1- Observe your baby throughout the day and make note of what they’re interested in and what skills they’re working on. Then, choose toys and activities that will help your baby develop those interests and skills they’re exploring. For example, I noticed that Henry has really been into throwing, so I added a basket of balls and his ball drop toy. On the other hand, if you notice your baby isn’t using a toy correctly or safely, try replacing it with something that works better for them. Since I know that Henry is really into throwing, I definitely won’t be putting any breakable or pointy items on his shelf! It’s really all about observing, following your baby’s lead, and supporting them with materials that meet them where they are.
RULE 2- Try to give a variety of toys. I use these seven categories to store toys, and I also try to set out 5/7 of the categories on Henry’s shelf. I set up a reading nook in Henry’s room, so we have language covered there, and we aren’t quite at the practical life stage yet. I have everything separated into bins that are categorized and labeled according to these categories. When I’m setting out toys, I literally just grab a bin and pick out a toy that Henry would enjoy. I always feel confident that I’m giving Henry a well-rounded shelf.
RULE 3- Limit the number of toys. Remember, one of the main benefits of toy rotation is to eliminate the issue of too many toys. We have a cube shelf with seven openings, and I only put one toy per cube.
RULE 4- Put smaller items in baskets or trays. Henry has been into pom poms lately so I have had them out on the last three shelf rotations. I put the pom-poms in a jar, then I set the jar and whatever else goes with the pom-poms on a tray. This ensures that things stay organized, and Henry also understands that everything on the tray goes together.
RULE 5- Leave toys undone on the shelf. When your baby sees a toy or a puzzle already put together, they see that it's already completed. There isn’t anything else for your baby to do with that toy, so why play with it? This is where those trays and baskets come in handy! Keep puzzle pieces in a basket next to the puzzle instead of setting them on the shelf already put together.
Rule 6- Create a “yes” space. Only set out toys and activities that you want your baby to have access to. This allows your baby to play freely without you having to interrupt them with “don’t touch that!”.
If you google “how to set up a toy shelf” there are plenty of suggestions or rules that people follow. Some people set their shelves up from left to right in order of difficulty and some people put multiple toys in one cube. You just have to find what works best for you and stick to it! Next week I will FINALLY be sharing our first “Shelfie” with you guys, and I am so excited! Hopefully, once you guys can see what I'm talking about all of these blogs will make more sense. Well, I hope they make sense now lol, but you get what I'm saying! Thank you for reading, and I can’t wait to see you back here next week!
-XOXO, MM
