Exploringmontessori

At this stage, I’ve found that having fewer toys available works better for him. Right now, I usually keep around 6 to 8 toys out and rotate them depending on what I observe during the week.

Alongside these rotating toys, I always keep a few open-ended ones available. Blocks are the biggest constant in our home. He is completely drawn to them, and we have several types — sensory blocks from TickiT, geo blocks from Grimm’s, Duplo, and natural wooden blocks from Glückskäfer. I usually keep one set out at a time and rotate between them. He uses them in different ways — stacking, carrying them around, or simply holding and examining them.

We also always have one music-related toy available. Some weeks it’s a drum, other weeks it’s a piano. He naturally returns to these throughout the day, so I alternate them occasionally rather than rotating them weekly.

I don’t rotate toys based on a strict timeline. Instead, I adjust things based on what I see him doing each day. Some toys are used constantly, and those stay. Others sit there without being touched, and when that happens, I quietly put them away and replace them with something else we already have.

A lot of it comes down to observation. If I notice him repeating certain movements, like placing objects inside containers, stacking, or carrying things around, I make sure there’s something available that supports that stage. The goal isn’t to introduce something new every week, but to make sure what’s available reflects his current interests and development.

Some weeks nothing changes at all, because he’s still engaged with the same toys. Other times, small adjustments make a noticeable difference.

Keeping a limited number of toys available, while maintaining familiar open-ended ones like blocks and music, has helped create a calmer and more manageable environment for both of us.