Free play toys/organization

[Inspired by Reggio]

I am going to sound lazy here - but I never 'change' my entire playroom basically everything is set up the same

I only change up things that are 'skills based' so once the group has mastered them they need something more challenging to scaffold their learning ... puzzles, books, offering blocks with smaller pieces and that sort of thing - everything else is pretty much a staple and always there. I also add or remove 'seasonal props' to the dramatic play and so forth.

In addition to the 'staples' in the playroom that are always there I also have 'invitations' that I bring out to set the stage for certain learning in the playroom for the 'table toys' area .... so the light table might come out, the marble bin, gemstones, the dark box and flashlights and so forth.

The SET UP of my room is ALWAYS the same ... the dramatic play items always in same area, the block corner in same area, the book nook quiet area and so forth never change.

I was at a workshop once and the gentleman who was the keynote speak made an awesome analogy that really struck home to me.... children are master chefs of their own play and learning - the playroom is their kitchen and some well chosen materials in that room are their ingredients ... and they can make 10,000 different recipes with those same ingredients and NEVER get bored....with children often 'less is more' in regards to creating deep and meaningful play! He said the more a toy 'does' for a child the 'less useful' it is for their play ... so even with 'food for dramatic play' if you have the option between a piece of plastic modeled 'pasta' and cutting up a ball of colored yarn and putting it in the bowl - choose the later because the later can become 100 things in play - the plastic modeled pasta will always be JUST PASTA

Than he spoke about 'toy rotation' and 'room rearrangement' ... things that are typically done weekly or biweekly in licensed care (the venue he was speaking to was mostly licensed caregivers) and said 'Now imagine you are a Master Chef and you arrive to work one morning and someone has REARRANGED your ENTIRE KITCHEN ON YOU ... how are you going to feel about cooking in that kitchen?'

Now some people are excited about change however MOST people even if they might be excited are also anxious/stressed at the same time ... this creates anxiety and stressed based behaviours in children ... you get that more pushing, fighting, crying and so forth as they learn to navigate that 'new kitchen' and just when they FINALLY get into the groove of playing chances are they arrive one day and the kitchen has been REARRANGED AGAIN ... and eventually what happens with children is they STOP trying to CREATE NEW RECIPES in their kitchen ... and than what you get is 'boredom' behaviour in the playroom because children stop getting 'attached' to any toys or play themes cause changes are in a week or two weeks its gone anyway.

I found when I made the change of thinking from this need to 'rotate' the toys or 'change the room around' constantly to prevent boredom an instead focused on ensuring that the choices in the room promoting open ended use that my crews imaginations flourished - they did more play with LESS materials and they play longer and BETTER with less need of help or support from me - and I ended up with more TIME for other more important things ... I get to spend my time observing, listening and well to be honest often multitasking other things so I do not have to do them after hours and so forth ... plus the added bonus very little 'stress' related behaviour in my program ... little to no arguing or crying and calmness generally prevails ... they can play often for over and hour block of time sometimes TWO without ANY help or intervention from me at all - peaceful purposeful engaged play with each other leading it - it is awesome! This has not only been my experience in my small 5 child group - but when I was using this approach in centre care as well with 8-12 children in the room