Keeping out some toys and rotating a small selection, we can nurture our children’s ability to play and learn independently in the short- and long-term. Putting away toys not being used, and bringing out other toys, helps us to create novelty and thus nurtures independent play in the short-term. Keeping out some old favorites encourages long-term independent play skills, as well as creativity and problem solving. It is important to support a child’s comfort with both boredom and familiarity. Getting a completely refreshed play space each week can make it harder for children to think of new ways to play with old things. There is so much creativity that children can build by repeatedly playing with the same toys.
