Erica/you chose some powerful before and after pictures from Tyler's room. Your winning smile hopefully is also a good reason for new people to check out your channel. I'll watch both your videos although I don't even have children 🤣
Happy to see you ladies working together in a collab. I love you both You guys are both killing decluttering! ❤️I definitely can connect to both of you very well.
So awesome you guys doing a collab!! I love you girls!! You get me motivated to declutter. I am a hoarder but my awesome husband makes sure I don't get out of control.
Yessss living for this collab 🤩🤩🤩 If one kid wants to get rid of something and another doesn’t I would watch if they actually use them in the coming month (set whatever timeframe suits you) and if they don’t use it I would declutter it. In my experience they want to keep almost everything but some things they just pull out but do not actually play with. Love to hear their happy giggles from their fort
Toy rotation! What a brilliant idea 💡. I'm an old retired lady with too many hobbies. I think I will map out a plan to indulge each hobby on a rotation schedule. 🤗👍🏝
Isn‘t it sweet that the fort has a certain touch of hygge in it? 😊 I love the way you interact with your children - calm, loving and respectful. And so they reflect it themselves. Greetings from Germany
Erica! You are terrific at mothering your children!! Every child in the world would enjoy the play space you have created. Thank you for being you, and videoing your life to show us how to do mothering!
Creative play flourishes in an environment that is organized and less cluttered. Your children immediately began to incorporate a variety of toys in a blended manner once everything was organized and available. I especially love to see learning toys and disvovering-- "wow, you stacked the buildings" as big brother encouragement.💓
As a child that didnt grow up with that many toys at all, but had a 10 or 15 group of friends to play around all year long, I kind of appreciate community more than amount of objects. But I am from Brazil, different culture. Didnt grow up with legos, videogames, etc. I remember I used to stink badly after playing with friends around my neighborhood. Scars from falls, climbing trees, barbed wire... 1991 born. Pre-internet. Good times.
Same here.... we didn’t have what kids today have. 1 doll, not 10. We had 35 kids on our street and were outside all the time. I guess you would say we were the end of the baby boom.
With your blocks on the shelf make a paper mat showing the outlines of the different shapes so the children can see where to put everything back. That play table was a great buy. Nice for them to be able to leave train track or Lego creations intact for a few days without them getting in the way.
I’m a retired 4th grade teacher. The pattern blocks you were thinking of getting rid of are great for teaching fractions. One thing I I used them for was working on what a whole is. For example you can use a hexagon as a whole but you can also say what is a fraction if the whole is 2 hexagons. Example: What is 1/3 of a two hexagon whole. It’s might sound obvious but it is actually a tricky concept. You might want to look up pattern block activities.
Erica, as a homeschool mom of mostly grown up kids, I just want to say you are doing such a great job. You are so respectful to your kids. That will serve you well in life long relationships with them. Also you adapt and adjust to the reality of what's really happening in your home. This is so important! In our family we have a value of "continuous improvement." Just keep being intentional, evaluating, adjusting, improving. This is a life long rhythm of growth! Before you know it, you will not have toys all over the house because the kids will be older. But you will still all be growing together based on the relationships and habits you are forming now. Thanks for sharing your life!
@@deborahglaves7434 Thanks for reading my comment Deborah. What you describe sounds exactly like my kids' growing up years - full of friends, people, play, learning, variety. I agree - kids need all those things!
@@reneea7811 Thanks for your encouraging comments Renee! I have been influenced by so many books, speakers and people over the years that together they have melded into the philosophy we live by. Just keep surrounding yourself with ideas and pick what resonates with you! That sounds like what you are doing already! Keep it up!
Hi Erica. You suggested to buy containers after decluttering. I'm now on a further decluttering session and notice that some containers I bought are now superfluous, the shelves are enough to keep the stuff, no extra boxes and baskets required. This reminded me of the Marie Kondo suggestion to not buy containers and be creative with what's around.
Toy rotation is a great idea...they just don’t need that much to play with because then they have decision fatigue. I used to have a home daycare and at a certain time everyday...2:30pm, it was clean up time. Everything was to be put away and tidy and then after that it was book time and maybe a game to play together that is easy to clean up before then went home for the night. This teaches them skills that they need and it will help you keep control of clutter and reduce the visual stress and the feeling of being overwhelmed.
So cute that each child is comfortable with donating toys that the others like.😂 I just love watching the kids. They’re so cute! My son is 24 and it makes me miss those days so much.😢
Your youngest (putting the container over his head) looked almost exactly like his dad (when he put the box over his head in I think the last video). It was just sooo cute to see.
I really enjoyed this video for two reasons--the topic (my son is 5) & it was really well produced. I think maybe a couple more coil baskets & you'll be set. Clean up with the kids every night or every Friday to sort everything again. I'm realizing myself that you must accept a little mess when kids are young & imaginative! I love the invitation to play approach. My son enjoyed this video too!
When shopping here in Kmart I saw lots of wooden toys. I was thinking if you swapped out plastic for wooden they could build with those too. Lots of scope for imagination and open ended play.
Okay okay but have you guys ever made an AIR FORT? All it takes is a sheet and you put it over a floor vent and BAM instant fort! We don’t have air conditioning in Germany, so that’s one thing we are going to miss doing. 😭
Please make sure you’re giving yourself a enough credit. When you showed the basement I had a flashback to the attic, the crawl space, the bathroom, the office … omg you have truly done a 180 and it’s wonderful!!!
I love love love your videos and your family! I’m being totally honest, I go directly to your channel first every day to see if you’ve posted, you are a breath of fresh air, kindness, and motivation and also so real and authentic, I appreciate you so much! 💗🙏🏼💗
If you can put a silhouette of each shape on the back of the shelf, it helps the children put them away in the correct places. You can make silhouettes really easily by tracing each block directly onto Contact paper, then cutting out and sticking onto the back of the shelf.
Decluttering toys with kids is the hardest. It helps to find categories they are more willing to let go of. For instance, my daughters are very attached to their dolls and stuffed animals, but are willing to let go of puzzles and board games they have grown out of. Also, I try to buy very few new toys (only for birthdays or Christmas). When I buy something new, I try to make it either something that gets used up (such as craft supplies...) or something for outside, or even activities. It is really hard though...
I like the way the kid's creative thinking kicks in(especially the eldest kid in the family) with the shapes, for example! That's fantastic that you put their wooden blocks in a shelf separate from the other toys! The kids have some of the happiest(cutest) growing toys ever!🧡💛💚💙💜💕
Just an idea, maybe some flashlights for their fort? They may stay in there longer if they had some light that they can turn on an off easily. The kids seem to be very creative and that's a blessing. Thanks for sharing
This has to be hard for you, your children certainly PLAY and keep them selves occupied, so to declutter their toys must be a challenge, they really use everything I love where you put the blocks xo
I need to clean up our playroom. I’m doing very similar things. I’m not getting rid of all the toys but storing some for toy rotation and it makes such a big difference!!!
That shirt looks gorgeous on you! And I'm loving seeing some of my fave ladies hanging out together! Also - cheers to leaning in to your season of life, such a good reminder for many of us
Sometimes it's hard to declutter when you have three kids with different likes/interests. I like the idea of rotating toys. Just an idea: Maybe you can buy a few rugs so the kids can sit on the floor in their playroom, especially for under the tent. Maybe it's because I live in a cold climate but I know personally when my daughter was young we played on a carpeted floor.
Reminds me of when I sort out kitty toys..they watch as I sit on the floor sorting. They have tons. 5 baskets sorted into stuffies, plastics, stick types etc😻😹
We homeschool and I have five children. I decided long ago that we would just choose to keep a few wooden dollhouses and a basket of blocks. It is open ended in that they can use calico critters or dolls they get as gifts. They create furniture out of scraps of wood, rocks, etc. Rugs from yarn, farm animals, tiny kitchen play, etc. It is ever changing and even though there are so many tiny parts to it- it is all so small it stays in one small area. Blocks are a nice addition because they can become more houses, barns, etc. My girls sew little clothes for the dolls, make tiny clay food for the kitchen. Each child has a couple dolls or stuffed animals in their beds and that is it. Other playthings like bikes and the trampoline are all outside. It is wonderful. I used to have many more toys and they caused me constant stress. My children are the most creative people I could imagine and it is largely due to huge amounts of unstructured time, mostly no screen time, no video games, and almost zero store bought items to play with. Children are amazing they will figure it out.
Not sure if you are still looking for lego ideas, but my daughter lays down a bid sturdy blanket. Lego are in a low profile fairly big bin. My granddaughter, who spreads out with lego can play away.... when done, my daughter and granddaughter pick up the blanket and dump it back into the bin like a funnel. Piece of cake. They have a shelf for buildings in progress. A tray would work for the ongoing buildings too.
We are raising 5 grandchildren with an age span of 12 years from youngest to oldest, and we are now living in our 3rd house with them. We have accumulated a huge amount of toys for each age range. Lots of vertical storage and clear containers help keep everything organized and accessible. We dedicate one room as the play room, and all the indoor toys, books, and games live there. By using floor-to-ceiling shelving on the longest wall we avoid needing smaller pieces of furniture for storage and free up a lot of floor space for playing. The same wall unit has moved with us from house to house, and we just need to change the configuration a bit each time.
I’m so glad my 8 year old boy has outgrown his 400 plus duplos and I can donate those! 🥰 He has also volunteered to let go of his 50 plus baby books (these were gifts from family or friends).
This is a great video. I am an ECE and always promote less choices for deeper learning. I like the idea of the candle in the tent. Can you bring in some softness and more hygee? Love it!
Use a larger tote to slide under train table, 🚂in between those shelves and the opening. I hope this makes sense 😉wish I could add a picture. Then use the empty shelves for trains and train track 😁
I don't know if it's "a massive amount of toys" (as someone said in the comments) compared to a typical American family, but for sure I was thinking that's A LOT OF WORK to take good care of. At least for my family and our messy habits that amount of toys would be TOO MUCH and actually a disaster! It's really difficult to keep all that stuff clean and organized. Kids really don't need that many toys. But of course it's not my place to say what's "too much". If your family has the time and energy to deal with that amount of stuff and kids love to play with them all, then it's not a problem. But I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble. Good luck! You've done an amazing job so far! I can't believe the amount of stuff you started working with in the beginning. You've been working so hard! It's been a pleasure to follow your progress.
If you want to help your kids keep the blocks put away like that..... you can get contact paper and trace the bottom of the blocks out then stick it on the shelf that way when they move it off the shelf they have a visual reminder of where to put each block shape this is what I did in my pre k classroom it worked out great kinda like puzzle for them at the end of play time.
I know you like the dinning room table for school, but I assume you have to clear it off every night for dinner. So what if you put 2 desks back to back and the third desk on the end and pushed them against the wall in the classroom? Basically forming one big table. That way you aren't in the center, the kiddos are together, you can maneuver a bit better, and you can keep the dining room table clean. Just a thought. ❤ love your videos so much! Keep 'em comin!
Also, great video, Erica! The school play room seems so inviting and more age appropriate now. Play is there work, doesn’t Mr Rogers say something like that?
Nice hair cuts boys! Feel better soon R. I was heavily into strewing when my kids were little. It definitely drew them into playing/learning with things then might not usually select or be interested in. Maybe adding some nature to their play such as rocks/pine cones/feathers and magnifying glasses? Great video!
Your boys are so helpful and they look so cute in their matching pjs! ❤. Oh and updating, for some reason it made my day when i realized you used the same music track i used in one of my videos!
We had a big blanket/toy box where wed have to put all the toys away that we werent actively using that were outside of our rooms and if they were in our rooms like the teddy we slept with or stuff that was ours alone we had to take care of and keep tidy aka not on the floor under the bed or shoved somewhere lol. My mother told us to say goodnight to our toys and make sure they were safe in their homes with their family so they wouldnt be scared or hurt on the floor etc. It really helps a lot of children understand why which then motovates them to do it without being told because they dont just get told because i said so but understand why its important. This teaches self discipline as well like oh no teddy was on the floor last night and got hurt or sick and has to stay at the toy hospital for a week so you cant see him til then lets wrote a card to teddy to get well and say sorry for not making sure he was safe and tucked in.
They are a bit young for the transformers.. I thought that in your last video.. They are not easy to turn from car /truck to robot and back again... Especially at that age!.. Poor Andy😢. I never did toy rotation with my kids.. But they have the IKEA Trofast storage shelves.. With different themes in each bin (eg wood building bricks, wood train track and trains, Lego, Playmobil volcano and Dinos, Playmobil forest and animals, wood marble track, building site and vehicles) .. And they are only allowed 2 bins at any one time.. If they want a different theme bin, they have to put one back before they take out a new theme...but that is all the toys they have... In Europe kids don't have as many toys as American kids. (USA consumes 40% of world toys, but only has small 3.2% of the world's kids: see you tube documentary "A cluttered life; middle class abundance" from UCTV about the results of a US scientific study).
I think having toys and dress up and things related to play should be isolated in one spot (even the rotational stuff can be in the same space just out of sight out of reach etc) so you can really see how much you have and the kids can have one tub thats their specific toys that they dont want the others to touch and the communal toys can be out for everyone.
I like your playroom! When there is a toy I think can be decluttered I hide it away for 6+ months and if they don't ask for it before that maybe I can declutter it 😅. And some toys are on rotation.
I have found that when I ask my kids if they still use/want something, their answer is almost always a yes, even if they never ever play with it. I think they are like us, that we need to encourage them to build that muscle of actually deciding if they use it, or if they just want to keep it because they are used to keeping it. When my kids tell me they still use something that I am not so sure about, I say, "Okay, then let's set it aside for a couple of months, and if you need it, you can ask me for it. If not, then we'll pass it on to another kid who has less than you and might use it all the time." 9 times out of 10, that item never gets asked about again, and it goes straight to the donation center. Every family is different, but just wanted to throw it out there that I don't think our kids can always gauge what they actually use and play with. Just my thoughts.
Watch Joshua Becker - Dont Turn Your Home Into A Toy Store.It may assist in decluttering the toys in the 3 rooms for is lots of toys,imo. You'll figure out Erica.😉🇨🇦❤
This is so exciting!!! Whoo Hoo!! We are one big decluttering family ♥️♥️♥️
Erica/you chose some powerful before and after pictures from Tyler's room. Your winning smile hopefully is also a good reason for new people to check out your channel. I'll watch both your videos although I don't even have children 🤣
Happy to see you ladies working together in a collab. I love you both You guys are both killing decluttering! ❤️I definitely can connect to both of you very well.
I LOVE both of your channels!!!! Thanks for the colab! Woohoo!
So awesome you guys doing a collab!! I love you girls!! You get me motivated to declutter. I am a hoarder but my awesome husband makes sure I don't get out of control.
Hello from Germany, hi miss Heart, hi Erica, Love your 2 Channels,be safe
Yessss living for this collab 🤩🤩🤩
If one kid wants to get rid of something and another doesn’t I would watch if they actually use them in the coming month (set whatever timeframe suits you) and if they don’t use it I would declutter it. In my experience they want to keep almost everything but some things they just pull out but do not actually play with.
Love to hear their happy giggles from their fort
Look at those little sweetie pies in their pajamas saying they are comfortable donating!!! Heart melting moment right there! ✨❤️🍫🥧✨
Those are long John’s! I’m obsessed with them. Chasing Windmills.
@@EricaLucasLoves Very cute!
Toy rotation! What a brilliant idea 💡. I'm an old retired lady with too many hobbies. I think I will map out a plan to indulge each hobby on a rotation schedule. 🤗👍🏝
Isn‘t it sweet that the fort has a certain touch of hygge in it? 😊 I love the way you interact with your children - calm, loving and respectful. And so they reflect it themselves. Greetings from Germany
Erica! You are terrific at mothering your children!! Every child in the world would enjoy the play space you have created. Thank you for being you, and videoing your life to show us how to do mothering!
Cooking is chemistry. Having the periodic table there is perfect! Lol
I love your boys being involved with this process! I think it's so important to not only model but also include them in the process as well.
Creative play flourishes in an environment that is organized and less cluttered. Your children immediately began to incorporate a variety of toys in a blended manner once everything was organized and available. I especially love to see learning toys and disvovering-- "wow, you stacked the buildings" as big brother encouragement.💓
As a child that didnt grow up with that many toys at all, but had a 10 or 15 group of friends to play around all year long, I kind of appreciate community more than amount of objects. But I am from Brazil, different culture. Didnt grow up with legos, videogames, etc. I remember I used to stink badly after playing with friends around my neighborhood. Scars from falls, climbing trees, barbed wire... 1991 born. Pre-internet. Good times.
Same here! I was born in 1972
Yes! Born in 1976. We were outside with friends all day. We didn’t have the toys my kids have today.
Same here.... we didn’t have what kids today have. 1 doll, not 10. We had 35 kids on our street and were outside all the time. I guess you would say we were the end of the baby boom.
With your blocks on the shelf make a paper mat showing the outlines of the different shapes so the children can see where to put everything back.
That play table was a great buy. Nice for them to be able to leave train track or Lego creations intact for a few days without them getting in the way.
I’m a retired 4th grade teacher. The pattern blocks you were thinking of getting rid of are great for teaching fractions. One thing I I used them for was working on what a whole is. For example you can use a hexagon as a whole but you can also say what is a fraction if the whole is 2 hexagons. Example: What is 1/3 of a two hexagon whole. It’s might sound obvious but it is actually a tricky concept. You might want to look up pattern block activities.
Erica, as a homeschool mom of mostly grown up kids, I just want to say you are doing such a great job. You are so respectful to your kids. That will serve you well in life long relationships with them. Also you adapt and adjust to the reality of what's really happening in your home. This is so important! In our family we have a value of "continuous improvement." Just keep being intentional, evaluating, adjusting, improving. This is a life long rhythm of growth! Before you know it, you will not have toys all over the house because the kids will be older. But you will still all be growing together based on the relationships and habits you are forming now. Thanks for sharing your life!
Oh my gosh Deb, your post was such a calming and encouraging post to read. What inspires your parenting? Any particular bloggers or books?
@@deborahglaves7434 Thanks for reading my comment Deborah. What you describe sounds exactly like my kids' growing up years - full of friends, people, play, learning, variety. I agree - kids need all those things!
@@reneea7811 Thanks for your encouraging comments Renee! I have been influenced by so many books, speakers and people over the years that together they have melded into the philosophy we live by. Just keep surrounding yourself with ideas and pick what resonates with you! That sounds like what you are doing already! Keep it up!
Hi Erica. You suggested to buy containers after decluttering. I'm now on a further decluttering session and notice that some containers I bought are now superfluous, the shelves are enough to keep the stuff, no extra boxes and baskets required. This reminded me of the Marie Kondo suggestion to not buy containers and be creative with what's around.
Toy rotation is a great idea...they just don’t need that much to play with because then they have decision fatigue. I used to have a home daycare and at a certain time everyday...2:30pm, it was clean up time. Everything was to be put away and tidy and then after that it was book time and maybe a game to play together that is easy to clean up before then went home for the night. This teaches them skills that they need and it will help you keep control of clutter and reduce the visual stress and the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Wow that is a massive amount of toys. You could be over thinking this. Joshua Becker's recent video on this very topic could be so helpful for you.
So cute that each child is comfortable with donating toys that the others like.😂 I just love watching the kids. They’re so cute! My son is 24 and it makes me miss those days so much.😢
Oh my goodness, Jack’s eyes when you said there were more toys in the basement! You’re a great mom Erica and your kids are adorable!
His face was questioning all my other secrets 😂😂
I like that you gave the wooden blocks an open home space. (Former Preschool Teacher here smiling!)
Your youngest (putting the container over his head) looked almost exactly like his dad (when he put the box over his head in I think the last video). It was just sooo cute to see.
Yes! Jack looks more and more like Andy by the day. His new haircut sealed it for me.
The kids are great and so helpful👍. I love how Ranger loves having his ear tickled and prompted you for more 😀
Great tips 👌
I really enjoyed this video for two reasons--the topic (my son is 5) & it was really well produced. I think maybe a couple more coil baskets & you'll be set. Clean up with the kids every night or every Friday to sort everything again. I'm realizing myself that you must accept a little mess when kids are young & imaginative! I love the invitation to play approach. My son enjoyed this video too!
Love these tips on how to create an “invitation to play” & that tent building kit is AWESOME!!
When shopping here in Kmart I saw lots of wooden toys. I was thinking if you swapped out plastic for wooden they could build with those too. Lots of scope for imagination and open ended play.
Okay okay but have you guys ever made an AIR FORT? All it takes is a sheet and you put it over a floor vent and BAM instant fort! We don’t have air conditioning in Germany, so that’s one thing we are going to miss doing. 😭
That's a neat idea for organizing the blocks. I've never thought about that but I feel like it would be super effective!
I have to say.... I loved hearing and watching you play with your kids
I'm already digging the vibe with the whole doggie dance
Please make sure you’re giving yourself a enough credit. When you showed the basement I had a flashback to the attic, the crawl space, the bathroom, the office … omg you have truly done a 180 and it’s wonderful!!!
I love love love your videos and your family! I’m being totally honest, I go directly to your channel first every day to see if you’ve posted, you are a breath of fresh air, kindness, and motivation and also so real and authentic, I appreciate you so much! 💗🙏🏼💗
I'm sending that level of love right back to you!!!!! Be happy and stay safe.
your kids are sooooo cute saying "i feel comfortable donating this" ! 💗💗💗
If you can put a silhouette of each shape on the back of the shelf, it helps the children put them away in the correct places. You can make silhouettes really easily by tracing each block directly onto Contact paper, then cutting out and sticking onto the back of the shelf.
Nice idea! What I did as a teacher: I took a picture of the shelf and hung it next to it.
The boys' buzz cuts look great!
They asked for Daddy haircuts. ❤️
I love your selection of toys! They are so open ended for great imagination play!! You have given me so many ideas for my sons up coming birthday 🥳
Decluttering toys with kids is the hardest. It helps to find categories they are more willing to let go of. For instance, my daughters are very attached to their dolls and stuffed animals, but are willing to let go of puzzles and board games they have grown out of. Also, I try to buy very few new toys (only for birthdays or Christmas). When I buy something new, I try to make it either something that gets used up (such as craft supplies...) or something for outside, or even activities. It is really hard though...
I like the way the kid's creative thinking kicks in(especially the eldest kid in the family) with the shapes, for example! That's fantastic that you put their wooden blocks in a shelf separate from the other toys! The kids have some of the happiest(cutest) growing toys ever!🧡💛💚💙💜💕
Just an idea, maybe some flashlights for their fort? They may stay in there longer if they had some light that they can turn on an off easily. The kids seem to be very creative and that's a blessing. Thanks for sharing
I think a playroom is just what your kids needed so they can all play together.
You have chosen fantastic toys for your children. All of them are mentally stimulating.
This has to be hard for you, your children certainly PLAY and keep them selves occupied, so to declutter their toys must be a challenge, they really use everything
I love where you put the blocks xo
Love all of this. I laughed at the matching puzzle next to the floor vent: that would be an invitation to my 3yo to put the cards in the vent slots 😆
I need to clean up our playroom. I’m doing very similar things. I’m not getting rid of all the toys but storing some for toy rotation and it makes such a big difference!!!
That shirt looks gorgeous on you! And I'm loving seeing some of my fave ladies hanging out together! Also - cheers to leaning in to your season of life, such a good reminder for many of us
Basement looking good. Toy rotation is a good idea
Sometimes it's hard to declutter when you have three kids with different likes/interests. I like the idea of rotating toys. Just an idea: Maybe you can buy a few rugs so the kids can sit on the floor in their playroom, especially for under the tent. Maybe it's because I live in a cold climate but I know personally when my daughter was young we played on a carpeted floor.
we think alike! I gave them a little circle rug from the family room for their fort. :)
How cute are those jammies!
Chasing Windmills thermal long Johns!
Thanks!
Omg.... SO many tiny pieces.... There is no way I could have that many "open ended" toys and not looooooose my miiiiind
Some days are hard for me when the toys end up all over. Those are major play days. But we just have to work together to clean it up.
It looks like they are having fun! Great job on all the decluttering you have come such a long way and it's very motivating. =)
Reminds me of when I sort out kitty toys..they watch as I sit on the floor sorting. They have tons. 5 baskets sorted into stuffies, plastics, stick types etc😻😹
This is so good, Erica! Support is so helpful!! Getting ideas and having others hold you accountable can aid in SUCCESS!!
Loved how he didn’t want the car--- remember it well👏💕💕💕
We homeschool and I have five children. I decided long ago that we would just choose to keep a few wooden dollhouses and a basket of blocks. It is open ended in that they can use calico critters or dolls they get as gifts. They create furniture out of scraps of wood, rocks, etc. Rugs from yarn, farm animals, tiny kitchen play, etc. It is ever changing and even though there are so many tiny parts to it- it is all so small it stays in one small area. Blocks are a nice addition because they can become more houses, barns, etc. My girls sew little clothes for the dolls, make tiny clay food for the kitchen. Each child has a couple dolls or stuffed animals in their beds and that is it. Other playthings like bikes and the trampoline are all outside. It is wonderful. I used to have many more toys and they caused me constant stress. My children are the most creative people I could imagine and it is largely due to huge amounts of unstructured time, mostly no screen time, no video games, and almost zero store bought items to play with. Children are amazing they will figure it out.
We rotate our toys as well. Life. Saver.
YES - it's soooo much easier to keep the play room tidy
I ❤ the family sharing in the process!!!!
This is beautiful. Very montessori style.
It makes me sad, my daughter doesn't play. She collects, but doesn't play.
At church with those wooden blocks the lady made a picture of each of the block so kids would know where to return. It works so well.
Not sure if you are still looking for lego ideas, but my daughter lays down a bid sturdy blanket. Lego are in a low profile fairly big bin. My granddaughter, who spreads out with lego can play away.... when done, my daughter and granddaughter pick up the blanket and dump it back into the bin like a funnel. Piece of cake. They have a shelf for buildings in progress. A tray would work for the ongoing buildings too.
Oh my goodness! Your boys are adorable!
We are raising 5 grandchildren with an age span of 12 years from youngest to oldest, and we are now living in our 3rd house with them. We have accumulated a huge amount of toys for each age range. Lots of vertical storage and clear containers help keep everything organized and accessible. We dedicate one room as the play room, and all the indoor toys, books, and games live there. By using floor-to-ceiling shelving on the longest wall we avoid needing smaller pieces of furniture for storage and free up a lot of floor space for playing. The same wall unit has moved with us from house to house, and we just need to change the configuration a bit each time.
Kids just don’t want to let go. I get that. We’ve been able to declutter the kids room, eventually after the move.
Love both of you so much; thanks for the great collab!
I think you’ll enjoy the playroom much more than the homeschool room. We never used a desk until Katie was in 10th Grade.
I’m slowly learning this
I’m so glad my 8 year old boy has outgrown his 400 plus duplos and I can donate those! 🥰 He has also volunteered to let go of his 50 plus baby books (these were gifts from family or friends).
This is a great video. I am an ECE and always promote less choices for deeper learning. I like the idea of the candle in the tent. Can you bring in some softness and more hygee? Love it!
Love your idea of the play room they will love it that tent reading area too 📖
Great job Erica. Your kids are so stinkin cute too!
Maybe a periodic table will help my cooking! 😉
Hello from Germany, hi Erica, good Job, Like the Video, be safe
Use a larger tote to slide under train table, 🚂in between those shelves and the opening. I hope this makes sense 😉wish I could add a picture. Then use the empty shelves for trains and train track 😁
Beautyfull! You have very lovely children. I feel now a little pitty that my girl is still grown up and out of the house.
You got me hooked for the whole video. When is it coming out? Thumbs up 👍
I don't know if it's "a massive amount of toys" (as someone said in the comments) compared to a typical American family, but for sure I was thinking that's A LOT OF WORK to take good care of. At least for my family and our messy habits that amount of toys would be TOO MUCH and actually a disaster! It's really difficult to keep all that stuff clean and organized. Kids really don't need that many toys.
But of course it's not my place to say what's "too much". If your family has the time and energy to deal with that amount of stuff and kids love to play with them all, then it's not a problem. But I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble.
Good luck! You've done an amazing job so far! I can't believe the amount of stuff you started working with in the beginning. You've been working so hard! It's been a pleasure to follow your progress.
If you want to help your kids keep the blocks put away like that..... you can get contact paper and trace the bottom of the blocks out then stick it on the shelf that way when they move it off the shelf they have a visual reminder of where to put each block shape this is what I did in my pre k classroom it worked out great kinda like puzzle for them at the end of play time.
We love building with jenga blocks too :)
I know you like the dinning room table for school, but I assume you have to clear it off every night for dinner. So what if you put 2 desks back to back and the third desk on the end and pushed them against the wall in the classroom? Basically forming one big table. That way you aren't in the center, the kiddos are together, you can maneuver a bit better, and you can keep the dining room table clean. Just a thought. ❤ love your videos so much! Keep 'em comin!
Love the idea of rotating toys. I do that with decorating the house. What did you do with their desks?
Oh forgot to mention that! We moved them into their rooms for projects that need a safe space.
My girls have wanted those fort builder things forever. Your littlest looks just like your husband. I’m sure you get that all the time.
Also, great video, Erica! The school play room seems so inviting and more age appropriate now. Play is there work, doesn’t Mr Rogers say something like that?
Play is the work of the child -Maria Montessori
Nice hair cuts boys! Feel better soon R.
I was heavily into strewing when my kids were little. It definitely drew them into playing/learning with things then might not usually select or be interested in. Maybe adding some nature to their play such as rocks/pine cones/feathers and magnifying glasses?
Great video!
Toys are the bane of my existence
Thank you Erica
Your boys are so helpful and they look so cute in their matching pjs! ❤. Oh and updating, for some reason it made my day when i realized you used the same music track i used in one of my videos!
Omg, when Jack grow up this much? He is so big now!
I think maybe when he got a big boy haircut? That really makes them age 😂
@@catharinabra nailed it!
His new haircut slays me. He’s an old man 4 year old now.
Next birthday try getting them an experience instead of toys. Gift certificates for the movies, roller skating or what ever else you can find.
Love this collab! Well done friends! 🥰
We had a big blanket/toy box where wed have to put all the toys away that we werent actively using that were outside of our rooms and if they were in our rooms like the teddy we slept with or stuff that was ours alone we had to take care of and keep tidy aka not on the floor under the bed or shoved somewhere lol. My mother told us to say goodnight to our toys and make sure they were safe in their homes with their family so they wouldnt be scared or hurt on the floor etc. It really helps a lot of children understand why which then motovates them to do it without being told because they dont just get told because i said so but understand why its important. This teaches self discipline as well like oh no teddy was on the floor last night and got hurt or sick and has to stay at the toy hospital for a week so you cant see him til then lets wrote a card to teddy to get well and say sorry for not making sure he was safe and tucked in.
They are a bit young for the transformers.. I thought that in your last video.. They are not easy to turn from car /truck to robot and back again... Especially at that age!.. Poor Andy😢.
I never did toy rotation with my kids.. But they have the IKEA Trofast storage shelves.. With different themes in each bin (eg wood building bricks, wood train track and trains, Lego, Playmobil volcano and Dinos, Playmobil forest and animals, wood marble track, building site and vehicles) .. And they are only allowed 2 bins at any one time.. If they want a different theme bin, they have to put one back before they take out a new theme...but that is all the toys they have... In Europe kids don't have as many toys as American kids. (USA consumes 40% of world toys, but only has small 3.2% of the world's kids: see you tube documentary "A cluttered life; middle class abundance" from UCTV about the results of a US scientific study).
I think having toys and dress up and things related to play should be isolated in one spot (even the rotational stuff can be in the same space just out of sight out of reach etc) so you can really see how much you have and the kids can have one tub thats their specific toys that they dont want the others to touch and the communal toys can be out for everyone.
YES! I was asking myself just the other day when the collab will happen. Love you both
Your kids had fun😍 and what was happening outside that window the dog was there watching alot🤣
We affectionately call the fort building toy "balls and sticks" in our household!
Love, love, love your videos and ideas!
I like your playroom!
When there is a toy I think can be decluttered I hide it away for 6+ months and if they don't ask for it before that maybe I can declutter it 😅. And some toys are on rotation.
Fun! 🤩
I have found that when I ask my kids if they still use/want something, their answer is almost always a yes, even if they never ever play with it. I think they are like us, that we need to encourage them to build that muscle of actually deciding if they use it, or if they just want to keep it because they are used to keeping it. When my kids tell me they still use something that I am not so sure about, I say, "Okay, then let's set it aside for a couple of months, and if you need it, you can ask me for it. If not, then we'll pass it on to another kid who has less than you and might use it all the time." 9 times out of 10, that item never gets asked about again, and it goes straight to the donation center. Every family is different, but just wanted to throw it out there that I don't think our kids can always gauge what they actually use and play with. Just my thoughts.
Sweet boys!
Michael Vance former Dean at Disney University "Kitchen of the Mind" is the great gift you are giving your children.
What’s the concept of “kitchen of the mind?” I tried googling it but didn’t see a good explanation. Thank you!
Can I come over and play? You got some cool toys.
Also, you really look fantastic! Don't know what you've been doing, but keep it up, girl!
oh my thank you!
Watch Joshua Becker - Dont Turn Your Home Into A Toy Store.It may assist in decluttering the toys in the 3 rooms for is lots of toys,imo. You'll figure out Erica.😉🇨🇦❤
Where did you get the fort put together?
Suggestion ... Let each pick 2-3 .... Then put up most of the rest