Simple organizing tip from a mom of 5: CRIB TOY BOXES

Posted on May 5, 2010 by elizabeth

During the Witching Hours (3pm-6pm), I have several strategies for survival. One of these includes giving the twins one hour of quiet play time in their cribs.

I'm a firm believer in teaching children to amuse themselves. I love playing with my kids, but I do not exist for their sole entertainment. And especially from 3pm-6pm, Mommy has serious work to do; ie. homework help, dinner prep, sports practice drop-offs, overseeing piano practice.

To help the twins amuse themselves, I've put together Crib Toy Boxes. These are smaller versions of their big tox box. Essentially, they're just plastic boxes filled with smallish, interesting toys and books, preferably ones they don't play with during the day. Here they are (next to a little show-off who insisted on getting in the picture, lol!):

CribToyBoxes

I try to keep the Crib Toy Boxes up and out of reach until quiet play time. I freshen up the toy selection about once a week. Sometimes I keep "reserves" of old toys hidden from view. I've discovered that if you hide old toys for awhile, when you bring them out again the kids are like: WOO-HOO! NEW TOYS!

I like to spy on the twins and see what they're doing with their Crib Toy Boxes. They invent some pretty cute games. Jorie likes to turn hers upside down, cover it with a blankie and pretend it's a table for tea. Jossie likes to use her box as a little reading chair. She sits on it (or in it) and "reads" her books. 

[WARNING: if your kid is a climber, the boxes can be used as step-stools for escaping her crib. You might need to modify your own set-up accordingly. A Crib Toy Bag, maybe?]

When quiet play time is over, I scoop the toys back into the boxes and stick them up on a closet shelf. For me, it's important to check the boxes each day and make sure nothing random or unsafe has somehow found its way in there (sometimes my older kids unwittingly give the little kids unsafe toys).

I want to assure you that the twins enjoy their quiet play time. It's not time-out or punishment and they never mistake it as such.

It's a positive, peaceful experience. Sometimes I turn on classical music and they have their blankies so they can choose to lay down and relax. I keep the baby monitor on so I can listen in on their playtime. I just love hearing their adorable little conversations and made-up songs.

However, I do fetch them after one hour. Leaving them alone for too long breeds upset feelings and I want them to associate their cribs with rest and peaceful play–not feelings of rejection. Every child has a different time limit and we've had to work up to the one hour time-slot (we started at 6 months with about 15 minutes quiet play).

Crib Toy Boxes and quiet playtime are a lifesaver for this busy mama!

__________________________________________________

 

This entry was posted in Parenting--toughest job out there, Twins!!. Bookmark the permalink.
  • http://www.lightenoughtosee.blogspot.com JJ

    What a great idea! I don’t have any littles now and I’m not sure mine would have cooperated when they were but I sure would have tried!

  • http://www.givinguponperfect.com Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect

    Our babysitter started “pack and play time” with my daughter when she went from two naps to one. It was a GREAT system for us, both during the week at the babysitter’s house and at home during the weekend. It gave us all a break and time to refresh. Plus, it’s good for kiddos to learn to play on their own and be creative!

  • Evie

    I love it! I agree that little ones need that little peaceful time, esp’ly when they have alot of siblings. I hope to do something like this when my twins decrease their nap times.

  • http://livelifeartfully.blogspot.com Jennifer

    Sounds fabulous.

  • http://hoperoadblog.com Anna

    Love it, Elizabeth… thanks for sharing! Even now I try to give my little 3-month-old some alone time during his awake time… not that I leave him, but I just let him play for a few minutes without being in his face. Eventually I want to work up to pack and play time as well.

  • http://www.laundryandlullabiesblogspot.com Emily

    Elizabeth, we do the exact same thing! We actually have two quiet times during our day: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I’m so thankful that I stumbled into ordering our days this way, because it has been REALLY helpful for the boys. My oldest especially needs the down time – he’s an extrovert and loves to play play play! with people people people! but wears out quickly. The time by himself is really important for his well being. And mine, since I am NOT an extrovert and his intense energy wears me out! :)

  • Karen

    HI Elizabeth!

    Oh, yes, it’s mandatory to do that around my home, too! Everyone gets atleast a little quite time. Couldn’t live without it!!! It’s good for the head and good for the soul! Love your idea of the small toy box– kids seem to get bored so fast, so “new” toys always do the trick!!

    Have a happy day!!

  • karla

    Hi,
    I have six year old triplets and one 20 month old son. My son still takes a nap, but I always leave a couple of interesting toys in his room and a big basket of board books for when he wakes up. He will usually sleep for about 1 1/2 hours, but my older kids do quiet time for 2 hours. That leaves my younger son a 1/2 hour to amuse himself and I’m sure that nap time will get shorter and shorter as time goes on. I am a firm believer in quiet time too, partly because I home school and I need that time to get other things done. But also because I want my kids to learn to entertain themselves. I want them to learn to imagine and play and pretend and amuse themselves without other people around to do it for them.

  • http://ouraussiehalf-dozen.blogspot.com Catherine

    I used to do that with a box of special toys in the playpen. While it was giving me a bit of a breather to help the older children with homework, the younger one(s) thought they were getting a treat too – and the playpen seems less like a prison.

    When my husband is away (he’s in the army so it happens frequently) we do “activities” in the evening after dinner/bath. I set up 4 “posts” each with a special toy/puzzle/game and turn on the timer for 10 – 15 minutes. The four youngest rotate around the “activities” each time the bell goes off. That way I get 40 to 60 mins of peace to clean up the kitchen, make school lunches and set out clothes for the next day. When “activities” is over we have our bedtime stories. It’s a real lifesaver, especially as they are all tired at that time of night and keeping them separated at their own activity also keeps them from bickering and fighting.

  • Jessica Bish

    Hi -

    You had mentioned babywise in a post a long time ago… have you taken the Growing Kids God’s Way class by the Ezzo’s???? If not – I think you could have written that program! We started pretty late with our daughter to have quiet time but my 8 month old son is slowing working his way towards that. For some reason he does great at home but will not do it for his grammy who watches him during the day…. I guess we’re just boring

  • http://theweitzels.wordpress.com Erin

    The first thing I thought when I read this was that my son would use the box to climb out of the crib! lol! A toy bag sounds like a great idea for us…although my son plays very well by himself already.

  • http://findandfound.wordpress.com jessica mell

    this is way rad. very simple, very intuitive, very likely something i would not have thought of by myself. so thank you for the sharing!

    “I’m a firm believer in teaching children to amuse themselves. I love playing with my kids, but I do not exist for their sole entertainment.”
    yes! amen, sistah-girl.

    i like your good-boundary balance of that firm conviction along with your recognition that kids need help to learn how to amuse themselves. they need “scaffolding”, as we call it in the teaching biz. good to work them up to longer independent time.

  • MV

    thank you.

    i needed this advice right now. i’m going to try it. i’ll have to do the bag thing for my youngest though. she’s ok so far in the pack and play, but she climbed out of her crib at 10 months, so we had to take that down. i know its only a matter of days or weeks till she can climb out of the pack and play, so, i will have to figure out a new way to contain her soon. any suggestions from parents with young climbers?

    its great to read others’ comments. very helpful and encouraging.

  • Margaret

    Love that idea!

    We have the one-hour quiet time too. Right after lunch. Mine are older so a few books and a good story on CD keep them happy. :)

    We shake things up once in a while and skip the nap, but most days it’s mandatory and we *all* need that break.

  • http://www.thejoyofhome.blogspot.com Dianna

    We have been doing independent playtime for a while now too. My oldest, 2.5, has an hour alone in his room while my 11 month old takes a morning nap. It is nice to have them learn to entertain themselves and not expect mom/siblings to be the sole source of entertainment.