As a homeschooling family, our home environment plays a big role in shaping our daily activities. I strive to maintain a balance between providing creative play, exercise, and learning opportunities while keeping toys and clutter in check. This is definitely a challenging task.
Homeschooling can often feel at odds with a minimalist lifestyle, especially since it involves creating a classroom within the home. Whether you homeschool or not, many parents have faced the pressure to provide material items for their kids’ happiness. Yet, it’s those very items that can later cause frustration when we find ourselves tripping over toys or hastily tidying up for unexpected visitors.
Surely, there must be a simpler, better way to handle this. Although the “right way” varies for each family and changes with time, we’ve adopted a few basic principles that help us embrace a healthy minimalism by prioritizing what’s important and letting go of what isn’t.
I admire the classic advice to spend more time with your kids and less money. While it’s great advice, it can be challenging to implement if saying “no” isn’t something we’re used to. We all long for a simpler life, but it’s hard to resist when our kids’ faces light up with joy when we say “yes.”
I’ve talked before about how much more stuff today’s families have compared to previous generations, and it’s especially apparent with our kids. It’s worth reevaluating what our children truly need for happiness, as their best childhood memories likely won’t be centered around material things.
Family habits will change only when we accept that more possessions don’t equate to greater happiness for us or our children. Inspired by Montessori principles, we’ve had success setting up small play “stations” at home, tailored for different ages and skill levels. While our home can’t wholly replicate a Montessori classroom, the idea of “freedom within limits” is a key part of our daily life. We give young kids limited freedom to set them up for success, gradually increasing their freedom and responsibility as they grow.
There are various ways to organize toys, but it’s beneficial to limit them to an amount children can handle on their own. This doesn’t mean getting rid of all their toys; it might involve capping the number, designating toys to a specific room, or rotating a few boxes of toys in and out.
Using physical limits like a closet or box can signal when it’s time to rotate or purge toys. Generally, I prefer if my kids find entertainment outdoors—climbing trees, running, or building forts. Indoors, I encourage them to engage with items we already own that serve another purpose, such as cooking or building couch cushion obstacle courses. Many moms have kept a busy toddler entertained with just a pot, some utensils, and a little water.
That said, well-chosen toys that promote exercise and learning have their place. It can be hard to decide which toys are worth buying since each child is unique and toy quality varies. Recent Amazon reviews help, though!
Being picky about introducing toys into the home is important, even if they’re just a cheap find at a garage sale. Liat Hughes Joshi, author of “Raising Children: The Primary Years,” suggests three key considerations for toy purchases, which I find to be valuable advice.
Ask yourself before buying a toy:
– Can more than one child play with it at the same time? What ages is it suitable for? Does it support active play and sharing?
Examples include a dollhouse, board game, or sports equipment.
– How creatively can a child use this toy? Is it meant for just one use, or can it be repurposed? How many ways can it be used?
Open-ended toys like Legos or wooden blocks allow kids to be creative over the years.
– Does it prioritize quality? Although quality items might cost more initially, they reduce clutter and environmental waste, and have better resale value.
So, what are the best toys? Here are some timeless, low-clutter toys that have worked for us. I’ve kept this list brief and to the point. For more, see my posts on the best natural toys and the Ultimate Gift Guide.
What toys have lasted for you? Which ones do you decline? Please share!
