Tot School Organized

Recently, I went on a crazy organizing streak and FINALLY got all of our tot school supplies in one place, behind closed doors, away from curious hands, and easy to access... in a closet near the playroom! A few weeks ago, my friend Kristin saw it and said I should write a post on it to give some ideas... so Kristin, here's the post! I used various sizes of rubbermaid storage containers and labeled them using red duck tape or a labeler (those were labeled months ago). Here's what the closet looks like.

The bottom shelf houses toys that we rotate, puzzles too big to fit in the bins above and a blue canvas bin labeled "containers". Containers of all shapes and sizes to be used for tot school activities.

The two middle shelves contain these boxes...

TOP SHELF:

"lacing" - anything from lacing beads to beads on pipe cleaners to foam beads

"stacking" - stacking and nesting cups, bowls that stack, tiny cups, & other items which stack

"matching" - matching games, puzzles, etc.

"stickers" - stickers and stamps

"tot tools" - pipe cleaners, scissors, tongs, spoons, anything we'd use as a tool

"crafts" - packaged crafts or supplies used only for crafts

"paper" paper of all kinds

"instruments" - musical stuff

BOTTOM SHELF:

"coloring/aquadoodle" - crayons, markers, aquadoodle and pens

"folders" - our folder games

"123's" - any sticker or game or puzzle number related

"sequencing shapes" - a wooden shape sorter and it's pieces

"manipulatives" - tiny things we use in tot school (pom poms, foam shapes, buttons, beans, etc)

"ABC's" - any sticker or game or puzzle ABC related

The top shelf contains these boxes:

"pattern blocks" - melissa and doug beginning pattern blocks

"puzzles" - puzzles not in our rack and odd shaped puzzles

"peg boards/magnetic shapes/magnetic letters" - exactly what it says

"fine motor" - fine motor activities such as Perfection, Matching middles, etc

"building trucks and trains" - trucks and trains that you can build

"wooden blocks" - wooden blocks
It's great because everything is out of sight but easily accessible! I love it!

In the playroom, we've started an ABC wall. So far, we've completed letters A-E. I've hung them up for Nathan to see.

This is the wall of toys/activities. I try to put labels velcroed to the bins so that Nathan knows what's in them and is able to easily clean up. The bins contain toys or books. The open cubbies usually contain books or tot school trays/activities. These activities are available for Nathan to choose at his leisure. The green bin in the top/middle with the red tape is full of tot school activities that need close supervision, but are ready to go for the week.We love this room and our new closet. I hope this has been helpful. How have you organized your tot school stuff or kids toys? Share you ideas with us!!!!!