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There is a purpose to having toys in baskets. It is not just so everything has a nice spot. It’s so kids of all ages can dump them, throw them back in, see the items and access it. Not all kids like to dump but they like to be able to pull a basket and say I am going to play with this. Some kids do it very purposefully and others really like the act of dumping. This depends on the age of the child too. Babies like to dump, preschoolers like to arrange and be in the play and your kindergarteners like to direct. I am not a fan of putting toys out in boxes with tops. I like baskets and for bigger items like blocks putting them in an open container is best. .
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Think of your play space like a store – you want the layout and presentation to be appealing to your customers (the kids) so that they may explore and engage. .
Parents may have a difficult time figuring out how to do open ended play and utilizing loose parts for babies. Obviously, you don’t want them to be too small because of a choking hazard but here are some of my favorites for babies (9+ months):
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1) Pretend food preferably fabric (as pictured) 🍓
2) Set of different size stainless steel bowls (on my amazon shop)
3) Basket of wool/fabric balls
4) A pull toy – a horse 🐎 with a string (also on my shop)
5) Silk Scarves
6) Stacker rings preferably wooden (don’t store stacked already)
7) Blocks (for your babies start by having no more than 5-10 blocks)
8) Wooden animal figures
9) Wooden musical egg shakers
10) Mirrors
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*pictured my youngest at 12 months