Play Area Refresh: Start the New Year Organized

As a busy parent, finding ways to keep your kids engaged in creative, imaginative play can feel like a challenge—especially when life’s responsibilities pile up. But with a little organization, playtime can become a stress-free part of your family’s routine, giving your children space to explore their imaginations while you enjoy a moment of calm.

Set up specific areas in the home where kids can play freely. Each zone can have a different theme—such as a “farm” area with the Farm World starter set, a “wilderness” area with the Wild Life starter set, or a “rodeo” space for the Rodeo Show playset. This organization helps children know where to find their toys and encourages imaginative play based on the setting.

Allocate daily or weekly blocks of time for independent play. Kids can have these times marked on a family calendar or a visible schedule, so they know when it’s their turn to get creative and explore their toys. This provides routine and structure without being overwhelming for the parent. Encourage them to use new figurines like the playful Arctic wolf cub or the lively European tree frog. Pro Tip: Download our printable play prompts to give kids fun missions they can do on their own!

Instead of giving access to all toys at once, rotate toys every few weeks. Limiting the number of toys available at a given time reduces clutter and allows kids to dive deeper into imaginative play with the items they have.

Bundle toys into themed kits that are easy to pull out for quick playtime. For example, keep Schleich figurines related to animals in one bin and figures related to adventure in another. This allows kids to immerse themselves in different creative scenarios without searching for toys. Pro tip: Our bundles and starter sets are a great way to create themed play kids

Use print-at-home toy bin labels or baskets with clear labels (or pictures for younger kids) to make cleanup simple and stress-free. For example, one bin could be for animals from the Farm World set, another for Wild Life, etc. This helps maintain an organized play area while keeping it easy for kids to put things away on their own.

Encourage creativity by setting up fun challenges, like building a zoo with animal figurines, putting on a farm talent show, or drawing your favorite schleich character. These tasks inspire imaginative stories and structured play, giving kids a framework for their creativity. Pro tip: Check out these fun, schleich-themed mission ideas to get started.

Have a loose routine for playtime but allow flexibility for your kids to engage with toys in ways they enjoy. This might involve creative storytelling with figurines or setting up toy worlds, but without too many rigid rules. The structure helps keep playtime focused, but the flexibility ensures it remains fun and stress-free.