Why Toddlers Rearrange Toys
In this Article
It’s quite common for kids to flick, spin or line up their toys. However, a toddler reorganizing toys obsessively or being overtly possessive about the same may require intervention. This is especially true if the child starts behaving abnormally when distracted, or when the row of toys is disturbed accidentally.
A Closer Look at 21-month-old Toddlers Lining Things up
1. What Does it Mean When a Child Lines Up Toys?
A toddler lining her toys up after making sensible distinctions is actually a skill. It’s a development phase that speaks of the child’s ability to differentiate items and group them together correctly. Be it on the basis of size, shape, colour or just any other trait, this activity shows that she’s learning the art of ordering things through play.
2. When Does a Toddler Lining Up Toys Become a Concern?
It’s been found that toddlers displaying autistic behaviour find lining up toys an appealing activity. Their desire of taking control and keeping things safe and constant may cause them to indulge in activities that require a sense of order. Toddlers who frequently line up toys in a pattern may get cranky if the lines made by them are disturbed- either accidentally or unintentionally.
3. It’s Another Development Stage
Lining toys suggests that a toddler is learning the art of sequencing, grouping, arranging and classifying. Along with putting things in order, she’s developing sharper sorting and puzzle-cracking skills. In most cases, the next stage serves to be the inclusion of a setup, role-play, creation of an imaginary situation, or the enactment of an earlier scene. All these work to facilitate a child’s mental growth and motor dexterity.
4. Freak Outs and Tantrums!
It’s normal for anyone– toddlers and adults alike– to huff and puff if their things are displaced or moved out of order. So, it does not necessarily mean that a child is liable to be in for autism or sensory processing diagnosis. It all depends on how regular and intense the flare-ups are. The nature of intolerance and changes brought about by external forces or people also matter.
5. Avoid Over-Reactions:
There are millions of kids out there who are fond of lining up whatever they can lay their tiny hands on, without demonstrating any sign or symptom of autism. Just wait and watch instead of panicking when trying to figure out what it means when your toddler lines up toys. In all probability, your little one is on the right path that’s leading up to another developmental milestone.
Is a toddler lining up toys normal? Oh yes, it is! It’s when the child starts behaving hysterically if her line is disturbed, or when she obsessively lines up/reorganises her toys that parents may need to rule out disorders. Until then, relax.
