X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Researchers Find That Having Too Many Toys Are Bad for Kids!

12 Dec, 2017

It’s no secret that all kids love toys. Mums and dads especially love to see their little ones having fun and playing with their toys. However, did you know that having too many toys are bad for kids? How many toys does the average child have, even? Far too many and what’s more, it’s hurting them. 

Yup, you read that right. It sounds surprising, but having too many toys can possibly discourage quality playtime.

Why is it that having too many toys is bad for kids?

According to Shelley Lindauer, Ph.D.,  having too many toys can lead to “toy overload” which can leave kids overwhelmed and distracted as a result.

She adds that kids don’t learn to learn to appreciate their possessions or feel a responsibility to care for their toys.

On the other hand, researchers at the University of Toledo in the US, children were far more creative during their playtime if they had fewer toys to play with.

The researchers recruited 36 toddlers and encouraged them to play for an hour. They discovered that the kids who played with fewer toys were far more engaged and imaginative when it came to their playtime.

In fact, being given lesser toys encouraged kids to think of various uses to do with each toy, and they also played longer with each toy as a result.

Having fewer toys also helped ensure that the kids experienced quality playtime and they became more focused on each toy when they were playing.

These positive traits are especially important for kids since it can help boost their brain’s development and also helps exercise their brain.

how many toys does the average child have

How many toys does the average child have: Having fewer toys encourages your little one to engage in quality playtime.

How many toys does the average child have? And how can parents deal with too many toys?

Well, the answer to the question “how many toys does the average child have?” is definitely “far too many”! But at the same time, it’s not really easy for parents to prevent their little one from having too many toys, especially if your child gets lots of presents during the holidays and during their birthday.

Aside from the negative effects that too many toys can have on your kids, it’s also hard for mums and dads to manage their household if there are a lot of toys lying around!

That’s why limiting the number of toys that your little one plays with is very important.

Thankfully, there are various strategies that parents can utilize in order to prevent being overloaded with toys:

  • You don’t always have to buy your child a toy. This is especially true for babies and toddlers; in fact, most of the time they’re more interested in weird stuff like boxes and colorful wrapping paper than the actual toy!
  • Whenever you do buy your child a toy, make it unique and special. Choosing the “perfect” gift to give your little one makes them appreciate the toy even more, and prevents them from asking for more toys since they’re already satisfied.
  • Don’t let your child play with all their toys at once. If your child receives a lot of toys as gifts, why not try rotating them every day and give your child a selection of various toys to play with? This way, they can be able to play with all their toys, but they won’t be overloaded with so many toys to choose from.
  • Teach your child how to share by giving away their old toys. They might not necessarily warm up to the idea of giving away their old toys, but it’s important for mums and dads to encourage their kids to be more generous.

Source: Infant Behaviour and Development

READ: 4 Surprisingly dangerous toys for kids

Partner Stories
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Jan Alwyn

  • Home
  • /
  • News
  • /
  • Researchers Find That Having Too Many Toys Are Bad for Kids!
Share:
  • 6 Things To Remember Before Buying Toys For Your Children

    6 Things To Remember Before Buying Toys For Your Children

  • How to Choose Appropriate Educational Toys for Kids Based on Age

    How to Choose Appropriate Educational Toys for Kids Based on Age

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

  • 6 Things To Remember Before Buying Toys For Your Children

    6 Things To Remember Before Buying Toys For Your Children

  • How to Choose Appropriate Educational Toys for Kids Based on Age

    How to Choose Appropriate Educational Toys for Kids Based on Age

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.