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? 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