Nowadays, it is quite commonplace to come across households where there is a separate room designated for children to play with their toys. You may have seen many children with fancy ones and the variety can be mind-boggling.
From modular toys that can be set up in many ways to battery-driven ones and toy sets that mimic human characters accurately, even toddlers get spoiled nowadays. Parents usually feel giving their children plenty of toys is a prudent choice.
Children who have a lot of them are likely to stay engaged with them for a long period of time, often to the detriment of other activities. However, child behavior experts and psychologists say that it is actually better to offer fewer of them to children.
Some of the benefits of giving fewer toys to children
They become more creative
When children are given fewer toys, they tend to become more creative. They find newer ways to play with a limited number, as has been observed. Initially, they may feel a little bored with fewer toys, but over time, they will devise newer more creative ways to play.
They become more careful
If you give the toddlers a lot of toys, they may not care for them much. If they get the perception that they will always get plenty, they may become careless in life. When they are given only a handful of them, they understand damaging or breaking them will affect their fun and relaxation. So they handle them with care. In the long run, they will become careful about other things in life.
Their attention span improves
A lot of parents of the present generation complain about their children suffering from a short attention span. Many of them may not be aware that this can be because they are offered too many toys. A child with a lot of them will find it hard to set focus on any one piece. On the contrary, a child given a handful of toy items will get enough time to observe and analyze each toy. They will eventually develop a longer attention span.
They learn more skills
While a child needs toys for recreation and fun, offering them too many will limit other learning opportunities. As a child grows up, they have to learn many skills. If a child is occupied with toys all the time, the necessary time to develop an interest in things like painting, reading, and music is limited.
They explore the outside
If you give your toddlers a room full of toys, they will spend most of their spare time playing indoors. However, giving them fewer will make it easier for them to observe and explore the outside world. For example, when you take your children on a vacation (seaside or forest), do not pack too many toys. The child will find newer ways to play and explore within a new environment. This ensures they get more ways to develop new interests and explore their creative side.
Less clutter
Giving your children a roomful of toys leads to never-ending clutter. Children are likely to break a few of them and the broken parts will stay littered on the floor. Remember the time you stepped on a LEGO piece in the middle of the night! So consider giving children fewer to ensure the rooms remain devoid of a big mess.
More savings
This is a no-brainer! When you give your children a huge number of toys, your wallet is taxed. It is not just about the cost of buying them, you also have to spend on items such as batteries.
As responsible parents, you should be careful about picking the toys for your children. It is not only about the number, but the utility aspect is also important. You should pick ones that help bring out the creative and innovative side of your children.
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