Many Toys And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy

Play is hard work for children and they must do it to learn, grow and have fun! But does that require lots of toys?

Is there a connection between too many toys and child development or even entertainment? Have you known any child who is self-engaged because s/he has many toys even when the caregivers are away?

Do we think twice before shopping for an attractive toy which our child has put a finger on? As new and excited parents we end up buying all those toys which may or may not be appropriate for his age, or may or may not interest him/her. We tend to assume that’s what our child needs. 

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It is a proven paradigm that “Less is More”.  But we miss out on that in the course of parenting.

The consequence I faced –

• As a new mom, I struggle to keep my house clean. With a crawling baby, I end up getting overwhelmed with numerous toys and customised baby furniture filling up every possible empty space in my house.
• I, lately, realised that this physical clutter became my mental clutter and jammed my thoughts too! I also realised that clutter creates stress. And, if I can’t manage to keep the house in order, how can I help my child learn to do so!?
• I could also see that these innumerable choices and visual noise over stimulate and overwhelm my kid.

A child’s behaviour generally involves following passive instructions and active participation. We, often, end up doing the opposite.

The consequence on the child

Offering toys that keep them passively entertained are engaging for some time, but eventually kids end up getting either bored or mentally fatigued. To get over their boredom, we buy them another set of new toys only to fall in this never- ending trap of boredom and disinterest again. They, finally end up playing with nothing at all.

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What’s wrong with that?

While we make informed choices and buy educational toys, the final outcome is still a housefull of naked Barbie dolls and unattended Legos lying everywhere and anywhere!

How will having ‘Less Toys’ help?

• Keeping the play area organised and systematic helps kids focus better, resulting in longer attention spans later.

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• Few, open-ended toys inculcate creativity and imagination. It forces them to think, interact and participate actively. The more they accomplish, the happier they feel.

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• Fewer toys means limited choices. They learn to play with what they have and value their toys too.

• There’s a higher chance in taking up activities like reading, painting, gardening, pretend play that are far more imaginative and foster their cognitive abilities too.

• Fewer toys means that they must share with their buddies, leading to development of social skills.  

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So, if you want to shape up smarter, sharper and sorted kids, give away those ‘extra toys’ to the more needy today!

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Also Read: Baby on The Move? Let Them Explore…, 5 Unique Games & Activities That You Can Buy on BabyChakra 

Explore the entire collection of articles: Playtime 

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