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| Thinking outside the toy box |
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Toys and children usually go hand-in-hand – literally – but have you considered removing some of their playthings from the equation?
It has been suggested that cutting back your child's toy collection can actually be a positive exercise. So let's look at the benefits of a toy stocktake and why less might just be more.
The benefits of taking away toys
According to parenting expert, Maggie Dent, reducing a child’s toy collection can help them:
- Exercise their imaginations and creativity
- Negotiate boredom
- Appreciate what they have
- Learn to share
- Learn the value of money and things
A case study
There is also the question of whether children are developing an addiction to 'stuff' in early childhood. On this point, Ms Dent has described a 20-year-old German study that looked into how humans get addictions to things. As part of the study, researchers took away every toy in a kindergarten for three months.
And how did the children react? Well, Ms Dent says that the day after the toys were packed away, the kids seemed bored and confused. However, soon enough creativity took over.
"The very next day the children had rugs out and were looping them over chairs so the furniture became the play," she explained. "Boredom is something that is really uncomfortable for children, so if we don't put something in their hands or immediately create something for them they are absolutely motivated to fix the boredom by creating something for themselves."
Over to you!
Of course, you don't have to remove every toy as the researchers did. If you'd like to experiment with ‘stuff reduction’ at your house, then Ms Dent recommends removing two-thirds of your child’s toys and rotating the collection on a regular basis.
"Stick the rest in the garage, give it a three-month rotation; you won't need to buy any more because they will have forgotten they had them and they will feel all new again."
There is also the option of your child choosing some toys to donate, which has the flow-on effect of teaching them how to share and be grateful for what they have.
Alternative ways to play
Having fewer toys on the table also provides an opportunity for home-spun fun. Here are some everyday items that will easily entertain kids:
- Plastic cups for stacking, pouring, fun and games
- Pots, pans and wooden spoons for music-making
- Water bottles for sensory and discovery play
- Toilet rolls for craft, threading and construction activities
- Cardboard boxes for building, hiding, role-playing and lots more
How to choose a new toy
When it comes to buying a toy, ask yourself:
- What benefit will it give my child?
- Does it allow for creativity?
- Does it have an open-ended quality?
- Can the toy be shared between children?
- Would the experience be better?
Generally speaking, toys that promote curiosity and problem-solving are great for children and Ms Dent says, "Next time you buy something, have a conversation – does this allow children to be creative and be a bit more interesting?"
All in all, your child may well benefit from a 'quality over quantity' approach to their toys. So, who's up for a spring clean?
Read more
here.
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