When it comes to toys for your toddler, having too many may actually be a problem. Research conducted earlier this year has shown that toddlers who play with too many toys don't play as well as those who have access to fewer toys.
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The study gave 36 children either four or 16 toys to play with independently and concluded that the children with four toys engaged in better quality of play, had better focus, played with a single toy for longer periods and played more creatively compared to the children who had 16 toys.
This actually makes total sense to me. Many young children are prone to becoming overstimulated. I've noticed that when my kids have too many options they kind of get stuck and can't figure out what to do on their own.
The way I see it, if you have too many toys at home, it can kind of be compared to taking your kids to an amusement park or game room that is full of flashing lights, bright colors and endless mental input, except on a smaller scale. You know how they react in those situations, right? They go haywire and start bouncing off the walls. We've all been there haven't we? So maybe less really is more.
I mean my kids still have what I consider far too many toys in the playroom, but when I pull out a certain type of toy like blocks or cars or action figures to play with in a different area they seem to really engage and don't get bored as quickly.
This study kind of inspires me to get rid of some toys or at least put them away in the closet so there will be fewer toys out at once. I'm wondering how they would handle it, and if it would have a positive impact, not just on how they play, but on their behavior as well. And, of course, there's the added benefit of creating a neater, less cluttered space, which would be amazing.
But getting motivated to purge is a task all on its own. So while I'm into the idea, I'm not sure if it will actually happen. I will say, though, I don't have to feel so guilty about not going overboard with Christmas presents this year.
