How many toys does a child need?

By Andrew Campbell

Toys have a way of taking over. Of course, it starts innocently enough. As a parent you love your child and you want to make them happy. But before you know it, you find yourself kneedeep in discarded Lego and naked Barbie dolls. The children are bored; the house is a mess; no one is happy!

Toys are easy to come by these days. Equally, parents who cannot spend as much time with their children as they would like may try to occupy them with new toys or assuage their guilt with gifts. We may also feel a compulsion to buy our children things to show we love them, or equally powerfully, feel a desire for our children to have more than we did.

The reality though is that most families have too many toys. And sadly, more toys actually equals less play.

So why is this?

Children are easily overwhelmed with choice, and a child who is unsure of what to play with often ends up playing with nothing at all.

But the problem is even more fundamental. Our obsession with flashy plastic junk has taught our children to be passive participants in play. Instead of playing with toys, they expect to be amused by them. And they are… for about five seconds. Then it is back to the toy box.

According to a study published in the journal Infant Behaviour and Development, an environment with fewer toys is better for children. The study observed thirty six toddlers. Some were given four toys, and some sixteen. It was found that an abundance of toys actually reduced the quality of toddlers’ play. Fewer toys helped toddlers focus better and play more creatively.

And it’s not just about the quantity of toys. The quality is also factor. Another study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that the best toys for constructive play are non-electronic ones: the ones that are simpler and support parents and children playing, pretending, and interacting together.

More and more families are taking a ‘minimalist’ approach to toys - cutting back on the clutter and focusing on quality over quantity.

With Christmas approaching, now may be a good time to consider this approach.

There are lots of gifts that will give your child more long-lasting enjoyment than toys, and, in many cases, create memories that will be special to them in years to come.

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