Kids Actually Benefit from Having Fewer Toys
No, you're not crazy for wanting to clear out your toddler's toy chest Mari Kondo-style. Scattered Lego pieces, Num Noms, and building blocks are the bane of most parents' existence - until now. A recent study is now giving parents a reason (er, an excuse) to downsize their child's toy collection.
The study, published in Infant Behavior & Development, found that when children are in an environment with fewer toys, they have a happier, healthier playtime. Researchers tested 36 toddlers between the ages 18-30 months for 30 minutes in two different playrooms: the first had four toys and the second had 16 toys.
Researchers found that when the toddlers were in the room with fewer toys, they were actively engaged for a longer period of time. Because there were less toys to choose from, the children used their creative instincts and explored different ways to use the same toy, further developing their cognitive skills.
Even better, they were genuinely interested in the toys. "This suggests that the other toys present may have created a source of external distraction, provoking the participants to abandon play with a toy at hand to explore another," researchers said in the study. It's simple: the more toys they have, the less focused they'll be. During early developmental years, children have short attention spans, which is only made worse when given dozens of toys.
But here's the shocking part: Caregivers of these participants reported that they had an average of at least 90 toys at home for their toddler. Been there.
Regardless, science now (finally) confirms that kid's are happier with less toys and we are finally vindicated.
(h/t Fatherly)
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