Children with Fewer Toys are more Focused and Creative: Study

Having fewer toys helps children to focus and engage in more creative and imaginative play, states a study from the University of Toledo in Ohio.

If you are thinking to pamper your child with lots of toys, then you are going the wrong way. The above study emphasises that fewer toys can result in healthy play and initiate the cognitive development of the child.

According to the study, about 36 children ranging between 18-30 months were given 4 and 16 toys on alternative days to understand the change in their behaviour. Children playing with four toys exhibited one-and-a-half-times more interactions with the toys.

Such interaction leads to positive implications in terms of the development of the children such as imaginative play, self-expression, physical skills like problem-solving and motor coordination.

While the children with 16 toys had the least interactions and just moved from one toy to another.

It's simple: Children with fewer toys are found to be more focused and played creatively. Nalanda International School - one of the best schools in Baroda also believes in enhancing a child's capabilities, the creative way.

It's finally proven that children are happy with fewer toys.

Too many T-O-Y-S spoil the broth

Eager to know the real culprit?

Researchers claim that the ‘number of toys’ given to children matters a lot. Toddlers don’t have high-level control over attention; this creates a distraction and doesn’t allow them to enjoy their playtime.

Fewer toys help children learn to be possessive about their things, appreciate what they have and develop perseverance.

More toys back them from taking the toys that challenge them since they don’t stick it for much longer. It also acquaints them to play with patience and determination.

A few tips to help you decide the right course:

While buying toys for your child, make sure you answer the following questions:

• Do my children really need this?

• Will it help to enhance my child’s playtime?

• How can I encourage my child to play in the best possible ways?

We are not telling you to stop buying toys for your child. Instead, think if the toy will help in your child’s overall development. You can do this:

• Introduce them to new ways of playing without leaving them confused with a pile of toys.

• Rotate the toys periodically.

• Encourage your child to play outdoors and try to spend more quality time with your little one or even play with your child.

Nalanda International School is one of the best schools in Baroda that focuses on enhancing your child’s potential for holistic development. We always believe that the first step of the child's overall development starts at home and how they are raised.

What more can you do?

Always remember that memories are better than presents. Parents should focus on creating better bonding with planning a weekly or monthly movie date, game night, picnic, bake-in Sunday or weekend meals together.

According to Cornell University psychologist, Thomas Gilovich, “ People tend to look back on memories with more satisfaction than material purchases.”

Invest in free-activities or painting at home. The key is that you need to create more memories than the pile of your toys.

Nalanda International School is the best school in Baroda that focuses on the all-round development of the child in academics, activities and sports. We believe that every child is born with a unique talent and our work is to identify and foster their abilities so that they come out with flying colours.