If you ask any kid, they will tell you there’s no such thing as too much toys. But, in fact, there is. And it’s bad not only for the parents’ budget, but also for the development of the child. Here are some signs your kid has too much toys.
The signs come from Romper. They have looked at surveys and specialists’ opinions to create them.
Of course, there’s not a 100% formula to gauge when the toys are too much. Each child will have different tastes and preferences. But these subtle signs might point you in the direction that it’s time to do a toy purge.
If your kids are very distracted when playing, that might be a sign of too much toys. A survey from 2018 shows that kids with less toys focus easier and engage in more creative play. Kids with too much toys on the other hand, get too distracted by choosing toys.
Another sign is when you child breaks toys too much and too often. It means they feel they have so much it’s not really needed to be careful. Kids with less toys appreciate their stuff more and take better care. Of course, the occasional toy breakage is normal and to be expected always.
Another paradox is that kids with too much toys often complain about being bored. How can that be? Well, simple. With such a big choice, they can’t decide with which toys to play. So, they get overwhelmed and don’t do anything. Kids with less toys are more inclined to create new scenarios with the same toys.
Too much is not enough
As you might expect, when kids have too much toys, they will demand even more. It can get addictive. And it’s also bad for the behavior if the parents always try to get their kids any toy they want. Granted, as parents we would love to bring smiles to our kids. But too much toys is actually bad in the long run. This is where some stricter parenting (but with explanations why) and spending more time with the kids can help.
If you have more than one child, one of the most often reasons why they fight is over a toy. Having lots of toys may create an environment where kids compete over who will have control over more toys. Of course, this will vary greatly from kid to kid and depends a lot on each family.
Another sign is if kids loose interest in new toys quickly. That’s often a problem with toys which have too much features. So, focus more on classic toys and less quantity.
Finally, another sign is when your kid doesn’t really know how to play without toys. This means less creativity. But when kids can find the fun and play with other items and have a good time, this means their creative juices are flowing well.
