Toys and clutter everywhere, that is all just a part of having kids right? They are in every checkout lane and in every television advertisement. They come up with the neatest things each year to better the last, but do we need them all? Nope. Contrary to popular belief, they don’t need them all. In fact, here are five reason why kids need less toys!
5 Reasons Kids Need Less Toys
Below are 5 reason why kids will truly be happy and even thrive if they have less in their lives:
1. Reduce clutter
It’s become the norm for kids to have toys EVERYWHERE. Too much for one room that they just spill into every room of the house. It’s an obvious reason, less toys means less clutter. And less clutter means more space and a clearer mind. When children can see everything they have, it’s easier for them to decide what to play with.
It’s also easier for children to help keep a space clean if there is less work to do. Having children clean up after themselves is a great habit for children to learn. And from my experience, they love to place in a tidy space more than a cluttered one.
2. Storage Space
There are so many cute toy storage methods these days right? Bins, baskets, buckets, shelves…I secretly want them all! Gone are the days of giant, clunky toy boxes! But aren’t there more useful things you can put into storage? Free up that space by getting rid of old and broken unused things!
3. Spark Creativity
When kids have a toy for everything they can think of, they lose that sense of imagination. Kids will use what they have so if they don’t have every style of baby doll that poops, pees, eats and talks…they get to be creative and imagine it on their own! Having less options allows for more creativity. Open-ended toys…ones that can be used in more than one way…help spark creativity as well. And it eliminates the need for toys that do similar things.
4. Save Money
If you don’t have to worry about buying so many expensive toys, you can spend that money on other things. Save that money for the big vacation you hoped to take them on! Also, spending money on a few timeless, classic, well-build toys is money better spent than on the latest plastic toy that they will grow tired of in a short time. Spend your money wisely on things that will be used again and again.
5. Gratefulness
Losing sight of gratefulness is easy when kids get everything they want. They learn quickly that things are just always there and available. When the truck they are playing with breaks, they just get one of the other two they have. When children are taught and understand that less is more, they will, in time, grow to appreciate things and in turn, take better care of them.
Our experience
It has been our experience, that our children are just as happy with fewer toys than they were before. They can focus more on what they have and not get overwhelmed with choices. When they are bored they hunt down the giant box of Legos they share or they all go to the play kitchen to play restaurant or they will head over to our bookshelves and read to each other. I love watching the kids use what they can find, along with their imagination to create a whole world of play!
Tips for having less Toys
Here are a few quick tips on how to reduce the number of toys in your home:
- Ask them to help you collect old toys to donate…get them involved in a good cause!
- Get rid of old, unused or broken toys when they aren’t around…odds are they won’t miss them!
- Suggest experiences, books, crafts or other things from grandparents & godparents when they ask for birthday or Christmas gift ideas. (Click here to read about our Christmas gift limit!)
- Explain it to the kids…all the time. So many kids have much less, so they can make due with less.
- BONUS TIP: Pack part of them away and switch them out periodically, that way old toys become new and you don’t have as much setting around!
I hope you’ve found these tips helpful! How do you handle the toys at your home? If you have excess, are you ready to make a change!?
