Why buying your kids too many toys is actually bad for them: study

This study is not playing.

The holiday shopping season seems to come earlier every year. But just because the sales have started, that doesn’t mean you have to fill your cart—in fact, it’s better for your kids that you don’t.

Despite what your kids want to hear, having too many toys is bad for them, according to a study.

Research has shown that having fewer toys in the toy box improves quality of play and cognitive development.

A study published in the journal Infant Behavior and Development highlights how having fewer toys encourages children to engage in more imaginative and creative play.

Conducted by researchers at the University of Toledo in Ohio, the study analyzed two groups of 36 children aged 18 to 30 months as they enjoyed sessions of free play with four or 16 toys.

The findings revealed that toddlers with just four toys played 1½ times longer and became more creative than those surrounded by more toys.

This suggests that a limited selection allows for more focused and creative play.

It’s not just because they get distracted by so many bells and whistles.

An excess can stifle creativity, hinder the development of essential life skills, and contribute to issues like shortened attention spans and increased sibling rivalry.

An overflowing toy box can also lead to sensory overload and a diminished sense of responsibility for things.

This is why limiting the amount of toys children have encourages them to engage in creative storytelling and invent new games, fostering critical thinking and resourcefulness.

With fewer options, children are more likely to focus and develop awareness, allowing for deeper playtime engagement. They also get better at reusing and combining toys – a fire engine can become a spaceship, for example.

Having a limited number of toys also prompts children to value their possessions and foster a sense of responsibility and care.

So really, less is more.

Having fewer toys not only increases children’s enjoyment, but contributes to their overall emotional and mental well-being, the researchers said.