Kids are actually happier with fewer toys, science says
Time for a toy box clear out
Time for a toy box clear out
Time for a toy box clear out
No, you're not crazy for wanting to clear out your toddler's toy chest . Scattered Lego pieces, stray dolls and building blocks are the bane of most ' existence — until now. A recent study is now giving parents a reason (er, an excuse) to downsize their .
The study, published in , found that when children are in an environment with fewer toys, they have a happier, healthier playtime. Researchers tested 36 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 fewer toys from which 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.
For more reasons why toys aren't the best gift, watch the video above.
(h/t )