Why My Kids (and Yours!) Don't Need a Lot of Toys - Life's Little Pleasures and Struggles

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I have two beautiful young kids. One is thirteen and the other one is six. Before my older one was born, I had decided that I won’t buy a lot of toys for my children to play with, and I didn’t. Many of you may find it little hard to believe that altogether I only spent somewhere between $125 to $150 over the years on toys (new toys, not used) for my 1st child, and even less for my younger one since he inherited some cool toys from his older sister.

According to a recently conducted research, the average amount spent on toys per child in 2017 was highest in the United Kingdom at $438 per child, whereas in France the average was $358 per child. Within the United States, the per child expenditures lies between the two, registering at an average of $371. That money is just for one year, and that’s a conservative number, too! Now you do the math..

My kids had enough toys to play with and have fun, and never really needed anything extra to keep them engaged. My younger one does ask for more toys though. But I have managed to curtail my kids’ toy collections by buying only a few thoughtfully made toys and LEGO sets.

I had read a few well-researched articles on child development and the necessity of toys before becoming a parent. I came to know that kids do pretty well without tons of toys of every single kind. Too many toys only confuse them and hamper their creativity.

So, what happens when our kids don’t have a lot of toys?

Let’s find out..

Fewer Toys Create Less Mess and Less Stress:

Before having my kids, I had seen so many living rooms, master bedrooms, and dining rooms taken over by kids’ toys. I was determined that my own house would never be filled with clutter (in this case unnecessary toys) to add more stress to my everyday life. Less toys mean less mess and easier cleaning for both parents and kids.

Choosing to have fewer toys helps limit the chaos and the mess, leading to a calmer, less stressful, more organized and happier home.

Kids Learn to be Appreciative and Take Better Care of Their Toys:

I noticed that toddlers don’t like to play long with one toy if they have too many options. They lose interest pretty soon, become bored, and ask for new toys again. And if you allow them to have more toys, one after another, they don’t learn to appreciate their toys, don’t take proper care of them, and eventually, those toys become clutter taking up more and more physical spaces in your home. When kids have an excess amount of toys, they are not able to understand the value of their things. And what you don’t value, you really don’t appreciate.

A child will not easily learn to appreciate the toy in front of them when there are countless options still available on the shelf behind them.

Less Toys Lead to More Joy and Less Confusion:

I know many well-meaning parents believe that more toys equate to more fun. But that is usually not the case. Kids are easily overwhelmed with choices, and a child who is unsure of what to play with often ends up playing with nothing at all.

Having fewer toys allow kids to see their options, choose what to play with, and focus on playing with it for longer. They are not constantly being distracted or overwhelmed by piles of toys.

A recent study showed that when toddlers had fewer toys in their environment, they played with each toy longer, allowing them to focus more and play more creatively.

So, instead of buying my kids many flashy plastic junk, I have mostly looked for toys that encourage creative thinking, teamwork, and imagination. Puzzles, blocks and other building toys such as LEGO blocks and kitchen sets are excellent creative feeder for growing minds, and board games are perfect for teaching children teamwork and good sportsmanship.

Here are some toys from Amazon I thought were great for my kids (and could be great for yours):

The toys I have linked to are toys we own and love, and come highly recommended by other parents, child development experts, and educators. While you will find several toy ideas here, you do not need every toy listed.

Hopefully, you will have noticed a pattern here. All of these are open-ended toys that encourage creativity and critical thinking in your children. By having mostly open-ended toys, you will need fewer toys overall.

Other ways for your kids to have open-ended fun include making art, playing dress-up (this is a great way to get some use out of clothing you don’t wear anymore), and getting outside anywhere they can run, jump, climb, etc.

Kids Learn to Be Satisfied With What They Have:

Many researches revealed that kids who get everything they want and whenever they want, turn out to be ungrateful, irresponsible, self-absorbed, and careless. They tend to believe that they can have everything they want or desire. Some of them even feel entitled to that.

The more toys kids have the more discontented they feel. They always end up wanting more when they easily get something new to replace the old ones. So, I want to teach my kids that in life they can’t always have everything they want, and they need to be okay with that. I want them to be content with what they have and not take things for granted. I want them to practice gratitude.

Kids Learn to Accumulate Less Stuff and Experience More:

As my children grew older, they started to ask for specific kind of toys. While I do fulfill some of their requests or wishes, I keep in mind that the most stimulating kind of play for my kids or any kids is doing activities that allow for personal interaction, mental and physical growth, and long term pleasures.

So I look for ways to save money at the toy store and spend that money on admission to a museum, a science center, a theme park, a state park, or art galleries instead.

As a parent, I want my kids to accumulate less stuff and experience more in life. I want them to focus more on things that will give long-term pleasures instead of instant gratifications.

Fewer Toys Allow Them to Be Creative:

I have found that fewer toys encouraged my kids to sit down and draw, paint, color or read and write more often, allowing them to use their creativity and imagination in a healthy way. Also, a German study shows that kids naturally use their imaginations to entertain themselves when you remove the excess toys.

Final Thoughts

Please understand that I am not against toys. Kids do need to play, but they don’t need a lot of toys for that. Toys can play an important role in the the development of children if parents can take a balanced approach to it. Almost anything around your home can become a toy – empty cardboard box, plastic bowls and spoons, and paper plates. All these toys can help your children with physical, emotional, and social development.

“Children need to play, but this doesn’t require toys,” says Deborah MacNamara, a clinical counselor in Vancouver and author of Rest, Play, Grow, a manual for parents. She said, “They will explore their environment and examine articles that are interesting to them—from pots and pans to blocks.”

In other words, kids do need something to play with, to limit their screen times; but that doesn’t have to be some fancy toys. Your home likely has enough interesting objects to keep them engaged, entertained, and learning.

Get rid of the excess toys that your kids might have by careful decluttering. Start by getting rid of all the broken toys, duplicate toys, and old toys. Buy a few educational or creative toys for your kids and allow them to use their imaginations. They will appreciate you so much once they grow up. Believe me, it won’t be long before you and your kids see all the benefits of less!

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