7 Reasons Not To Give Too Many Toys To Your Kid

Few subjects are as sensitive as those concerning how to educate children. And the gifts you give to your kid are almost always the reason we can receive blame (most of the time!).

Indeed, nowadays, many parents compensate for their absences or shortages with gifts, thinking that giving toys replaces the time we can’t give a child.

The main reason we tend to buy so many toys for children is our love for them. 

We are crazy about our kids… 

We give them gifts because we love them, and that makes us happy. And we hardly support the reproaches and contrary opinions on this subject.

However, some research has found that this addiction is not always beneficial.

Is It Bad To Give Kids Too Many Toys?

It is legitimate for parents to see their children happy… 

As one can assume, the moment they receive a toy as a gift is the greatest joy for them, although it does not last long! 

Seeing them smile is our joy too, and that’s why we do it.

However, researchers recently discovered a downside to giving too many gifts to children. 

But this problem would be more related to the type of the gift, than to offering something.

Some sensory toys are essential for your kids’ brain development. Check this article out to know more! 

What Happens When We Give Too Many Toys?

Gifting toys is not inherently wrong, especially when they can spark your child’s imagination. 

Toys can also be educational and entertaining games. However, problems start to arise when too many toys are offered. 

Some children are too spoiled, but it’s the parents’ responsibility to control this scenario, not the little ones!

It doesn’t take much for a child to get used to receiving toys as gifts. Especially if he gets them without making any effort, which prevents him from appreciating them at their fair value. 

Receiving a well-deserved gift is not the same as just accepting one more. Therefore, the child is not aware of the true importance of the gift. 

With this in mind, here are some other reasons to stop giving your kids too many toys.

• His imagination becomes more limited because he only gets used to playing according to the game instructions. The child then stops creating things directly out of his mind.
• He only has fun with toys.
• Over time, he loses his enthusiasm for toys because he has too many of them.
• Most of the freebies pile up and get forgotten because there will always be a few favorites.
• He will have more work to do when it comes to cleaning up his room, which is why there will often be a mess.
• In some cases, these children become selfish and temperamental. And this type of attitude often remains until adulthood.
• The child is subject to frustration because, in the real world, you cannot have everything. This problem can arise in adulthood as well.

Sorting The Toys Is a Must: Here Is Why

The question is: don’t you have to get rid of the extra toys?

If there is a sort to be done, it is pretty simple according to the games they generate in your child. 

Thus, you will have a better idea of ​​the objects’ usefulness in terms of psychomotor development.

You can then set up a “toy rotation“… 

You can do this by providing the child with some toys for a given period, say a week, for example, and all other toys are out of sight. 

Once this period has elapsed (or if you notice a real lack of interest in your child), you change the toys!

There are two ways to do this:

Either you offer several toys from the same category, and the following week you change them. 

For example, you might come up with a small puzzle, building cubes, and interlocking objects to stimulate fine motor skills and building activities.

Or you offer a toy by category. 

For example, you can keep an object to manipulate with the fingers, a toy that moves the whole body, or a more symbolic toy, such as a soft toy or a figurine.

When I say “a” toy, it can, of course, mean a “set” of toys, for example, wooden cubes. 

Three to five toys per week is good; you can decide according to your child’s needs.

Other Alternatives (To Giving Toys) Are Possible

Toys remain essential for the development of the child. 

Experts recommend avoiding giving them toys with too many lights, sounds, and features, as they need to be creative. 

In addition, other alternatives can be great gifts, such as:

• Travel and walk together: Let us get children used to making an effort to merit a trip or a walk. There are no better memories than those of family trips; the children greatly appreciate these moments.
• Books are irreplaceable: Developing the habit of reading from childhood is the best gift you can give to a person. Give him a book and teach him to enjoy the art of reading.
• Offer family moments: Most family activities are appreciated when they are consensual. Ask them what they would like to do if they want to go to the zoo or the seaside. Add that you want to allow them to introduce them to places that they are passionate about.
• Give something special now and then:  you can treat them to ice cream or make an assortment of healthy sweets.