www.womanthismonth.com July 2021 63 LIFESTYLE | parenting Gratitude comes easy When kids constantly get new toys, they grow to expect it, and it's understandably difficult for them to truly appreciate new toys, no matter how cool they are. A smaller number of new toys that are of high quality and really targeted to your child's interests are much more likely to be appreciated. Siblings learn sharing If you have more than one child, resist the urge to buy two of everything. It's actually a really great lesson when kids have to learn to share, in their own child-led way. When a child has to wait to use the cool ride-on toy in the backyard or negotiate using the action figures together with their sibling, they learn valuable social skills that simply don't come up if there's two of everything. Toys get taken care of When there are toys everywhere, kids hardly notice if something breaks. Even if they love the toy, they assume a new one will quickly replace the broken one. If they have fewer toys, they’ll naturally take care of what they have. More engaged playtime While kids may truly believe they want all the toys, the truth is most children get overwhelmed by having too much stuff around. Having a huge volume of toys can become a distraction from deep play. Kids wind up going from activity to activity without experiencing true engagement and getting lost in their own play. A tidier playroom Many young children actually have a very strong sense of order and get great satisfaction from putting items exactly where they belong. If there are too many toys though, enjoying that sense of order becomes really difficult for kids. They need to have a clear understanding of where each item goes and the level of mess needs to be manageable so it doesn't seem overwhelming. More outdoor playtime Keeping fewer toys in the house will naturally lead to kids choosing outdoor play more frequently. They'll spend more time searching for acorns, riding their bikes, splashing in puddles and engaging in pretend play outside—and nothing could be better for them! More money for experiences Buying fewer toys, of course, has the obvious benefit of saving money. This may mean you have more funds to spend on family experiences together, your child will notice your focus and will come to value experiences over things as well. Love of reading Having fewer toys means your child can be more likely to turn to books for entertainment, and we all know that instilling a reading culture in your child comes with a world of benefits.
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