Here is the best number of toys for your child

The most wonderful time of the year can get overwhelming for parents present shopping. The top toys of the year can seem out of reach and some parents will compromise by buying a lot of little gifts instead of one or two big gifts.

But what does this do to your child? In a recent study done in the University of Toledo, Ohio toddlers who had fewer toys to play with actually had less bounce time, and showed more creativity than toddlers who had more toys to play with.

The Study

Researchers at the University of Toledo, Ohio recruited a group of 36 toddlers and invited them to play in a room for a half an hour, with either four toys or 16 toys.

The study found that the group showed more creativity when playing with four toys. They played with the toys for twice as long and thought up more uses for the toy.

Small numbers mean bigger results

It concluded by encouraging parents to rotate a small number of toys for their children, instead of overwhelming them with too many options. Too many options lead to quicker disinterest in certain toys and a less fulfilling play session.

A typical child in Britain owns 238 toys in total, says the Telegraph. But parents think children play with 12 favourite toys, making up just 5 per cent of the total amount.

In the journal Infant Behaviour and Development, Dr Carly Dauch said: “When provided with fewer toys in the environment, toddlers engage in longer periods of play with a single toy, allowing better focus to explore and play more creatively”.

The findings of the study were published in the journal Infant Behaviour and Development.

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Originally posted 2017-12-06 10:06:51.