Parenting

P2B goes to many houses and this (photo) is not an uncommon play area! In fact is probably the norm. Like all parents, these parents amazing parents are doing everything they believe for their little one.

When working with families I will always discuss the play area encouraging parents to simplify the play area. In fact, having too many toys can overwhelm your child, causing them to skip from one toy to the next without fully engaging with the toy or using their imaginations.

A recent study in Infant Behaviour and Development looked at just that topic and the authors concluded that “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.” They compared two groups of toddlers: one group was offered 16 toys, and another was offered only four toys. The authors discovered that “an environment with fewer toys will lead to higher quality of play for toddlers.”

There is no minimum number of toys needed—in fact, a recent study found that when toddlers had fewer toys in their environment, they played with each toy longer, allowing them to focus more and play more creatively. Experts say parents should allow their children to gravitate towards the toys or objects that interest them.

This article is great food for thought:

Hope this is some food for thought!