Why making the most use of the toys your child already owns is important?

Moose: Schleich, Red Deer: Schleich

If you ever feel overwhelmed by the number of toys your child has, or frustrated because the educational games that were meant to develop several important skills and cost you a fortune are now missing pieces, and your child hates them- you may find this article helpful.
My name is Gosia, and I show parents how to make the most use of toys their children already own, so they can save money, live more peacefully and create less waste.
I wrote a few free guides to educational activities featuring some popular toys for kids, and you can check them out here: animal figurines part I, animal figurines part II, vehicles, Lego Duplo

Why making the most use of the toys your child already owns is important? 

It boosts child's creativity
Kids have a limitless imagination, but with time, more and more borders appear in their minds. Society doesn't tolerate mistakes,  'stupid questions' and ignores the questions that require difficult answers. And at some point, children stop asking. And they have enough of people calling their ideas 'silly'.
The thing is that as teenagers and adults, we need that creativity to navigate our lives. So killing it is counter-productive. Teaching children how to make the most use of their belongings will help to nurture that creative sparkle in their minds. 
If they struggle to generate ideas, you can always help them by asking questions like- Which other toy you could use as an ambulance? What else could you use this toy for? What does the shape of this ball remind you of? 
Setting up invitations to play will be helpful too. Just pick a few random toys or objects that may not have much in common, and put them on a table, tray or rug. You will be amazed by the number of ideas your child comes up with. 
And just a quick reminder- if your child was never given space to expand and explore their creativity, please do not expect unbelievable results straight away. 

It teaches gratitude
Every object that we own was not only paid for with our hard-earned money but made by somebody that dedicated their precious time to their work. The designers, the manufacturers, the marketers, the shop owners, the delivery drivers, the shopping assistants, the cleaners- they all contributed to making things for us. 
If we understand that, and if we explain it to our kids, there is an opportunity for an important gratitude lesson here.

It helps to create a clutter-free space and saves time
The fewer things you have, the less time you need to maintain them. 
Studies have shown that children who have fewer toys are calmer simply because they aren't overwhelmed by clutter.

It helps to save money
I know just how overwhelming it is when you hear other parents talk about buying more and more toys. Then there are advertisements, bloggers, YouTubers, shop leaflets delivered to your door. Everyone wants you to buy something. Because every toy is 'educational', 'crucial for your child's growth', 'a must have'. Please remember that you do need to be keeping up with the Joneses.
We are lucky to have access to beautifully designed toys, and I truly appreciate their educational value, but let's be realistic.
If your child has 40 educational toys/games, 25 of them are missing some important pieces, 3 of them are probably at grandmas', and the dog just ate one of them, your child will make some use of only a few of them. 
But if they have 3-5 educational games related to what they are currently interested in, there is a big chance that they will make a lot of use out of these toys.
When you give your child a chance to make the most of their belongings, they won't have that constant urge for buying more and more toys. And you wont have that urge either. It feels good. 

It helps to reduce waste
When you make the most of the stuff you own, you buy less. When you buy less, you reduce waste. It's as simple as it sounds. 


Thank you for your time- I hope you found this article helpful. For more tips, please check out my Instagram

Have a beautiful day!
Gosia x



Share:

No comments

Post a Comment

© What Mum Loves | All rights reserved.
Blog Design Handcrafted by pipdig