Do children need a lot of toys? How many toys does a child need? Don't chase fashion
For children, a lack of toys is not as bad as an overabundance of them.
Psychologists advise parents to buy new toys no more than once every ten days. And allow boys to play with dolls and girls to ride on cars
How many toys does a child need to grow into a harmonious personality? "Comments" learned from a child psychologist Vlada Tarasenko.
What is the role of toys in a baby’s life?
Children's toys have two main functions - to develop and to bring pleasure. After all, while playing, the child simultaneously has fun and gains new skills. The main thing is that after buying another toy, mom or dad should interest the baby: show the child how to play with it, and then make sure that the baby can repeat the same movements on his own. Otherwise, the dolls or games will remain untouched in the box. In addition, the toy must be chosen together with the child, so that he feels that his opinion is being listened to.
What toys should a baby have in the first months of life?
From birth to 6 months of age, the child actively develops physical sensations, vision and hearing, so during this period he needs bright toys that make different sounds, have different structures and shapes. It is at this age that children really love soft toys: they touch them, stroke them, so you should not deny your child a soft friend. But it is necessary to allow him to play with a soft hare or a bear under the supervision of elders.
After the baby turns 6 months old, should toys be changed?
Of course, from 6 to 12 months a child’s hearing actively develops. So at this age you will need various squeakers, rattles, rattlers, cars that make sounds, and talking dolls. In short, everything you can play “loudly” with. Children whose parents did not forbid them to rattle and bang will not be afraid of loud sounds in the future. But when the baby is eight to nine months old, toys will not be so important. During this period, the child begins to “copy” his parents, so he wants to play with dishes, doing everything like his mother, or with his father’s tools, imitating his father. Parents make a huge mistake when they forbid their child to play with household utensils, because in the future this may result in a dislike for cleaning, washing dishes or “male” jobs. If a child wants to sweep, wash dishes or hammer nails, he should be allowed to do this, even if he is not entirely successful.
What toys will a one-year-old baby need?
When a child begins to take his first steps, it is necessary to interest and help him in this, for example, with the help of a toy. At this age, you will need toys that can be pulled on a string or rolled in front of you. For example, a baby will watch with interest the actions of toy dogs, which alternately protrude from the rolling toy as it moves. It will be interesting for the baby to carry a horse or car with him. Moreover, cars that a child can ride on, pushing his feet off the floor, are worth buying not only for boys, but also for girls.
Often parents They buy a toy for a child, but he shows no interest in it. Should you be worried in this case?
There is no need to worry about this, because this position of the baby means that the child’s character begins to “stand out.” Most often this happens by the age of two: some children develop constructive intelligence, others develop verbal intelligence. So, if a child does not sit all day long with construction sets or puzzles, this does not mean that he is not developing. Surely his verbal intelligence is developing: he talks a lot, loves listening to fairy tales or singing. In this case, you should not force the child to do something he does not like.
There are children who are ready to “fight in hysterics” for the sake of a new toy. Should you indulge your child's demands?
You should buy your child a new toy no more often than once every 7-10 days. Moreover, the child must choose toys himself, so it is better to take him with you to the store. But at the same time, at home you should stipulate in advance that there is an opportunity to buy one large or two small toys. To make it seem like there are more new toys, you can make two sets of 20-25 toys each and change the sets after two weeks. Thus, the child will not have time to get tired of the toys, and the family budget will not suffer. If a child “throws a tantrum,” then you can buy a toy only if he really needs a specific toy for development, and not a fifth plush bunny.
A lack of toys is not as bad as an excess of them, because when some toy is not enough to play with, it stimulates the imagination, the child replaces the toys with improvised objects (rags, boxes, strings, bags). With a lack of toys, children even begin to compose fairy tales.
Mothers often think that if their son plays “war,” he will grow up aggressive and prone to violence. Is this really true?
There are parents who try not to buy “military toys” for their children. And they make a big mistake, because every person from birth has a hidden internal aggression that must have a way out. In a child, such aggression should come out through play with the help of “military toys” (weapons, tanks, soldiers or computer games). This “output” of aggression makes the child calmer and more balanced in real life. So it is advisable for the child to have a couple of “shooters” to relax. By the way, the absence of toy weapons does not mean that the child will not play “war” - instead of a machine gun or pistol, he will “shoot” with a stick or index finger.
If a child begins to collect some type of toys, how should parents react?
If a child is seriously interested in collecting soldiers or toy cars, it would be unforgivable cruelty to deny him a new toy just for fear of exceeding the “useful” number. After all, the child gets pleasure from adding to his collection, from the appearance of a new toy in it. If you do not help the child in his endeavors, the child may develop aggression towards his parents, scandals and hysterics may become more frequent. There are often cases when in adult life a person who was forbidden to assemble cars as a child changes real cars like gloves. So, when going with your child to the store to buy new toys, give him a choice: either we buy a toy for the collection or any other, but only one. And here we must agree with the child’s wishes, whatever they may be. But it’s worth remembering: the “passion” for collecting lasts about one year.
Should I be concerned if boys are interested in dolls and girls are interested in cars?
Parents often believe that boys and girls need different toys. But feeding, putting to bed or bathing dolls is interesting and useful not only for girls. In essence, through such play, the child reproduces the daily actions of his parents. You shouldn’t limit the boy’s interests only to cars, because he is a future dad (and possibly a brother), and it’s useful for him to sometimes play with dolls. If we follow the cliches and divide children by gender, then there is a high probability that boys will grow up emotionally cold and will not care about their family.
Is it possible to replace live games with virtual ones?
Personally, I am in favor of good computer games for children 4-5 years old. These are a kind of role-playing games where the child can get ready for the ball, prepare food, put virtual dolls to bed. But you should combine computer games with games in the kindergarten or in the yard. If a child tries to sit at the computer all day, he should be limited to about two hours of play. The benefit of virtual games is that children begin to read early and learn something new for themselves.
Is there a certain number of toys that a baby needs for a certain period of his development?
It is impossible to answer the question unequivocally: how many toys a child needs - 10, 20, 100 or 200. In addition to cars, bunnies, dolls and other things, the child should have toys for swimming, walking, relaxing in the country, playing in the water and in the sand. Toys for outdoor games are especially important. Girls are fond of playing with jumping ropes, rubber bands, and balls. Boys love to ride bicycles, scooters, and roller skates. In addition, every child, regardless of gender, should have sets for role-playing games “Young Doctor”, “Young Technician”, “Young Chef”. The main thing is that the toys are different, awaken imagination, develop abilities, encourage play and appeal to the child himself. In addition, no matter how many toys a child has, and no matter how varied they are, the task of parents is to teach the child to play and develop his own intelligence through play.
Every mother is familiar with this situation - she went to the store to buy bread, but brought home not only bread, but also a new doll :)
It would seem that all the shelves in the nursery are already filled with toys, fairy-tale characters peek out from different boxes, but this doll is so beautiful! It was simply impossible not to buy her - she has incredibly charming eyes. Or a similar situation when a child begs his mother for another “minion,” although every representative of this culture is already in absolute oblivion deep in the closet. “Well, buy it, buy it!” - can be heard throughout the entire store. “Won’t you buy it? Well, then, maybe this giraffe from Madagascar? Won't you buy it? You do not love me!". All this is accompanied by loud crying, whining all the way home about how bad the mother is and ends with the baby’s angry frowns.
According to statistics, each child in the average Swedish family has at least 600 toys (data from Esquire magazine). Having learned about this, I decided to count all my one-year-old daughter’s toys. There were more than 100 of them. A lot for such a little thing. At that moment I wondered how many toys she really needed. And why can’t I just go buy bread, and my hands are still reaching for that same doll with unforgettable eyes?
The level of development is directly related to the number of toys
As the child grows up, there are fewer and fewer new toys, and more and more time for playing with his peers. There is an increasing interest in group games, visits to various clubs and sections, as well as family outings, trips to the mountains or on a picnic.
For the first six months, the child needs colorful and bright toys that “squeak”, ring, and make various musical sounds.
It is these toys that encourage him to make meaningful and purposeful movements. An indispensable condition for their use is safety. A musical toy should not produce too loud a sound; the maximum acceptable background noise is 65 decibels. Exceeding this norm can affect his auditory perception and even affect the baby’s mental state.
From birth to six months, the baby is very interested in touching and tasting everything. Tactile contact is simply necessary. During this period, the basic skill of grasping and holding is formed, so it is important to pay attention to toys that promote the development of fine motor skills. 5-6 toys made of different materials and shapes will be enough. It is important for parents to know that a toy intended for such a small child must be absolutely safe for him.
No sharp corners, protruding fasteners, small or crumbling parts, paint or varnish. The size of the toy should exceed a diameter of 4 cm so that the baby cannot accidentally swallow it. The material must be of high quality and non-toxic.
From 10 months to one and a half years The child undergoes a new stage of development when he explores everything around him. He already knows how to open closet doors, take laundry out of the washing machine together with his mother, and put his cubes in a box. At this age, sets of light colored cups, plastic pyramids with large rings, wooden nesting dolls, fabric cubes with bright pictures and the most ordinary ball are well suited. The ball develops manual dexterity; it can be rolled on the floor, thrown in different directions and kicked. To do this, it should be no more than 15 cm.
A duck on a string is also suitable, which you can drag along with you, and at that moment it will quack or play a cheerful melody. The duck can be replaced with a train or a car - it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that you can pull them along with you on a string; kids love such games. In addition, this strengthens the skill of walking.
Up to approximately 2.5 years Children are interested in knowing themselves and their capabilities. They try to carry a rubber dog on a train, stack cubes on top of each other, then pull one out and watch how the entire structure they built collapses.
Note to moms!
Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...
There must be a place in the house where the child can lay out all his toys. Cabinets for their storage must be provided. Showing initiative and trying to come up with a new way to play with a toy should find approval in the actions of parents. Psychologists believe that toys for children should be simple and allow children to show their imagination in using them.
When the baby reaches the age of 4-5 years old, he needs more practical toys that carry meaning. These can be children's sets of household appliances (consisting of a microwave, washing machine, stove or vacuum cleaner), various construction sets, elements for a puppet theater, puzzles, mosaics and auto tracks. The child can now choose what he needs. He comes up with stories, builds a whole storyline in the game, and he needs all its components to be present. Parents don’t have to run to the store to get them every time; they can make do with “improvised” means. ()
The right choice is the key to a happy childhood
Once I was in a supermarket and heard people standing next to me arguing about whether to buy them another car for their son or a play tent. It made me smile. It’s better to buy a tent for the child, I thought. The car is just another one, but there is no tent yet. A child should have the entire “arsenal” of toys, a little of each type. This will give him an idea of all the objects, ways of playing with them and will develop his imagination.
Those who differentiate toys by gender are mistaken - boys should play with cars, and girls with dolls. This is wrong. In order to develop harmoniously, a child must use both toys for games. A huge amount is useless. Variety is what every child needs.
You will not find information in any book about the exact number of toys a child needs. It is impossible to foresee the characteristics of each child, the conditions of his life, upbringing and give just one comprehensive answer to all situations. But we will still try.
Child and toys – School of Dr. Komarovsky
Not a single child can imagine his life without toys. And parents, in turn, try to make these toys as interesting and safe as possible. And today TV and radio host Sergei Rost came to see Dr. Komarovsky to ask what you need to pay attention to when buying toys, how to care for them and which toys can be considered safe.
What toys does a child need? Mom's school. TSV
There is nothing unusual in the fact that a child is passionate about play - this is the only way children learn about both the world and themselves. At the same time, it is important to understand where the line is beyond which the passion for a toy fleet of cars or princesses in pink outfits begins to harm the baby. Let's consider the situation: less toys - more imagination.
How many toys does a child need? Organization of children's room space
Tatyana Zamakhova and Marina Belozerova discuss the problems of organizing space in a house with a child.
Order in the house with a child is possible!
It is very difficult to refuse the pleasure of giving a child a toy, especially if you never even heard of such things in your childhood (and this was the case). Not only parents, but also friends and relatives like to bring them to the baby - dolls, cars - all this brings a lot of joy at first, and literally after a couple of days it begins to gather dust on the shelves or on the closet.
Willy-nilly, you begin to wonder: how many toys does a child need, and does he really need so many of them? If you do not control the number of toys your child has, he will grow up to be a consumer, will not learn to appreciate what he has, and will demand more and more things! The exact number of toys a child needs is not indicated in any literature, because each baby is individual, as are his living conditions and upbringing. website suggests that you familiarize yourself with the general requirements for the number of toys a child has and urges not to take them extremely seriously, because the child’s individual inclinations must be taken into account.
How many toys does a child need: general requirements
Since a child’s ability to make choices develops as he grows up, you certainly shouldn’t overwhelm your baby with toys, so try to stick to one simple rule - the smaller the child, the fewer toys can be in his field of vision.
Before the child turns year, one toy will be enough for him, which can first be hung in the stroller and crib, and then given to the baby in his hands.
Up to two years, as the baby’s concentration abilities and attention span grow, the number of toys for simultaneous use may well increase. During this period, it is very important to teach the child to establish differences between objects - color, size, shape. Necessary at this age for the baby and educational toys.
Aged from 3 to 6 years Do not place more than 5 different games and toys in the child’s field of vision.
Be sure to instill in your children the habit of taking care of toys, neatness, and a love of order. By the way, if a child has half his room littered with “plastic”, keeping his living space clean and tidy will be quite difficult and uninteresting for him, unlike toys that he made on his own. If a child is interested in collecting cars, soldiers or figurines, you should not deny him this pleasure.
How to buy toys correctly?
You can certainly adhere to the rule “fewer toys - more outdoor games, creativity and crafts,” but nevertheless, it can be very difficult to refuse to buy “such a wonderful toy that Vanya will be delighted with”! Use our tips, and the number of toys in your home will decrease, and the relationship between you will only improve.
1. If you have a desire to once again show your baby how much you love him, there is no need to rush to the store for another toy. It’s better to play, tinker with it, chat or .
2. Before purchasing a toy, ask yourself the question “will the baby be able to do without it?” If yes, don’t even think about buying it.
3. You shouldn’t buy your daughter a hundred dolls; in this case, it’s better to give the baby a variety of accessories for an existing toy - furniture, dishes, outfits.
4. Do not keep toys at home that the child does not use - it is best to give them to an orphanage, this way you
5. Throw away broken or damaged toys: if you haven’t fixed them within a month after the breakdown, you won’t fix them again.
Forum member under the nicknamebambalero shares useful tips,
We almost always give large toys or things that children have asked for for New Years and Birthdays. Educational games, board games, family games - for no reason. Rarely, buy small toys several times a year, usually timed to coincide with some occasion: the tooth fairy brought it, you learned to ride a bike, you won a competition. The third category - given to guests for their birthday, bought by grandparents and godparents. Before holidays and birthdays (read - before a new influx of toys), we inspect the toys, throw away what is unusable, and put away what we have outgrown or don’t play with for the kids in the orphanage.
If you are responsible when buying toys for your child, reduce the number of them in your home, you will thereby help your child learn to appreciate and love what he has, as well as invent his own entertainment and enjoy the anticipation of cherished gifts.
Video tip: Making toys from socks with your child
After the birth of a child, parents, friends and numerous relatives simply fill him up with toys.
However, often after a couple of days all this splendor peacefully falls into dust or is stored in boxes.
How many toys does a child need?
And what entertainment is necessary for its full development? – our article is devoted to these questions.
The history of children's toys is very long: archaeologists have discovered primitive whistles dating back to the 3rd century BC, but they are sure that similar products existed before. Play is an opportunity for a child to adapt to adult life and get to know the people and objects around him. You need to choose toys carefully: they should not only attract the child’s attention, but also develop motor skills, attentiveness, logic, memory and other qualities.
Toys for children under 1 year old
At 2-3 months, the baby needs colorful toys - most often these are mobiles and rattles, swaying or rotating above his head. After a couple of months, it will be possible to lower them lower so that the baby can try to reach objects with his hands and feel them. You can also purchase pendants with light and sound effects made of wood, fabric, plastic, PVC in different colors and shapes. When the child is able to hold the toy for a long time, you can give him rubber figures or rattles. You can also hang different toys in the playpen at different heights.
From 7-8 months, various educational rugs are added, but the toys must be well attached to them, have no small parts or sharp corners, and are made from environmentally friendly materials. If you wish, you can sew such rugs yourself from an old blanket, attaching bags of cereals, primitive figures, large buttons, etc.
At 10-12 months, many children take their first steps, so we recommend buying toys that can be pushed and carried - a large car, a train, a ball, and others. The young researcher is also interested in things that make various sounds, as well as collapsible objects (a house with holes into which figures are inserted, primitive pyramids, cubes).
Toys for children 1-3 years old
It's time to introduce your child to the world around him, so you can buy animal figurines, cars, dolls. Toys should not just be beautiful; show your child what to do with them. Teach how to comb the “animal”, feed it, build a house out of cubes.
Every manifestation of a child’s activity should be encouraged. At the age of 1.5-2 years, boys already happily begin to play with technology - cars, a railway with a train, the first construction set, but if there is an interest in dolls, do not rush to discourage it, just diversify the little one’s leisure time. Playing with dolls, by the way, is a reproduction of the everyday actions of adults, but in a playful form. Toy dishes, clothes, accessories are purchased and included in the game gradually. With older children you can play story games - the doll gets to know someone, prepares dinner or waits for guests.
During the walk you need to use other toys: a spatula, a scoop, a wooden hammer, a bucket, molds. Show your child how to dig ditches, make “pasochki”, and dig sand.
At the same time, you need to develop sensory experience: large puzzles, construction sets, mosaics, cubes with pictures, lacing, children's lotto, dominoes with plants, animals, objects, cards. To develop movements, you can buy skittles, balls, bicycles, rocking chairs. At the same age, introduce musical toys such as pipes or pianos.
From 3 years and older
Toys should be more realistic and made from different materials. To maintain health, it would be good to acquire sports equipment - bowling sets, ring throwers, swings, soccer balls, scooters, bicycles, jump ropes. It will be great if, say, every Saturday you and your whole family go to the sports ground or go out of town.
To help your baby learn to socialize, you can put on small performances, especially since it’s easy to sew dolls for them yourself. Transport kits, object games, sets like “young doctor” or “young driver” also have a place. Gradually, by the age of 4-5, constructors, board games, mosaics, chess, checkers are added, and you can gradually play computer educational games.
How and how many toys to buy?
Let’s make a reservation right away: we don’t buy toys for a child on the first click. Large and expensive toys can be given as gifts for some holiday; board and educational games and small surprises are purchased for no reason. Children do not yet know how to make a choice, so your task is to offer your child an alternative: for example, ask if he wants a car or should we buy a ball so that the whole family can play in nature?
Receiving gifts on demand, children simply get tired of the abundance, their attention is scattered, so many toys gather dust somewhere under the bed or are not taken out of the box at all.
Why should the number of toys be reduced?
Financial question - a rare family has extra money, it is better to buy one, but desired toy and spend more time with the child, than to try to buy him off with expensive gifts and at the same time devote a minimum of time; A question of choice. How can a child learn to choose if he has never tried? Invite your child to sometimes choose his own entertainment, take a closer look at what he is more interested in - then toys, even if there are several of them, but they will be his favorites; Cluttering. If there are a lot of toys, a logical question arises: where should they actually be stored? Therefore, it is better to make an informed choice and get rid of unnecessary toys. Nobody encourages you to throw them away, but you can teach children to do good deeds by giving toys to an orphanage or low-income families; Do not buy toys of the same type. 10 identical dolls are unlikely to bring any benefit; it is better to purchase diverse entertainment aimed at developing certain qualities. Be realistic: do you really think that every educational toy is useful? And a $200 pyramid is better than a regular wooden one just because it costs more? If your child has a lot of toys, you can divide them into two sets and alternate every 2-3 weeks. This way, entertainment will not get boring; It is better to get rid of broken and damaged toys immediately, this way children can be taught to appreciate what they already have; If your child is interested in collecting, there is no need to interfere with him. Just set the rules: for example, once a month, replenish the collection of cars or soldiers. Keep a calendar and a shopping register, go shopping together and choose what you like, but stipulate in advance that you will buy only one toy, do not give in to hysterics and whims, small children are excellent manipulators.
Choose toys correctly; they should be useful and appealing to the child, and not just gather dust on the mezzanine. Moreover, if parents are actively involved in upbringing, the child often doesn’t care how many toys he has, the main thing is your attention and care!
