The toy industry sells us the story that our children need toys to be happy. In fact, we are sold the story that our kids need lots of new toys to be content. You may have come to believe that more toys=more joy and find yourself spending countless dollars attempting to prove this theory to be true. You aren’t alone, in 2020 the toy industry brought in over $95 million in global sales.

These numbers surely bring a lot of happiness to the toy industry. But what about our kids? 

Let me tell you our story. When I became a new mother, I was ready to give my baby everything. All the toys, all the love, all the best. 

This motto “more is better” wasn’t new to me. I entered motherhood with a lifelong history of clutter–both physical clutter and mental clutter. But I had different circumstances than most when I gave birth to my first child. At that time, I was finishing up my doctorate in Child Development. 

That means, during my first pregnancy, I was elbow deep in more than just clutter—I was also immersed in the research about what children really need to grow, learn, and thrive.

Much to my surprise, there was nothing in the research that supported the idea that buying lots of toys was actually good for our kids. In fact, having fewer toys benefits our kids in more ways than you can imagine. Over the past decade, I’ve turned thousands of families into believers of the benefits of fewer toys. 

And I can tell you one thing for sure, you will never look back. 

Not only does fewer toys benefit the development of the child, but also the well-being of the parents. Because the way we buy for our children teaches them. That’s why I want to share with you 9 things that kid’s learn by having fewer toys. 

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