Too many toys for the toy storage box?

Most families have way too many toys. They may not even fit into the toy storage box in the child's bedroom or playroom.

Psychologists say that each additional excess toy "devalues" all the others a little bit, unti the toys become just "pieces of broken plastic" almost like dirt. In fact, some kids find dirt more interesting than most of the toys in their own toy storage box.

This is not the child's problem (or rather it didn't start with the child). It is caused by the parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts who all feel obligated to give the child a toy not only on their birthday and Christmas, but on every visit. Many parents buy their children a gift every time the parent takes an overnight trip. Some even buy a toy every time they take the child grocery shopping with them. No wonder the toys are taken for granted.

Have you ever watched your child rummaging through their toy chest? The typical 18 month to 4 year old child look’s into the box and picks out a toy. They then place it aside within TEN SECONDS.

They rummage through the box, select another, start walking away with it and drop it to pay attention to something else in the room.

When they return to the toy box they pick out and drop on the ground at least half the toys in the box, finally selecting something to sit and play with for LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES.

Then they watch TV for a while or whine at their parents. Finally out of desperation they return to the toy storage box. They may have to negotiate a path between all the earlier toys to get there. This time they completely empty the box, hoping for something satisfying at the bottom.

Sometimes they hold on to that last toy for a few minutes… sometimes their “job” is done… they have emptied the toy box for today.

What to do about too many toys!

One suggestion is to simply select a few of the child's favorite toys and make only these available.

Then take ALL the other toys and LOCK THEM IN A CLOSET and refuse to talkabout them for the time being. (We give away a free lock for the closet door with each One at a time toy chest purchase.)

If necessary, explain to the child that they should at least try to besatisfied for the time being with fewer toys in their toy storage box. (Actually this will probablybe harder for the parent than for the child.) The child may not even notice that the other toys are missing.

In a few days or a week or so (or whenever the child seems to be NOTplaying with selected toys or is ON THEIR OWN asking about other toys), then and only then do you go to the locked toy closet.

One evening when the child is asleep or taking a nap (or watching television), replace one or several of the toys with different ones from the locked closet. Even old toys will be interesting after not having been played with for a while. With a choice of “new” toys the child's interest will be easily maintained for another week or so.

Caution: don’t do this exchange in front of the child or they will focus on the closet, not on the toy storage box.

You can do this even with the traditional toy storage box. However with a One at a time Toy Chest the relatively few toys that are made available have even further advantages.

Child psychologists say that the child will value each toy more if they have to make a “sacrifice” (put it away) to get another toy.

You would see this in your own child when they drop a current toy and go to the One at a time toy chest. They try to get another toy and can’t. At first they may seem baffled or frustrated, or may even look to you to solve their problem.

Then they remember (or you remind them or show them) that by “giving up” the old toy they can get a new one. They will look at the old toy, think about it, and often just keep playing with the old toy for a while longer. They now “value” the old toy a little more because they were faced with the choice of giving it up, at least for a while.

They will also “value” the new toy more once they eventually decide to “pay” for it with the old toy.

Another approach to too many toys!

Here is a video of a child experimenting with another way of storing toys:

See the attractive designs and customizations available for your own child's One at a time Toy Chest.

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