What is Toy Minimalism? What are Minimalist Toys?
Toy minimalism is a concept that promotes having a more straightforward and more intentional approach to children’s toys. It involves decluttering and reducing the number of toys children have to encourage imaginative play, creativity, and a more sustainable lifestyle. The main principle of toy minimalism is to focus on quality over quantity. Instead of buying many inexpensive, low-quality toys, parents and caregivers can invest in a few high-quality toys that can last longer and support a child’s developmental needs.
Toy minimalism also emphasizes the importance of open-ended toys, such as building blocks, art supplies, and musical instruments, that can be used in various ways and stimulate children’s imagination and creativity. By embracing toy minimalism, parents and caregivers can help children learn to appreciate what they have, reduce clutter in the home, and prioritize sustainable consumption. Additionally, this approach can help promote child development, creativity, and a greater sense of self-sufficiency.
What is minimalism?
It is the idea of promoting the things you love (favorite objects and interests)and letting go of the stuff that keeps you from this happiness. Minimalism is a lifestyle where you live intentionally with less so you are not consumed or distracted by possessions. To dive deeper into minimalism, you can read more about it on the Wikipedia page. Toy minimalism is taking the same concept and applying it to toys.
What is a Montessori Toy Shelf? Top 10 Montessori Toy Shelves
What is a toy minimalist?
Toy minimalism is a modern movement or idea. Fifty years ago, kids didn’t own that many toys (that needed to be minimized). Most of our grandparents had very few toys, and the ones they did have were cherished and loved. Is that a coincidence? When we have fewer possessions, the ones we truly love, we are more content. There is a scientific truth that correlates between unhappiness and consumer materialism. Most modern parents want contentment for their children. No parent wants a begging child at the store,e especially when they hear “I’m bored” in their playroom daily.
Have you ever been to a playgroup at a friend’s house with a playroom full of toys?
Did you watch in dismay as the group of kids moved around the room from toy to to,y only to stay put for moments? Within 5 minutes, your friend’s nicely organized and beautifully categorized playroom looked like a tornado. And we know that it will take hours to clean up. The typically stocked playroom is a source of stress for most parents because they are the ones that have to maintain, organize, and clean them. Big and beautiful playrooms often have a hefty price tag, with the price being time and energy to keep them.
If you as a parent are overwhelmed by too many toys in a toy room, how is your 3 yr old supposed to focus on play in this environment? Play is your child’s occupation. Think about how well you perform in a messy office. Do you work well whentoo much ish on your desk or around you? Think about your child’s play space as their “office” and create a shelf or corner that promotes a productive “play” environment where they can thrive. We can all strive to practice toy minimalism!
Why should your family choose to have minimalist toys?
First, having too many choices is overwhelming for children. Having too many toys at once stunts their ability to focus on one toy. Your child won’t play independently for very long. Furthermore, having too many choices overwhelms children and creates sensory overload. Creativity, learning, and discovery occur best when a child enters that “deep focus play zone.” I can always tell when my kids enter this “zone” because they are oblivious to the world and are intrinsically focused on the task.
Another reason to be a toy minimalist is to help your children develop creativity. If your child has every type of to,y, then there would be no need to build that location or pretend another object is something else. You take away your child’s opportunity for creativity when you give them everything. Most parents think that more toys give their children more opportunities to play creatively, but that is the opposite of true.
If your child owns a space station or a barn, why would they get creative and build one out of blocks?
I assure you that your kids will have more extended independent play, be more creative thinkers, and show “deep play” concentration when owning fewer toys. Lastly, teaching your kids to be content with less stuff is a lesson we should all learn. Ditchingg the “playroom” and having a play shelf in a family room promotes family bonding and parent play. Parents are more likely to play throughout the day with their children if they are not “away” in a toy room but instead in a “family” space. Parents like to relax and play constructively with their kids in calm areas, not overwhelming messy playrooms that they think of having to organize later.
“Your kids will play more with less when you choose the right toys,”
My favorite saying rings very true. As I once did, most parents think buying more toys equals more play because their child is bored with what they have. Most toys sold at toddler eye-level in your favorite big box store are not enriching. These bright, shiny, and often noisy plastic toys are made to catch the child’s attention only to press their buttons. This “one-trick pony” toy will entertain your child for only moments. Sadly, the toy controls the child, whereas the child should creatively direct the toy. See how I review Toys Here!
Wooden simplistic-style toys do not have batteries or sounds that take away creativity from your child. They are typically more classic and designed,d leaving room for the child to create the story or direct play. Next time you shop for a toy, ask yourself if this is “heirloom quality or landfill quality?” Choosing wooden toys from a sustainability standpoint is best for the environment and your child’s creative development.
How to minimize your toy collection with minimalist toys through toy minimalism:
Think of your child’s toys as the tools in their toolbox. Keep only genuinely loving and cherished toys and promote deeper thinking and creative play. Think about only keeping the toys that promote the following: Concentration, imagination, storytelling, engineering, STEM, human empathy, or relationships. I think in terms of heirloom quality toys that I enjoy with my kids because they are of beautiful wooden finishes and quality crafted. For a complete list of some of my favorite wooden block sets, check out this POST. My kids only have so much time in the day to play; II always think I’d rather them spend their time with educational, enriching toys than the latter.
I have a rule that if my kids only play for 5 minutes with something, then it is one to pass on as it does not aid their development. Another way to minimize this is to ditch the playroom and designate a lovely cabinet or shelf in a family space where you can display beautiful wooden toys for the family to play with. You can toy rotate and place all other toys on a high-up shelf or closet. Rotating toys promotes long-term interest in toys as well since they are not always available. I organize and store the toys by categories.
My essential toy shelf list
I go into more detail in my blog post for the minimalist family essential toy categories. I broke it down by age groups 0-2 years and 3-12 years. These lists provide examples of basic toys thoughtfully selected to be minimal with maximum educational benefits to your child/family. Aa toy shelf/cabinet and storage rotation system help you follow that “one out” rule. Many minimalists follow these practices in their homes to contain the clutter. For example, if you have a small cotton sack containing wooden cars,s when it is complete, you know not to add more of that one item. Or if you have a canvas tote of wooden railroad pieces and it gets full, there is no more extended room in that category.
My essential sustainable toy list
Through my experience of parenting five kids, I have learned a lot about toys. To compile my list of top sustainable toy companies, I have spent 17 years owning good, great, and terrible ones. My motto, “Love your kids, Love your toys,” could never ring more accurately today. Toys are not a way to alleviate children. They should promote learning and STEM. STEM is an approach to learning and development that integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through STEM, children develop vital skills, including problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking. Toys should be safe and free from toxins. They should be produced in an eco-friendly process for the community and the environment. They should be open-ended and something you want to pass down to your grandchildren.
I recently published a complete article on “What’s a Sustainable Toy?” I dove into my philosophy on why sustainable toys are so important. This is more of a spin-off article, focusing exclusively on the best sustainable toy companies. I have assembled a list of my favorite 13 companies, s including a bit about their sustainable mission and what I like about them. I have included website links to learn more about their mission and toy lines.
Conclusion:
Setting storage limits for yourself helps you to regulate the number of toys in that category. Furthermore, fewer toys mean less clean-up for the family. By allowing your child to master an easier clean-up, you empower them to feel a sense of accomplishment. Families that have “adopted” the minimalist mindset are frequently surprised by how many positive changes resulted in their families. Having fewer toys and practicing toy minimalism will be a positive change for your family. Toy minimalist and toy minimalism will be household terms soon enough, and other parents will take note. Please check out my Top Sustainable Toy Companies to expand your collection of the “right” toys that will last!
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