Before having my son, I had seen one too many living rooms taken over by toys. I was determined that my own house would never be filled with plastic blinking contraptions that would inevitably become tripping hazards and leave my husband and I howling in pain. But, like all the other things I said I would never do, I found it difficult to avoid once I actually became a parent.

I have tried to curtail my toddler?s toy collection by buying only a few thoughtfully curated wooden toys, and even so, he spends most of his time at home playing with a mixing bowl and measuring cups. As I have watched him delight in gift boxes while ignoring the toys inside, I have become more and more curious about how many toys kids actually need. So I decided to ask child development experts that very question. Keeping toys minimal

?Children need to play, but this doesn?t require toys,? says Deborah MacNamara, a clinical counsellor in Vancouver and author of Rest, Play, Grow, a manual for parents. ?They will explore their environment and examine articles that are interesting to them?from pots and pans to blocks.? In other words, kids do need something to play with, but that doesn?t have to be toys. Your home likely has enough objects to keep them entertained and learning.
As children grow, their relationships with toys change. While babies are mostly preoccupied with being around the people they are attached to, MacNamara says they can also be content exploring things wit...