LESS IS MORE! Removing the unnecessary for your child's development!

 

If you're a parent struggling with toys scattered all over your home and kids who don't seem interested in tidying up, this article is for you.

Set a space or room for play and work!

The key is to remove the unnecessary and limit the number of toys available to your child, facilitating their concentration, creativity, and engagement.

You don't need a designated playroom; a clear space for play will suffice. This space should have only a limited number of toys on display so your child is not overwhelmed and can easily see what's available. This approach is in line with the Montessori method, which encourages offering limited activities to children to help them focus on mastering them. A limited number of toys facilitate concentration, creativity, and engagement.

Toy rotation!

To further manage the number of toys available, you can rotate them regularly. Pick out toys your child rarely plays with and replace them with new activities or toys with a higher difficulty level. You can involve older children in the process by asking them to put away toys they're not interested in and bring out ones they want to play with. Do not change everything at once.

What children try to master!

It's important to recognize that children often have one or two activities they're trying to master, and it's essential not to take these away from them. Instead, offer similar activities with a more significant difficulty level to foster creativity and skill-building.

Observe if, in time, the new activity/toy grasp their interest rather than the old one. An example would be Lego. If your baby loves Lego Duplo and you feel like he is ready for a new challenge: pick some more detailed, easy-to-build Legos and foster creativity while working on their skills.

Practicing less is more every day!

As parents, we can set an example by showing our children that we don't need excessive amounts of things and can reuse items. We live in excessive consumerism that ironically destroys us and the planet. By slowing down and enjoying our daily rhythm, we can teach our children to appreciate experiences and just be rather than always needing to do something.

Rushing children from morning till night with chores, activities, and even playing only makes them more addicted to things (that need to be done, that need for personal satisfaction, rather than experiences and just be).

Raise their interest!

To raise their interest, listen to what your children are curious about and offer age-appropriate activities and toys based on their interests. Model curiosity about the world and its wonders or simplicity, and get your children involved in daily adult activities. They surely can set the table with little or no help. They even can choose their clothes to wear and so on. 

Spending time outside and exploring nature can also be an excellent way to spark curiosity.

Remember the wise words of Maria Montessori: "Every useless help is an obstacle to development."