Billy has a lot of toys

[PerfectPrepPrincess]

So I've had this said twice maybe 3 times recently!

Anyone else get this sort of comment? Do we actually have loads or is this like a polite "it's sunny today" comment?!

One of the comments was when we'd actually tidied 70-80% of toys away out of site

Because they don’t focus on toys and instead get overwhelmed and flit around rather than engaging in meaningful. It’s also really difficult for them at tidy up time. There is lots of research on this and I’ve seen this in my own children.

We have loads of toys too and so I rotate them. My oldest is 6 and she is able to rotate the toys in the playroom herself if she wants different choices or is ready to change them.

This isn't about the number of toys. It is passive aggressive judgement on the fact that they are visible. What they actually mean is 'why don't you tidy up before we come over'.

my mum used to foster and then I was a childminder and inherited all her toys, so we had a playroom full of toys. I just did as others did and had a few baskets of age appropriate toys I rotated so they could avoid being overwhelmed. Ds still has a games room full of toys, I was say about 5% of them are actually new and bought direct for him though!

You can’t possibly know that. I mean it could be but it could also be the DC has too many toys.

After 4 kids we had so many toys, you definitely have to have them on rotation, there’s more stimulation that way and the DC doesn’t get overwhelmed.

Just ignore comments like that, not worth even thinking about, no one else’s business.

Too much choice is overwhelming for anyone, especially a child.
If you have more, your Better off having a rotation system.
If you have 10 puzzles, leave 2 out and the other 8 away. Then at 1 year they can learn to focus properly on doing those two, and can easily tidy back. Every few weeks swap.

They grow out of many things so quickly though at 1, that they are ready for a more advanced version ie puzzle before they really use.
So yes for me 10 wooden baby puzzles as in example would be too many. I would have around 5, and rotate between bedroom and living space, or into a draw out of sight and swap every few weeks

Ds is 2 years. It’s been the same since he was 1. But all main toys in living room fit in an ottoman when tidied. He has larger climbing bits that don’t, some basic puzzles, blocks, teddies and books in bedroom. And now some art crayons etc in small out of reach basket in kitchen. I think that’s plenty and quite a lot tbf.
Im always filtering out things he’s outgrown to charity or friends, ( or loft in case we have another)

We get that too, it’s very annoying! All DD’s toys have either been given to us second hand, bought by other people for birthday/Christmas or were my toys from when I was a child. They’re on rotation so only a few different toys are out at a time but I have them out in the living room for DD to play with, she doesn’t have any toys in her room because she’s 3 and she wants to play where we are. I just ignore those comments, what do they want me to do? Send people with gifts away? It’s not me buying all the stuff!

I think kids play better when there are fewer toys. The same blocks become a town or become a challenge for teddy to jump or make tunnels etc.

I think its better developmentally not to have too much out as it can be overwhelming for a child (bit like going in a big supermarket for the first time after covid!)

Its tempting to think more is better but I really dont think it is. For each toy type choose a few to keep and put the rest ik boxes for a few months time /to give away.

An overwhelmed child that just flits from toy to toy and ends up with a huge mess isnt really playing but struggling to settle to play.

If I said it, I would mean, "wow look how well you've provided for your child oh god am I a neglectful mother, my kids have none of these..." but then I'd get over it. I would certainly not mean they should tidy up!