Lately, I have had little time to do much. Working, trying to do my paper, and just taking care of the baby basically occupy every second and ounce of energy that I have. However, while I was shopping for a new toy for my kid, I began to wonder if buying another toy really is the best option for my child.
最近，我幾乎沒有太多時間做其他事情。工作、寫論文、照顧寶寶（baby）占據了我所有的時間與精力。當我在為孩子買新玩具時，我開始思考，買新玩具是否真的有益於我的孩子。
I sat down and read some papers. To my surprise, many of the papers stated that having too many toys has unintended consequences. Having too many toys can negatively impact a child’s development in several ways. But wait, what is too ” many” toys?
為此，我讀了一些論文。令人驚訝的是，有不少文章指出，擁有太多玩具會帶來意想不到的後果。擁有過多的玩具，會在諸多面向上對孩子的發展產生負面影響。但怎樣才是「過多」呢？
Well, that’s quite subjective, but a study by Dauch et al. (2018) found that toddlers engaged in more extended, creative play and interacted more meaningfully with their toys when they had fewer toys available. Specifically, they observed that children with access to only four toys played more creatively and for longer periods than those with sixteen toys. A practical guideline often suggested by child development experts is to limit the number of toys to those that can fit in a small basket or a single shelf. This ensures that the toys are easily accessible and visible, promoting more intentional and focused play. Parents are also encouraged to rotate toys periodically, keeping only a few out at a time and storing the rest. This approach can refresh a child’s interest in their toys and provide a sense of novelty without needing an excessive number of items (Guyton, 2021).
這無疑相當主觀。但Dauch等人（2018）的研究發現，當玩具較少時，幼兒（toddler）玩遊戲的時間會更長、更有創意，其與玩具的互動也會變得更有意義。他們觀察到，只有四個玩具的孩子比有十六個玩具的孩子玩得更有創意且更持久。兒童發展專家通常會建議，以一個小籃子或單個架子作為玩具的數量上限。這確保玩具易於取用、清晰可見，促進更有意圖及專注力的遊戲。專家們也鼓勵家長定期輪替玩具，每次只拿出幾個，然後把剩下的玩具收好。此一方法可以恢復孩子對玩具的興趣，並在不需要過多物品的情況下，提供新鮮感（Guyton，2021）。
So what are the negative effects? When children are surrounded by an abundance of toys, they often become easily distracted and do not spend sufficient time engaging with any single toy. This can lead to a shorter attention span and reduced ability to focus, as they flit from one toy to another without fully exploring or understanding any of them (Guyton, 2021). Additionally, an excess of toys can lead to sensory overload, making it difficult for children to concentrate and fully enjoy their playtime.
那麼，會有怎樣的負面影響呢？當孩子被大量玩具包圍，他們往往容易分心，沒有足夠的時間專注於某個玩具上。這會導致孩子整體的注意時間縮短、專注力下降，因為他們流連於不同的玩具，而未能充分地探索或理解（Guyton，2021）。
Overstimulation from having too many choices can result in feelings of anxiety and agitation, ultimately reducing the quality of play. Furthermore, having too many toys can hinder the development of creativity and problem-solving skills. Children may become reliant on the toys themselves for entertainment rather than using their imagination to create new ways to play. This dependency can stifle creativity and limit the development of cognitive and social skills that arise from more imaginative and interactive play (Healey et al., 2019; Miquelote et al., 2012)。 In short, a balanced and thoughtfully curated selection of toys is crucial for fostering a child’s focus, creativity, and overall developmental health.
此外，過多的玩具會導致感官超載，使孩子難以集中注意力，而無法充分享受遊戲的時間。過多的選擇會引起焦慮與煩躁，最終降低遊戲的品質。此外，擁有太多玩具會妨礙創造力與解決問題能力的發展。孩子們可能會依賴玩具本身來娛樂自己，而不是利用想像力來創造新的遊戲方式。這種依賴會扼殺創造力，限制認知與社交能力的發展，而這些能力來自更具想像力與互動性的遊戲（Healey等人, 2019; Miquelote等人，2012）。簡而言之，在培養孩子的專注力、創造力與整體的生長健康上，精心挑選並合理搭配玩具極為關鍵。
The next question I had was about the toys I should pick for my child. According to my research, choosing appropriate toys for toddlers involves considering their developmental stage, interests, and safety. Effective toys should be engaging, safe, and suited to the child’s age and abilities. Guyton emphasizes that toys should promote cognitive, motor, and social-emotional development through active play. For example, toys that encourage cause-and-effect learning, such as blocks or simple puzzles, can help toddlers develop problem-solving skills and spatial awareness (2021) . Homemade or readily available materials can also be excellent choices. Items such as fabric scraps, cardboard boxes, and plastic containers can be used creatively to stimulate play and development. These materials are often more accessible and can be tailored to the child’s specific needs and interests, fostering a more personalized and meaningful play experience (Guyton, 2021).
接下來的問題是：該選擇什麼玩具給我的孩子？根據我的研究，為幼兒選擇合適的玩具，需要考慮他們的發展階段、興趣與安全性。有效的玩具應該具有吸引力、安全性，並適合孩子的年齡與能力。Guyton強調，遊戲時玩具得以促進認知、運動與社交情感的發展。例如，鼓勵因果學習的玩具，如積木或簡單的拼圖，有助於幼兒發展解決問題的能力與空間感（2021）。自製或隨手可得的材料也是極佳的選擇。像碎布料、紙箱與塑膠容器等物品可創造性地用以刺激玩樂與發展。這些素材通常更易取得，並可根據孩子的需求與興趣加以調整，從而培養更個性化、充滿意義的遊戲體驗（Guyton，2021）。
Some parents may also wonder how they would play with their children even after acquiring the toys. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, it really depends on the child’s specific needs. I am no expert, being a first-time parent myself, but I can offer my own example. Yesterday, I noticed my child becoming interested not in his toys but in the boxes that contained them. He kept grabbing them, so I reached over and gave them to him to explore. I then taught him how to open them and watched him play with them for at least 30 minutes. He loved them! I let him play with the boxes throughout the day, showing him first how he could open them, arrange them in different orders, flip them, and place them in various locations for him to find.
有些家長可能也想知道，買了玩具後該如何陪孩子一起玩耍。正如前段所述，這取決於孩子的具體需求。我不是專家，也初為人父，但我可以自己為例。昨天，我注意到，我的孩子對玩具不感興趣，反而玩起了玩具盒。他不停地抓著這些盒子，所以我就拿給他探索。我教他如何打開盒子，看著他玩了至少30分鐘。他超愛這些盒子！我讓他整天玩這些盒子，先教他如何打開，如何按不同順序排列它們、翻轉它們；並將它們放在不同的位置，讓他找到。
Today, I thought I could interest him more by putting different toys inside them. I started by placing his favorite rattle inside one box and then watched him try to open it for about 10 minutes. I offered my assistance a few times but always put it back and let him explore. To my surprise, he did not become frustrated when he could not open it. He kept on playing. After a while, I put the box with the rattle inside another toy box and shook it to show him there was something inside. He was excited and played with both boxes.
今天，我在盒子裡放入不同的玩具，來激發他的興趣。我先把他最喜歡的手搖鈴（rattle）放在一個盒子裡，然後看著他嘗試打開。在這十幾分鐘裡，我提供了幾次幫助，但總是讓他自行探索。令我驚訝的是，他並未因打不開盒子而感到沮喪。他繼續玩了一段時間，我把放著手搖鈴的盒子放進另一個玩具盒裡，搖了搖，讓他知道裡面有東西。他很興奮，玩著這兩個盒子。
I will let him play with these boxes throughout the week and try to vary the activities. This example shows how children’s play can be both guided and spontaneous, reflecting their natural curiosity and developmental stages. By providing simple, everyday items like boxes, parents can create engaging and educational play experiences that promote cognitive and motor skills. According to research, such as the study by Miquelote et al., the home environment and the availability of stimulating play materials significantly influence infants’ motor and cognitive development (2012). By introducing different elements, such as hiding toys inside the boxes, parents can encourage problem-solving, fine motor skills, and sustained attention.
我會讓他一整個禮拜都玩這些盒子，並試著改變玩法。這個例子揭示了孩子的遊戲可以具有指導性，也可以是自發的活動，反映出他們天生的好奇心與發展階段。透過簡單的日常物品（像是玩具盒），父母可以創造出具有吸引力與教育意義的遊戲體驗，促進認知與運動能力的發展。根據Miquelote等人的研究，家庭環境與刺激性遊戲素材（play materials）的可獲取程度，顯著影響嬰兒的運動與認知發展 （Miquelote，2012）。透過不同元素的引入，例如在盒子裡藏玩具，父母可以鼓勵孩子們解決問題，提升精細運動能力與專注力的持存。
Additionally, this type of play supports the development of object permanence and exploratory behavior, which are critical during infancy (Guyton, 2011). As my child interacted with the boxes, he learned about cause and effect, spatial relationships, and the joy of discovery. Such activities align with the principles of affordance theory, which suggests that the environment provides opportunities for action that promote learning and development (Gibson, 2001). Thus, simple play activities at home can be highly effective in supporting a child’s developmental trajectory.
另外，此類遊戲有助於物體恆存（object permanence）與探索行為的發展，這在嬰兒期至關重要（Guyton, 2011）。當我的孩子與這些盒子互動時，他習得了因果關係、空間關係與發現的樂趣。這些活動符合「生態視覺理論」（affordance theory）的原則。該理論認為，環境提供了學習與發展的機會（Gibson，2001）。因此，在家中進行簡單的遊戲活動，將有效地裨益孩子的發展軌跡。
I still recall as a kid that I often played with paper tubes you would find in the center of paper towels and toilet paper. I would build robots with them or whatnot, though of course, I did this when I was a lot older. I suppose the main point here is to play with your child and show them different ways to interact creatively with the toys. Perhaps I will build a house with him using cardboard boxes when he gets a bit older. I’m getting too excited but already reading about things I can do with him in the future.
我還記得小的時候，經常玩那些放在廁所裡的衛生紙紙筒。我會用它們搭建機器人，當然，是在我大一點的時候。我想，其重點在於陪伴孩子玩耍，並向他們展示不同的方式，有創意地與玩具互動。也許，等他大一點後，我會用紙箱跟他一起蓋房子。我已經躍躍欲試，在閱讀將來可以和他一起做的事情。
Lastly, you might be thinking why I am writing about toys when my page is mostly about language education. Well, I think all these things—choosing toys and playing, and using multiple languages—are all part of a diverse approach to providing my child with a stimulating environment that challenges him and keeps him growing. Every parent should think about the best way to help their child develop in their specific contexts using the tools and resources they have at their disposal. For me, bilingualism is just another way for me to help my child develop cognitively. I feel it is my job to provide him with such an environment while not overwhelming him and providing him with the support he needs. At the same time, I will do my best to give him individual time to explore and not be a helicopter parent. Thus, I will be sharing a lot more about raising my child, whether it’s on bilingual education, playing with toys, or raising children in general.
最後，你可能會想，明明我們是一個關乎語言教育的粉專，為什麼還會撰寫與玩具相關的文章？我認為所有事情——選擇玩具與玩耍、使用多種語言——都是為孩子提供一個具有挑戰性、使成長多樣化的方法。每位父母都應該思考，如何在特定的背景下，運用手上的工具與資源來協助孩子發展。對我來說，雙語教育不過是提升孩子認知發展的一種方式。我覺得我的責任是提供這樣的環境，讓他沒有壓力，並支持他。與此同時，我會盡可能地放手讓他探索世界，而不是當一個直升機父母。因此，我將分享更多關於如何撫養孩子的內容，無論是雙語教育、玩玩具抑或是具有普遍性的育兒方式。
Hope you enjoyed my article 😊
希望你們會喜歡我的文章😊
*Note: In my article, I mentioned the terms infant, toddler, and baby. Here’s the distinction: An infant is a child from birth to one year, marked by rapid physical and cognitive development, including motor skills and attachment formation (Herzberg, 2021). A toddler is between one and three years, characterized by increased mobility, independence, and the development of gross and fine motor skills, memory, problem-solving abilities, and language (Guyton, 2021). The term “baby” generally refers to children from birth to three years, encompassing both infants and toddlers.
*提示：本文所提及的嬰兒（infant）、幼兒（toddler）與寶寶（baby）之區別如下：嬰兒通常指一歲以前的孩子，此一階段以快速的身體、認知發展為標誌，包含了運動能力與依戀的形成（Herzberg，2021）。幼兒是指一到三歲之間的孩子，這一階段的特徵是運動能力的增強、獨立性、大動作、精細運動能力、記憶、解決問題能力及語言的發展（Guyton，2021）。寶寶則泛指三歲前的孩子，包括嬰兒與幼兒。
References
Dauch, C., Imwalle, M., Ocasio, B., & Metz, A. E. (2018). The influence of the number of toys in the environment on toddlers’ play. Infant Behavior and Development, 50, 78-87.
Gibson, E. J. (2001). Perceiving the affordances: A portrait of two psychologists. Psychology press.
Gursul, D., Goksan, S., Hartley, C., Schmidt Mellado, G., Moultrie, F., Hoskin, A., … & Slater, R. (2018). Stroking modulates noxious-evoked brain activity in human infants. Current Biology, 28(24), R1365-R1381. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2018.11.014
Guyton, G. (2021). Using toys to support infant-toddler learning and development. Early Childhood Development Journal, 45(3), 1-6.
Healey, A., Mendelsohn, A., Sells, J. M., Donoghue, E., Earls, M., Hashikawa, A., … & Williams, P. G. (2019). Selecting appropriate toys for young children in the digital era. Pediatrics, 143(1).
Herzberg, H. (2021). Infant exuberant object play at home: Immense amounts of time-distributed variable play. Child Development, 92(4), 1-12.
Miquelote, A. F., Santos, D. C. C., Caçola, P., Montebelo, M. I. L., & Gabbard, C. (2012). Effect of the home environment on motor and cognitive behavior of infants. Infant Behavior & Development, 35(3), 329-334. doi:10.1016/j.infbeh.2012.02.002