# Toy philosophy

**How many toys does a child need, and what kind?**

What kind of toys you buy and how many: few, open-ended, rotated, a mix with electronic toys, or plenty.

In short: Parents choose between 5 main approaches: Few toys; Open-ended only, no batteries; Curated rotation; Mixed, including electronic; Abundant. Evidence: evidence leans one way. Research or guidance points in a direction, but it's thin, small or correlational. Best settled: during pregnancy.

- Area: Childcare and early learning
- Evidence: Evidence leans one way
- Best settled: During pregnancy
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/childcare-and-early-learning--toy-philosophy

## Toy philosophy: what are the options?

1. **Few toys**: You own a small number of toys.
2. **Open-ended only, no batteries**: You buy only simple toys such as blocks and dolls, with no batteries.
3. **Curated rotation**: You keep a chosen set and swap which toys are out.
4. **Mixed, including electronic**: You have all kinds of toys, including ones with lights and sound.
5. **Abundant**: You have lots of toys and do not limit them.

## Toy philosophy: what does the evidence say?

**Evidence leans one way.** Research or guidance points in a direction, but it's thin, small or correlational.

AAP: the best toys prompt caregiver-child interaction; simple beats electronic

Sources:

- [AAP](https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/143/1/e20183348/37330/Selecting-Appropriate-Toys-for-Young-Children-in)

## What else is worth knowing?

Families differ in how many toys they keep and what kind. Simple toys can be used in many ways; electronic ones do more of the work for the child. Gifts from relatives make this harder to control.

## Questions to ask each other

- How many toys do we want in the house?
- How do we feel about electronic toys?
- How will we handle gifts from relatives?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=childcare-and-early-learning&topic=childcare-and-early-learning--toy-philosophy