Frugal Mums
As Mums, we love to see our kids happy. Buying them new toys is guaranteed to put a smile on their face, but with the amount of new toys and technology our kid’s wish lists are growing by the second!
Don’t feel guilty if you cannot afford all the latest items, being a frugal Mum is a great way to be and not only benefits the wellbeing of your bank account but the wellbeing of your kids too, here’s why:
Imagination
Did you know that unstructured and undirected play is crucial to your child’s development? If your child is regularly receiving new toys there is no room for imagination. With fewer toys, kids can learn to be creative, creating their own games and developing the gift of imagination. For example, instead of buying them the latest arts and crafts from Smiggle, you could give them a plain piece of paper and other simple resources for them to create something using their imagination.
Stimulation
Fewer toys will also give your kids more opportunities to choose brain stimulating activities such as reading, writing and crafts! This will benefit them in school giving them an advantage when learning new words, phonics and grammar!
You will also notice them spending more time getting amongst the great outdoors! Getting your kids outside will benefit their mental and physical health. They will experience different environments and develop connections with nature.
Best of all, fewer toys can help your kids develop their social skills. Instead of being glued to an iPad they can initiate conversations with other children and engage in imaginative play, teaching them how to build relationships, a crucial life skill!
Values
Your kids do not need the latest toys; clothes and accessories. Without them they can learn the value of family, friendship, and appreciation, whilst placing less value on material items.
Let’s be honest, kids go through clothes like there’s no tomorrow! They are constantly growing out of and destroying their clothes. However, you do not have to just throw their old items away. You can try selling them at the markets or a garage sale, there are always fellow Mums looking for cheap items! Your kids will also love all of your own old clothes; put them in a dress up box and watch as they spend hours of fun playing dress ups!