Why do German nursery schools say no to toys?

In the past four decades, German nursery schools have experimented with a controversial solution to help reduce the rate of future drug abuse among children. The answer is to take away children's toys.

Studies from the 80s show that toys are like opium - providing a sense of liberation. By eliminating this item, children will be forced to develop more important skills such as critical thinking, creative minds and social skills.

Toys are like opium - providing a sense of liberation.

A Berlin care center recently said no to children's toys for 3 months. Teachers do not give any guidance and observe their behavior. The kids later find a way to "buy fun" by designing the game based on what is in the room.

Without toys, those children put their towels on their backs and imagine themselves as animals. They also put chairs to form trains or play with wooden poles in the yard.

According to Elisabeth Seifert, manager at Aktion Jugendschutz, an NGO supporting this project, children will have time to develop their own ideas.

The kids later find a way to "buy fun" by designing the game based on what is in the room.

'During this time, they no longer need the available toys. They create their own games. They play more together, thereby developing psychological foundations'.

This study is similar to another study by Johns Hopkins University, suggesting that scarcity creates creativity . 'Contrary to popular belief, abundant resources are sometimes not conducive to creativity,' wrote Meng Zhu and Ravi Mehta, project authors.

'We realize that scarcity motivates consumers to think beyond the usual frameworks of a certain product, and stimulates thinking'.

Without toys, children will have time to develop their own ideas.

Models of " non-toy nursery " receive mixed opinions. According to Hans Mogel, a psychology professor from Passau University, it is a form of child abuse. However, this model and its meaningful message also received positive feedback.

In this age of digital technology like this, young children need space to develop creative thinking, which is beneficial for their development.