Toys can be terrific learning tools. Play builds spatial skills, motor skills, and social skills. But when talking about toys, can there be too much of a good thing? Social scientists studied groups of toddlers during free play sessions. When the kids had just four toys, as opposed to other times when they had 16 toys, the interactions were almost twice as long. This suggests that the kids had time for quality play—meaning they used the toy in different ways beneficial for development.