I have a plan, and it's daring. At some point in the coming days, when my two little daughters are away from home, I could get into their rooms and remove at least half of the toy: stuffed animals and plastic cars, puzzles and Playmobil figures, this plastic whistle and the weird plastic beads Chain production, which I constantly strive for. Do not judge me, because my action would do the girls good. At least researchers and practitioners claim that in their work I have deepened in the past few days.

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My interest in the subject of "toy withdrawal" awoke when I recently read at breakfast about a measure of the Protestant Kita St. Georg in Hamburg. Similar to other German day care centers, a large part of the toy was removed from the group rooms during Lent 2018; The only items left were paper, crayons and cloths, which are ideal for building a booth. It quickly turned out that the kids did not miss the old game stuff and their mood even improved rather than worsened. Personally, this opens up immediately, because you can not knock on Lego bricks that are temporarily in the basement.

DDP

Child in the nursery (icon)

Now it turns out: The fasting action of the Hamburg Kita, which will be repeated this year because of the great success, stands on solid scientific feet. Recently, researchers from the University of Toledo, Ohio, came to the same conclusion as other American colleagues: less is more. Shortage of supply not only stimulates the imagination, but also leads to more "game depth", they accounted for. An oversupply of toys confuses and overstrains the children, it's a pity they found out some scientists.

In a particularly radical field trial in Bavaria , the children were not only taken away from a part of the toy, but everything. All that remained was the furniture. Girls and boys who did not have enough could walk in a neighboring forest and collect branches, acorns and other biofuel, for example. The children in the Stone Age finally had to settle for what Mother Nature gave. One might assume that total withdrawal went terribly wrong - but the opposite was the case.

It fits in that the daredevil experiment was carried out in Bavaria, because in the field of toy research the Free State is Germany's leader. This is partly due to the Augsburg researcher Volker Mehringer and the project SAKEF, which stands for "toy evaluation and selection by children, parents and skilled workers". Among other things, Mehringer and his colleagues deal with the question of how sensible a gender-specific toy is. I'm curious about the research results, especially as more and more unicorns and fairies frolic in the room of my older daughter. Should I implement my plan, I will leave these strange glittering figures in the room. Ironically, their loss would certainly be noticed.

warmly

Your Guido Kleinhubbert

Feedback & suggestions?

Abstract

My reading recommendations this week

  • Among the most impressive spectacles of nature, which can be observed in this country, is the return of the cranes from the winter quarters. Anyone lucky enough to see the majestic birds in the typical V-shape in the sky should definitely report this to the Nabu.
  • I think tattoos are almost stuffy because of their omnipresence, but would like to bring two good news to all concerned. First, tattoos in the MRI scanner are not dangerous, secondly, you can now inform yourself about possible copyright issues. For example, this could happen if you carry the portrait of your partner on the skin and then later separates from him.
  • Not only are they responsible for tens of thousands of deaths, they are also hampering the work of notable researchers: Mexican drug cartels.
  • As a studied statistician and a passionate skeptic I love the statistic of the month. The latest revolves around the question of whether Schweinefürze are actually more dangerous than diesel vehicles.
  • How do monkey teeth, which are probably older than 120,000 years, come to the bottom of the North Sea? And why are there around 50,000 mammoth molars around?
  • For centuries, monks and nuns have been the driving forces behind children's education, book printing and beer brewing. Because I find it all very important, I am very happy about the free and in part highly exciting conference proceedings of the Tübingen workshop "Monastery and its resources".

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quiz

"42: Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything" (Douglas Adams)
  • How many trees are there on earth?
  • What is the biggest living thing in the world?
  • Is there a food that never spoils?

* The answers can be found at the bottom of the newsletter

Whether migraine, back pain, osteoarthritis or more rare diseases such as fibromyalgia - permanent complaints can destroy a person's everyday life, the whole life is agony. How chronic pain arises, how to fight it successfully and how to learn, despite his own life self-determined live, informs the current SPIEGEL KNOWLEDGE "Defeat the pain" , since December 10 in the trade.

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Picture of the week

The oceans of the world still hold many secrets, especially in the deep sea. The British research institute Nekton has therefore sent a team and three submarines on their way to Seychelles. As in 2016, off the coast of Bermuda, the scientists at the seabed want to explore the state of the oceans and, if possible, even discover new species. They want to present their research results at a conference of the riparian states in 2022.

AFP

footnote

$ 688 cost a soup, which the exclusive Talon Club Las Vegas in February 2018 on the menu took. Reason for the high price: to the ingredients counted Ophiocordyceps sinensis. The fungus, which grows inside a caterpillar and then grows out of its head, is sold in Beijing for up to $ 140,000 per kilogram and should have an effect like Viagra. The interest in the alleged aphrodisiac is so great that the fungus is now considered threatened.

The SPIEGEL + recommendations from science

  • Environment: Threatens a world without insects?
  • Archeology: SPIEGEL conversation with the genetic researcher Johannes Krause on the prehistory of humanity
  • Behavioral research: Ornithologists have unlocked the secret of how eagles spend their teens.

* Quiz Responses: About three trillion / The Hallimasch, a gigantic mushroom, which extends in Oregon over a surface of nine square kilometers - however underground / honey